Magic Mingle Challenge for March 2013

Its time for the next challenge of Magic Mingle. Now in its 15th  edition, the challenge is to use both the magic ingredients in the most unusual of dishes. A combination that was never thought possible, a dish that just pops into your head, a taste that lingers on .. thats the challenge, and thats the magic of Magic Mingle. For previous challenges on Magic Mingle, head here

Meanwhile, for this month's challenge. The ingredients are Pistachio & Tea. Pistachio can be used in dry form - whole or powdered. Tea - white / oolong / green / black / any kind of tea can be used. Please remember the final dish should have both these ingredients in totality and cannot be used as garnish. Also, the final dish(es) - members can send in more than one entry - can be of any region and course (appetiser to dessert is the range you can work on) and should definitely be vegetarian and eggless. 

The challenge is on from 1st - 15th March. Use the following linky tool to link up your entries. Only members are allowed to link up their dishes.  If you want to be part of this exciting journey, dash me your blog URL to momchef77@gmail.com.

Cheers

Kalyani

Chutneywaale Aloo | Baby potatoes in a minty dressing

Is it a snack or a dry side dish ? Party Food or Finger food for kids' parties. Well, today's dish happens to be all of these. Inspired from here, Vidhu Mittal's one of my favourite authors, and this dish definitely didnt disappoint. Quick to put together, and yummiliciously simple, the nutty and minty coating to the baby potatoes was simply out of the world. I shall update with more (and better pics) as these were taken just before sunset and I had two bratty kids screaming for attention :-) :-) 

Do try it out, and for all those potato lovers there, I bet you would go back to this dish as its a keeper of sorts. Its also a simple make-ahead for potlucks, and tastes wonderfully well paired with simple pulav and raitha. Sending this to Day 3 of BM under "cooking from a cookbook" theme. The last 2 days saw me dishing out Baked Hara Bhara Kabab & Set Dosa with Carrots-Shallots Chutney. 

Prep time : 10 mins | Cook time : 10 mins | Serves : 3

Difficulty level : Easy

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes - 1 lb or about 400 gms

Mint leaves - 2 handfuls

Green chillies-  1 or 2 (adjust spice)

Cashewnuts - 5 to 7 (optional, but recommended)

Salt - to taste

Dry masala powders (Each 1/2 tsp) : Amchur (dry mango powder), Garam Masala, Red Chilli 

Oil - 2 TBSP

Method:

1) Peel and boil baby potatoes till 3/4 done (ensure they are not mushy). If you are pressure cooking, cook for 2 whistles only. Drain and reserve.

2) Soak cashewnuts in a bowl of warm water for 10 mins

3) Grind together mint leaves, cashewnuts, chillies to a fine paste with very minimal water

4) In a non stick pan, heat oil. Fry the paste for 1 - 2 mins till the raw smell disappears. Now add the boiled potatoes, dry masala powders and saute well for 2 - 5 mins, taking care not to break the potatoes.

5) Serve hot as a snack or a dry side dish

Linking this to PJ's event  Only Vegan, event by Pari

Baked Hara Bhara Kabab | Spinach and peas patties

When Srivalli announced cooking bookmarked recipes as one of the themes for BM # 25, I was thrilled. For I had to make this Hara Bhara Kabab that I had bookmarked from Sanjeev Kapoor with some minor variations. Both the author and the dish appeal to me. My family loves it a lot and we order this kebab everytime we go to a restaurant. Somehow Tandoori dishes appeal to me & S a lot - be it Naan / Kulcha / Kebabs etc. The earthy smokiness of the dish may not be replicable in a household kitchen, but nevertheless this dish was a must try and I loved it to bits :-) Try it out and you would love it too. You may also pan fry this but I grilled this in an Oven and got a slightly crispy crust which we loved. This makes a great appetiser for parties. Check out how to make this.

Prep time : 20 mins | Cook / bake time : 20 mins | Makes : 8 to 10 medium sized kebabs

Difficulty level : Medium

Ingredients: 

Spinach leaves / Palak - 1 cup (tightly packed)

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Potatoes - boiled and mashed - 3/4 cup

Corn flour - 4 - 5 TBSP

Chopped ginger - 1 tsp

Green chillies - minced - 1 tsp (you may skip this if making for kids)

Jeera / Cumin powder - 1/2 TBSP

Coriander / Dhaniya Powder - 1/2 TBSP

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup

Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 TBSP (adjust spice if already using green chillies)

Roasted chana powder - 1/2 TBSP

Salt - to taste

Oil - to grease the baking pan or fry pan - about 1/5 cup

Method:

Preps - 

1) Boil potatoes, peel and mash well. Dry roast bread on a medium hot tava and mince in a spice grinder  (unless you are using store bought bread crumbs)

2) Powder the fried gram. Keep aside

3) Blanch spinach for 3-4 mins. Rinse in cold water. Drain and puree without any water.

