Pita Pockets with Felafel and Cilantro Yogurt

Hello all!

Conversations, small bites of tangy and warm and LOW CAL food....wow! Full of proteins, and vitamins and minerals...all secrets of our eternal youth.

This is what Bhavna,Monica and I feasted on when we got together last.Pita Pockets with Felafel's and Cilantro Yogurt.

Good Times, Good Friends and Good Food!  The Holy Trinity! I’m sure my grandparents in heaven are dying (sic!)To give me a rap on my knuckles...The Holy Trinity are supposed to be Bhrama, Vishnu and Mahesh.

Bhrama, the creator (I create food too!).

Vishnu, the keeper (I keep food in my freezer for weeks too...then hubby dear comes and cleans up with a vengeance that does him proud.)

Mahesh, the destroyer (by my acute sense of logic...that makes hubby dear destroyer material.)

Comparisons are good! That’s why they say that god lives in each one of us.

Back to the food...Super Late Breakfast or an early lunch. Brunch it was!

I made Pita Pockets with Felafel's and instead of  with Hummus or Tahini, both of which are not available in Ranchi. I made Cilantro yogurt .Yup, neither is Cilantro...but our very own dhania or coriander substitutes well for that.

The rest, well even lettuce is not yet in season, so we use tender spinach leaves...straight from the kitchen garden.

Alright!!!

(All those from St Anselm’s School Alwar-SMILE...I miss you guys too! Those of you who have never even heard of Alwar, Rajasthan...I taught Mathematics for almost 5 years there....and Alright was my favourite word)

For the

 Pita Pockets with Felafel's and Cilantro Yogurt...

You need

A) Pitta Pockets

B) Felafel's

c) Salad

D) Cilantro Yogurt

We’ll start with the pita Pockets.....essentially simple bread, with two patties and a salad, the sauce dumped on top to add flavour.

In Delhi where these are available, you will generally see plump chickens being roasted on a rotisserie grill...no can do here. So we improvise, but satisfy our taste buds.

Pitta Bread

3 cups flour

1 ½ tsp dried yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp olive oil

1 1/8 cup warm water

Dump all but the water into your food processor (the appliance companies should be paying me...how much I advocate the food processor.)

Knead to a pliable dough with the warm water. Leave aside to prove for about an hour.

With this you can make about 6 pita breads of 7 inch diameter.That is a Chakla and a Belan.I don't know what a Chakla is called,but the Belan is a slim rolling pin and the Chakla allows one to roll out paper thin Phulkas/Rotis.

Preheat oven 220C .On the tray in the oven.

The breads cooking...

They will puff up. 

The puffing will make the pockets.

One Pita per person is good ,we are delicate eaters ,remember?

Now for the Felafel's...

1 cup chickpeas (soaked overnight) 1 14 oz can of chickpeas will also do as long as they are not cooked

1 egg

1 onion finely chopped

1 cup chopped cilantro or the desi Dhania/coriander

1 green chili finely chopped

1 tsp garlic finely chopped

1 tsp cumin powder, salt and red chili flakes and pepper to taste

Fresh herbs....Basil and Garlic Chives (whatever else you can lay your hands on)

1 tbsp oil

Again, the processor. Clean and dump the drained chickpeas.

Whizz, you want them little grainy. Chickpea is a good binder, used very often in kebabs and Dumplings.You know they will bind to form a patty.

Remove to a bowl; 

Add the egg, onion, herbs, garlic, green chili .

Season with the salt and red chili flakes and some pepper.

Put a non stick pan on medium heat, shape the patties with wet hands and place them on the pan.

Cook 7-8 minutes on each side.And they are ready.Save them for the Pita Pockets ,Please.

In the meanwhile let’s get the condiments ready.

The Cilantro Yogurt...

1 cup chilled yogurt

½ tsp garlic finely chopped

½ onion finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped cilantro or desi Dhania/coriander

Salt and pepper to taste.

That’s the bowl, all you need to do is mixing well and season to taste.

And now the Salad...

1 small onion thinly sliced

1 small tomato thinly sliced

1 handful fresh spinach leaves/lettuce leaves (our seedlings have a looooong way to go-so we made do with spinach!)

Salt and pepper to taste with a dash of lemon juice.

All Aboard in a bowl. I had Zesty Lemon Seasoning ....so, that’s what went in.

And now the interesting part. Everything at the table, make your own sandwich.

The halved pita bread, hungry for the Felafel's, 2 of them went in, 

loads of salad, and the cilantro yogurt.....

Great no?

Something new, something old....

Something blue, something gold? (My tea cups were blue...remember?)

