Scrumptious Snacks!

Mamara Bhel

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 10-12 mins
Serves: 10

3 cups puffed rice (mamara)
10 curry leaves
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli paste
½ cup peanut powder
½ kg potatoes, diced
1 tbsp chopped coriander
½ cup fresh grated coconut
1 tsp ginger paste
salt, sugar and lemon juice to taste
pinch of asafoetida

1. Soak the puffed rice in water for 4-5 minutes. Drain them thoroughly until dry. Add salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, chilli, ginger paste and lemon juice.

2. Heat the oil, add curry leaves, potatoes and salt. When potatoes are cooked, add peanut powder. Cook for 4-5 minutes and remove from heat. Add mamara mixture, coconut and coriander. Mix well.

Serve while hot. A quick, easy to make and tasty light snack.

Dahi Pakoda

(For Punjabi Dinner)

Preparation Time: 6 - 8 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Serves: 6 - 8

1 cup semolina (coarse)
4 cups yoghurt
1 tsp sesame seed
1 cup tamarind sauce
4 cups buttermilk chaash
1 tsp green chilli paste
10 curry leaves
2 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
¾ Cup water
1 tsp ginger paste
salt to taste
1 tsp cumin powder
oil for frying
1 tsp fruit salt (Eno)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 cup sev

1. Add ¾ cup water to the semolina. Add salt, ginger paste, green chillies paste and fruit salt. Mix well into a batter of medium consistency and leave for 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil for frying. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter into hot oil and deep fry until brown in colour. Drain well and put the fried pakoda in buttermilk chaash. Allow to soak for 1 hour, then remove the pakodas, and arrange in a serving dish.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a saucepan. When hot add sesame seed, curry leaves and cumin powder. When the spices begin to crackle, pour this vaghar over the yoghurt. Add salt, crushed ginger, chilli powder and mix well.

4. Half an hour before serving, spoon the spiced yoghurt over the pakodas. When serving, garnish with onions, tamarind sauce, fresh coriander, pinch of cumin powder, chilli powder and sev.
This attractive dish is ideal for preparing at short notice.

Dhokla

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Serves: 30

2 cups dhokla flour
2 cups warm water
1 tsp ginger paste
a pinch of turmeric powder
½ cup oil
1 tsp cumin seed
a pinch of asafoetida
10 curry leaves
½ cup yoghurt
salt to taste
1 tsp garlic paste (optional)
1 tsp green chillies paste
2 tsp sesame seed
½ cup chopped coriander
fruit salt (Eno)
1 tsp mustard seed

1. To the flour, add yoghurt, warm water, salt, turmeric powder and mix well. Cover tightly and leave to ferment for 12-14 hours in a warm place. When fermented, add chilli paste, garlic paste (optional), ginger paste and few coriander leaves.

2. Take 1 cup of the mixture. To this, add 1 tbsp oil, ½ tsp of fruit salt and mix well. Then pour into a greased tray thali, up to a depth of ¼ inch. Steam for 10 minutes on high heat. (Several trays may be steamed together). Remove and allow to cool. With a knife cut into small squares. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Arrange them in a serving tray.

3. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan on low heat. When hot, add mustard seed, sesame seed, cumin seed, asafoetida and curry leaves. When the spices begin to crackle, pour this oil over the dhokla.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Dhokla, a traditional Gujrati snack, is always a favourite with young and old.

Dhokla flour is readily available from Indian Grocery shops. However, the recipe for 6 cups of dhokla flour is:

Wash 2 cups of gram (chana) dal and 4 cups of rice together. Spread on cloth and allow to dry in the sun. Grind coarsely like semolina. Dhokla flour can be stored in air tight container.