• 2 cups Peanuts 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Red Chili Powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Pepper Powder
• 2 big pinches of Asafoetida/Hing
• 2-3 sprigs of Curry Leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons cooking oil
• Salt as per taste 

How To:

They are a perfect tea time snack & makes for a great starter too. 

How To:

Preheat the oven at 200C

Shred the cabbage & set aside. I use a V Slicer to shred them.

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients & knead into a smooth dough using very little water.

Pinch lemon sized balls & flatten them into fairly thick circles. Place them on a greased baking tray & bake for 10 minutes until the top starts turning slightly brown. Flip the Muthias & bake them for another 8 minutes or so

Arrange them on a serving plate & sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds

Serve Hot with mint chutney.



NOTE:

You can entirely replace Cabbage with fresh or dried Methi/Fenugreek leaves

You can add a teaspoon of kasuri Methi/Dried Fenugreek for an additional flavour 

You can also steam these dumplings instead of baking them. Baking makes them crispier

Keep a close watch on them after 8 minutes or so. Baking time differs from one brand of oven to another

'Kadlekai Parishe' is the annual Groundnut Fair that happens at the famous Bull Temple in Bangalore. There are heaps & heaps of Groundnuts everywhere. Apart from Groundnuts, you also get to buy a few knick knacks & other munchies. You can read a bit more about what Kadlekai Parishe is all about Here. 

Parishe reminds me of old Bangalore. And, we made a visit this time too & bought loads of Kadlekai - Groundnuts.

We mostly end up eating these shelled peanuts as is but this time, We made a batch of Boiled Masala Peanuts , just like the ones you get from the street vendor. The weather is nice & cozy & this was what we needed with a cup of Chai. Its very basic with just boiled peanuts & onions with a dash of chilli powder & lime, nevertheless very tasty

They make a great post school snack for kids & is a great substitute for cookies or a pack of chips. Groundnuts are quite rich in proteins, so if you are watching your diet, this is a good mid day snack 



You Will Need:

How To:

If using fresh peanuts, shell them & soak in water for about 15 minutes. Add 2 cups of water & a tsp of salt. Pressure cook for 1 whistle . Drain & set aside.

Meanwhile, finely chop the onions.

In a wide bowl, Add in the peanuts, chopped onion, salt, Red chilli powder & lime juice. Give it a good mix. Add chopped coriander & toss well.

Use only Raw Peanuts to make this. Do Not use the roasted ones. You can also use store bought pre shelled peanuts 

You can also add a bit of finely chopped tomatoes if you wish to.

This tastes good when the Peanuts are still warm. But, you can have them cold too. 

I have always been a huge fan of Dhoklas ever since my Bombay days .. Even though, Dhokla is a traditional Gujarati snack, it is equally popular in Bombay & are a staple in most takeaway places in the city.

I never bothered to look for a recipe back then, because Mum made lovely Dhoklas or even easier, it was always available at the nearest takeaway. What I didn't know is that there are several variations to this like Khaman, Nylon Khaman, Dhokla, Rava Dhokla, Khatta Dhokla, Instant Dhokla & what not .. Another important fact that I was unaware of all these years is that Khaman & Dhokla are NOT the same & there is nothing known as 'Khaman Dhokla' which is what Khaman is referred as, all over the country. Perhaps, a Gujarati would be able to explain this better

In a large bowl, add semolina, Besan, turmeric, sugar, salt. green chilli & ginger paste & cooking oil. Add yogurt & mix well. Slowly add water & mix well to form a smooth batter. See to it that no lumps are formed. Allow this batter to rest for about 5 mins.

Meanwhile, fill a stramer with about 1.5-2 inches of water & bring it to a boil. Grease a shallow metal dish with cooking oil & set aside

Just before pouring the batter into the metal dish, add Eno & whisk well. The mixture rises & doubles in volume. Pour the batter into the metal dish. Gently place into the steamer. Cover & steam cook for about 15-20 mins. Insert a toothpick in the center. if it comes out clean, then your Dhoklas are done. Remove from heat & Allow them to cool slightly

Meanwhile, heat a tbsp of cooking oil & splutter mustard seeds. In a small bowl, take about less than 1/4 a cup of water. Add juice of  one lemon, & about a tsp of sugar. Mix well & allow the sugar to dissolve. Add spluttered mustard seeds along with oil to this & mix well. Pour this evenly over steamed dhoklas before you add the garnishing. Let the Dhokla soak in it for a while. This helps in keeping the Dhoklas moist. Cut the dhoklas into neat squares & garnish with fresh coconut & tons of chopped coriander. Serve with Coriander & Mint Chutney

This works great as a starter & since they are eaten at room temprature, they work great for potluck lunch/dinner & for picnics too

I know, I had been away for way too long, much longer than intended .. And, now that I am back, I hope to be regular ..

Summer is at its peak here & it's getting hotter by the day .. And, its no fun because I HATE Summer ... It also means, that I haven't been spending much time in the kitchen & lunch is usually a light salad or a veggie soup or a quick one pot meal & loads of chilled buttermilk .. I just can't wait for the rains to start, I say ..

I am so much in love with Bruschetta,  these days .. It is a great appetizer & makes a yummy accompaniment with your summer salads & soups.

You Will Need:

How To:

Serve Warm & Enjoi !!!