Amara's Cooking

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Aloo Katchori

Katchori's are a simple yet filling snack. Even though Khasta Katchori's are really famous, My family loves the aloo ones.

These are normally served with sweet and green chutney's but again my hubby and my daughter eats them with ketchup!!

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes + 5-6 minutes to fry each batch.

Serves : 6-7

Ingredients:

To make the dough:

All purpose flour/maida : 3 cups

Sooji : 3/4 cup

Water : 250 ml or 1 cup

Baking powder: 1/4 tsp

Ajwain: 1 tsp

Oil : 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

For Filling:

Potatoes: 4 large, boiled and peeled.

Green chilies: 3 chopped finely

Ginger: 2" piece chopped finely

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds: 1 tsp

Asafoetida/ Hing : 1/2 tsp

Turmeric: 1 tsp

Oil : 3 tbsp

Red chili powder: 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp

Amchur/dry mango powder: 1/2 tsp

Method:

Take all the ingredients to make the dough and make a soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest it for 30 minutes.

Mash the potatoes roughly.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin and fennel seeds and fry for 1 minute. Add hing, green chilies and ginger. Sauté for 1 minute. Add potatoes and turmeric, mix well. Add the masalas mix well and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the stove.

Take the dough and make a lemon size ball, roll into a circle and place 1 tbsp of filling. Close it up by pulling dough to the middle. Press it flat.

Heat oil for deep frying and fry the Katchori's on medium heat.

Serve hot with sweet chutney and hara chutney.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Crispy Baked Potato chips

Potato chips are everyone's favorite but homemade ones are better. These are baked but crispy and tastes yummy. Healthy too.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 25 minutes

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Red potatoes: 2

Chat masala: 1 tbsp

Oil : 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the potatoes and slice them with a mandolin so all the pieces are same thickness.

Oil the potatoes immediately after slicing. Add salt too.

Place the potatoes in a single layer in a cookie sheet with a parachment paper.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Immediately after taking out, sprinkle the chat masala and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Apple Pie

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Rest Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 1 hour

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients :

To make the dough:

All purpose flour: 2 cups

Salt : 1/2 tsp

Unsalted Butter : 6 tbsp (cold)

Water : 60 ml (Ice cold)

Filling:

Any Red Apples: 6 medium peeled, cored and sliced

(If using Granny Smith, 5 apples are enough)

Cinnamon powder: 1 tsp

Ground nutmeg: 1/2 tsp

Sugar : 1/3 cup

Brown sugar: 1/3 cup

Salt : 1/4 tsp

Other:

Egg : 1

Milk : 1 tsp

Butter: 2 tbsp

Method:

Take the flour and butter, start breaking butter into small pieces and slowly work it into the flour with your hands. Once it all mixed with no lumps left, add water little by little and make a smooth dough.

Cut the dough into half, wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Take all the ingredients under filling, mix well and keep aside for 10 minutes.

Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Take the dough out, dust some dry flour, and roll them into 10" circles.

Take the first one and place in the pie pan, take the filling without the juices and fill all the way in the pan.

Add 2 tbsp of butter to the juices and cook for 3 minutes in a microwave to get a caramel texture. Pour that over the apples.

Cover with the second circle, press the edges, cut on the top.

Cook for 15 minutes, take it out, brush the milk and egg wash.

Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 45 minutes.

Take it out, let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.