A full meal, low in calories and high in nutritive value.

F.Y.I.

Did you know that spinach was known as the wonder food till 1932 because the iron content was misprinted (they shifted the decimal place to the right.....making it  29% from 2.9%) No wonder Popeye ate spinach. Info courtesy, Bobby Bogner, Food Tech-History Channel.,

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Gurkhali Aloo-Potatoes, Gurka Style.

Newlywed and nearly dead. That was what I was when I first heard of Gurkhali Aloo. 

I say nearly dead because of the fact that while soup and sandwiches would suffice as dinner in my parents’ house, with the in laws, dinner meant loads of work! I loved to bake and make soups (out of a packet) and sandwiches were easy. But here, dinner was a labour of love, love that was just oozing out...so sister in law took pity on me, and passed on some family heirlooms. Gems would be so inappropriate here! I’d love to give some credit here...she did teach me a lot of stuff. And I learnt. After all the way to a man’s heart ....and all that rubbish!

By virtue of a long association with Ghurkhas (natives of Nepal) this had become a family favourite. A very simple, wholesome accompaniment to a meal, ideal for winter and the best part was that it was ready in a jiffy.

BTW,these can also be eaten in during a fast.

Till today, gurkhali aloo brings a smile to hubby dear’s face...memories of home and all that. The worst bit is, I love'em too.

Traitor!

Let me convert you to the in-laws too...

For the

Gurkhali Aloo-Potatoes, Gurka Style...

You need

300 Gms boiled potatoes (I mixed baby potatoes and regular potatoes)

½ tsp each salt and red chilli flakes

1 coriander powder/dhania powder

1 tsp ginger finely chopped

¼ tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp mustard /vegetable oil

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp white sesame seeds.

½ cup chopped fresh coriander/dhania

Yeah, I know I use too much green dhania/coriander...hubby dear cribs too, but did you know that fresh coriander has the power to fight salmonella bacteria??See, i’m also imparting an education.

Start with the sesame. Toast them on high heat, you can do this in the oven, but this is quicker.

When they start popping, remove to a plate and let them cool.

Now, same pan...

unerringly, this song always reminds me of my maid. The maids in our colony went on a strike in January for hiking their wages. After spending double their salaries on hand creams and manicures trying to re-soften our dishpan hands...ALL of us women gave in! 

“Jiska Kaam Usiko Saaje,dooja kare to Bandar laage”

For a non Indophile....”jobs always suit those who are trained to d o them, and if others attempt the same jobs, they look like Monkeys.”

So ,I am not looking for a repeat performance...only trying to exercise  our shoulders.

Ok same pan, pour the oil and let it heat.

Add the ginger and let it sizzle.

Now for the potatoes.....let they semi fry on low heat till they don’t look raw.

Add the dry spices, if you feel the spices will burn add a couple of teaspoons of water.

Put the now cooled sesame seeds into the mortar and pestle and grind. Whole seeds are also welcome, but don’t make it into a total powder.

Now take the potatoes off the heat .

Add into the pan the sesame seed powder and mix WELL!

Pour in the lemon juice and mix fast. The juice deglazes the pan, so all of it comes together.

Pour over the green dhania/coriander over the potatoes and tip into a serving bowl.In whichever order you want.

I came out into gods fresh air to take the pictures, I love home ground chilli flakes...so that explains the bed of dried red chillies.

You can alter the amount of red chillies and use more or less lemon juice and if you are as cranky as hubby dear, omit the dhania/coriander.

After all the hand that holds the ladle.....

Till the next post...

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Chocolate Cup Cake (in a Cup)

The company of good friends, Laughter, gossip and a lovely meal...what more could one ask for.

Once you get married and have children and get embroiled in the vagaries of the household and housework, you realize that your life is so dictated by all that is mundane. Once in a while you want to go stand on top of the highest hill and scream” I need a change!”

Well these moments come by very often here. Fortunately I have the good friends, we have the laughter, and the gossip is never lacking….Only we never manage to find time for a girl’s day out very often.

This was one of the few occasions we managed to get together…..and have FUN! And a good meal….

This was the end of the good meal.

All of us are forever fighting the battle of the calories, and all love Chocolate…

So a little light chocolate cup cake….where you can’t be Oliver Twist ”y” and ask for more….

A little thank you to the lady from The English Kitchen-Marie Rayner for this recipe…much appreciated.

Just that much……and the fourth cup was for sweet child …he came back from school on the pretext of a tummy ache….

Btw, the sobs and the pain disappeared the second he realized that aunties are coming over….Good food! Does the trick every time.

Forgive us if the pics are a little hazy....That was the last thing on my mind!