4) Blanch the green peas for 10 mins in slightly salted water. Drain and mash slightly

 Meanwhile preheat oven to 160C and slightly grease a baking tray. Line with foil.

For the kebabs:

In a large bowl, add the mashed potatoes. Tip in the spinach puree, blanched peas paste. Add salt, dry masala powders, corn flour, greeen chillies and all other ingredients except bread crumbs and oil to make a dough. 

Then add bread crumbs little by little to bind the dough. Cover in plastic foil and refrigerate for 20 mins. Keep a little bread crumbs aside for topping

Divide the dough into equal parts. Flatten into slightly thickish patties. Roll in the remaining bread crumbs.

Bake for 12 - 15 mins on both sides till golden brown.

Cool slightly and serve immediately with green chutney and tomato ketchup

This goes to BM # 25. Also linking to BAKE FEST # 16, Lets Cook/Bake for Valentines. Also Linking this to PJ's event  Only Vegan, event by Pari

Set Dosa - version 2, and a celebration at Blogging Marathon

25. A magical number in any milestone driven event - be it marriage or life ,  an organisation or a mega occasion like the Blogging Marathon - the silver anniversary holds promise of a wonderful journey and wishes for a sweeter sojourn in the years to come. And similarly, Blogging Marathon - a brain child of Srivalli celebrates its 25th edition this month. Ably supported by a dedicated team of bloggers, Srivalli and her team have embarked upon sweet success, and each one of us wish her many more milestones to come. This week  for BM, I have chosen the theme "Cooking from a Cookbook"  ; Of course,cookbook here means the printed word or any online reference. 

In this world of blog hopping, I have bookmarked hundreds of recipes, and am glad I could try out a few for this edition. Will kick off with a yummy, honest-to goodness soft and fluffy Set Dosa from Sailu's Kitchen which was perhaps one of the earliest bookmarked recipes. I already have a recipe for Set Dosa here. So why another one, do you ask ? Well, Set Dosa happens to be one of my favourite recipes :-) Set Dosa is usually served in pairs or even in threes (a set, you see) with Chutney and / or Sagu (mixed vegtable gravy). And this version from Sailu promised to be an authentic Andhra version. And boy, was it yummy ! I followed the recipe to the T, and ended up with super fluffy Set Dosa served with Shallots & Tomato Chutney (recipe soon!)

So, lets get cracking and see how to make this yummy breakfast. You could also make it for the evening tiffin / snack or even for dinner. Unlike other Dosas (pancakes), this is super fluffy and can be made with minimum oil too. 

Prep time: Soaking - 6 to 8 hours; grinding - 45 mins to an hour ; Fermentation : 10 to 12 hours or overnight

Difficulty level : Medium

Serving suggestions : Any Chutney or Kurma

Ingredients:

Raw Rice - 2 cups

Parboiled rice - 1 cup

Urad dal / Split black gram - 3.4 cup

Poha / rice flakes - 3/4 cup

Methi Seeds / fenugreek seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Pinch of sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Salt - to taste

Oil - to make the dosa

Method:

Wash and soak both the types of rice, Urad Dal and Methi in adequate water for 4-6 hours. Separately soak poha  / flattened rice for 1- 2 hours

Grind all the ingredient adding enough water to a pouring consistency. Mix salt and let it ferment for 10-12 hours or overnight

The next morning, about 1 hour before preparing the dosa, mix the batter well. Add a pinch of sugar and mix again till the batter turns frothy.

Heat a tava (griddle) till medium hot. Sizzle about 1/2 tsp of water before making every dosa and wipe the excess with a kitchen towel / tissue. That way the heat is maintained evenly.

Take 1 - 2 ladles of batter and spread to a thickish dosa. drizzle 1/2 tsp of oil, Cover and cook for 1 - 2 mins.

Once you see small holes (due to the aeration) appearing on the surface, flip over and cook for just 10 - 20 seconds (in the classical version of Set Dosa, its never cooked on both sides)

Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with  Any Chutney or Kurma

Linking it to Blogging Marathon # 25. Check out other Marathoners here. Also to Susan's MLLA hosted by Lisa, , Traditional and Native Recipes by Sara , Breakfast Club at Farmer's girl. Also Linking this to PJ's event  Only Vegan, event by Pari