Appetizers/Snacks, Cakes n bakes

Desi Pizza (Indian style pizza)

Desi Pizza

Ingredients:

1 loaf Italian bread

1 finely chopped onion

1 chopped bell pepper

24 oz fresh mozzarella cheese

Tomato ketchup

Mint chutney

To make mint chutney:

Coriander/ cilantro – 10 to 12 strands

Mint leaves – 1 cup

Green chillies– 2 to 3

Cumin seeds- 1 Tsp

Sugar- 1/4 Tsp

Blend everything together with little water and make a thick paste.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Make half-inch thick slices of the bread. Arrange the slices on cookie sheet and spread 1-2 tbsp of tomato ketchup on the slice following by mint chutney.  Add 2 tbsp of onions and bell pepper on top and sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese generously on top of it.

Desi Pizza

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Desi Pizza

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Chaat

Bhel Puri

Bhel Puri

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Puffed rice- 3 cups

Bhel mix- 2 cups (available in any indian grocery store)

Tomato- 1big size chopped

Onion -1big size chopped

Cilantro– 1/2 cup

Raw mango- 1/2 cup chopped (optional)

Roasted spicy peanuts- 1/4 cup

Green chillies- 1, minced

Mint chutney- 4-5 tbsp (adjust it according to your taste buds)

Sweet chutney- 4-5 tbsp (adjust it according to your taste buds)

Sev (0 size)- 1/4 cup

Lime juice- 1 tsp

salt to taste

Mint chutney:

Mint leaves- 25 gms

Cilantro- 25gms

Green chilli- 1

Roasted cumin seeds and saunf (fennel seeds)- 1 tsp each (powdered)

Blend all the ingredients together with 1 or 2 tbsp of water. The mixture should be thick.

Sweet chutney:

Tamarind juice- 1/2 cup

Jaggery – 3/4 cup

Bring this mixture to boil with 1/4 cup of water. Boil it for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes thick (consistency like tomato ketchup).

(You can store these chutney’s in refrigerator for a week)

Chutneys

Preparation:

Bhel puri

Mix puffed rice, bhel mix, peanuts well. Add rest of the ingredients quickly, Sprinkle sev at the end and serve immediately.

Bhel puri

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Chaat

Dahi Batata Sev Puri

Ingredients:

Potatoes– 3 (boiled and mashed, while mashing add ½ Tsp of red chilli powder, salt and mix)

Black channa dal– 1 cup (soak overnight and boil with little salt )

Onions – 1 (chopped finely)

Coriander/cilantro – 8 to 9 strands (chopped finely)

Puris-30

Sev – 0 size 1 cup

Mint chutney– 1 cup

Sweet chutney- 1 cup

Curds/yogurt- 1 cup

Red chili powder- 2 Tsp

Chaat masala- to taste

Ingredients to make puris:

All purpose flour – ¼ cup

Fine semolina/ sooji- ¾ cup

Water- ½ cup

Oil- for deep frying

Preparation:

Mix, all purpose flour and semolina with water and knead the dough to a firm consistency. Knead it well and cover it with a damp cloth for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into small balls. Roll the dough to about 2 inch diameter circle and deep fry.

While frying make sure you press  it down in the oil, so that the puri puffs well. Fry until golden brown and flip to the other side and repeat the same process.

Ingredients to make Mint chutney:

Coriander/ cilantro – 10 to 12 strand

Mint leaves – 1 cup

Green chillies– 2 to 3

Ginger- 1 inch piece

Garlic cloves- 1

Pomegranate seeds- 2 Tsp

Cumin seeds- 1 Tsp

Sugar- ½ Tsp

Preparation:

Blend all the above ingredients to a fine paste with little water and bring it to a thick soup consistency.

Ingredients to make Sweet chutney:

Tamarind paste – ½ cup squeezed tamarind juice

Dates – ½ cup (preferably pitted and soft)

Jaggery – 2 Tsp

Red chili powder – 1 Tsp

Coriander powder – 1 Tsp

Cumin seed powder- ½ Tsp

Fennel seed powder – ½ Tsp

Amchur powder – A pinch

Black salt – 1 Tsp

Salt – ½ Tsp

Preparation:

Heat half cup of water in a container, add dates and jaggery.  Boil it for 4-5 minutes and add tamarind paste. Cool down the mixture and add the remaining ingredients and blend it in a mixer to a smooth paste. Add a little water if necessary and bring it to a thick soup consistency.

Steps to make dahi batata sev puri:

Take a puri and make a hole in the centre. Add 1 tsp of mashed potato and 1tsp channa dal

Add 1-2 Tsp of yogurt. Sprinkle some red chilli powder and chaat masala on top.

Now add Sweet chutney, mint chutney according to your taste. Sprinkle some chopped onions and cilantro/coriander.

Top it with sev and enjoy!

Hint: Add all this into the puris as quickly as you can so that the puris remain crisp.

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