Easy peasy…No greasing cups, no flouring cups…NOTHING!

For the 

Chocolate Cup Cake (in a Cup)...

  

You need

(Double these for 4 cups)

4 tbsp flour

4 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 egg

 3 tbsp milk

3 tbsp refined oil

¼ tsp vanilla essence

1 pinch baking powder

1 tabs chocolate chips (I chopped up Nutties by Cadbury’s)

Dry ingredients, including sugar, sift well together. (I did not have caster sugar so I used icing sugar…hence was able to sift.)If you use caster sugar then don’t sift the sugar along with the flour etc….just mix in later.

The eggs, to which the milk was added.

Now the oil ...

And the vanilla. Melted butter will work too.

I mixed these and popped the bowl into the fridge…till we were ready to eat.

The chocolate sliced . Chocolate Chips would have been better. The chocolate melted …..So be generous.

Onto the dry ingredients

Just 2 minutes….mix the dry stuff with the wet…

Well blended…a minute was all it took.

Poured into four cups….half way.

Into the microwave, 100% power for 5 minutes. (For 2 cups keep your eyes open…also your nose 3-4 minutes should do it.)

And ready to serve…..

Warm….

My friend Bhavna Panwar….she’s the one with the extra chocolate sauce…her tooth is sweeter…Her bite???We’ll have to ask her husband...Monica and I...we are sweet.Very.

If you can …..Serve with vanilla icecream, or whipped cream…

Decadence.

We can’t afford the extra calories.

So get together with friends…or indulge yourself for a change.

You are only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake……just enough to satisfy your cravings….

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Matar Makhane ki Tikki-Pea Patties...

Slew of blog posts I promised and Slew of blog posts I deliver...

This Matar Makhane ki Tikki was also a part of the dinner party appetisers  I serve rd for the non egg eating and no booze indulging kind of people...needless to say animal tissue of any kind does not figure on their lists in any form.

So ,one is restricted to a few items that have to be twisted and turned ...BTW, Makhane...are puffed lotus seeds.F.Y.I.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_seed

Benefits or no,they add a nice texture to your dishes and if you haven't tried them out yet....well what are you waiting for???

Best way,try these out.

BTW, The news paper you see in the background is to help in the mopping up.

Simple ,full of protein and low in fat-all you w anted in an appetizer an d with the punch of mustard...wow!

That's  what food should be all about...the punch...and the wow factor!The mustard gives an awesome punch to your nose from inside...and the pea patties(Taylor Lautner of Twilight-The New Moon Saga confessed to having snacked voraciously on beef patties to help him transform from the first movie to the second---as told to Oprah!)...peas are also protein dude.

So are you planning on snacking on pea patties soon?Wow that makes you vegan too!

And since these are gluten free...all those avoiding gluten can try this too.

Lets get started...

for the 

Matar Makhane ki Tikki-Pea Patties...

you need

2 cups fresh or frozen peas

2 cups Makhane or Puffed Lotus seeds

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt,red Chili flakes to taste

2 tbsp cashew nuts

1 tsp  cumin seeds or jeera

1/2 tsp Chaat Masala(optional)

Start with the peas.Lightly Blanch them,you want them mashable but green and not overcooked.Popping them into a pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes should do it. Drain them and leave them to cool slightly. 

The cashew nuts ,chop coarsely.

Now the lotus seeds or Phool Makhane.Heat a pan and add 1 tsp of the oil into it.The lotus seeds or Phool Makhane go in next with a bit of salt.Roast these on a slow flame till the lotus seeds or Phool Makhane are crisp and coated with the salt.Almost like ball like Pringles.The Colour changes a wee bit too.

Lay them on a platter to cool slightly and then buzz in a mixer to make into a fine powder.These act as binders for our pea patties.

In a pan heat a little bit of the oil and put the cumin seeds to crackle.When they do add the peas and stir a bit.Season with the salt and red chili flakes.Let the peas caramelise a bit...it increases the flavour.

Now ,Out in a big bowl with the masher.You can process them ,but that uses up too many bowls...So when your maid is playing hookey...

Into this add the  lotus seeds or Phool Makhane powder and the cashew nuts. mix well.

With a wet hand shape them into small patties.One bite stuff.

Then pan fry with as little oil as your pan will allow,if you have a spray,use that.These can be baked in a preheated oven at 180 C/350 F for 15 to 20 Min's.For the crispness,increase the temperature to 200C/390F for only 4 to 5 minutes.

And plated....before the final presentation.....

Try these one bite Matar Makhane ki Tikki-Pea Patties and tell me what you liked about them...


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