Kara Sev - Indian Cooking Challenge, June 2010

Kara Sev was chosen by Srivalli as the Indian Cooking Challenge recipe for June. It's one of my favourite snack. There was a bhujiya shop near my school, where they used to sell varieties of bhujiya, ganthiya, chanachur, etc. While waiting for the bus, I used to watch the karigaar preparing these sev.

It was intriguing, as the person used a deft hand in pressing down the thick besan mixture on a big ladle with holes directly over oil, frying the sev in hot oil and immediately taking them out.

Thanks to Srivalli, finally I had the chance of preparing these savoury and crunchy sev. If the ladle (with holes) is not available, one can use the murukku press. Kara sev is quite easy and require very less time to prepare. I chose the first recipe as stated by Srivalli.

Ingredients:

• Gram flour (Besan): 2 1/2 cup
• Rice Flour (Chalguri): 1 cup
• Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
• Coarsely ground black pepper: 1 tsp
• Crushed garlic (optional): 2 pods
• Ghee: 2 1/2 tsp
• Cooking Soda: a small pinch
• Salt to taste
• Oil, to fry

Procedure:

1. Take a bowl, sieve gram flour and rice flour together, mix well and make a pit (hole in the middle).
2. Add chilli powder, pepper powder, salt, crushed garlic, ghee and cooking soda and mix thoroughly with hands (It should resemble bread crumbs).
3. Divide the dough into 4 portions. Take one portion of this mixture, sprinkle water, knead like puri dough.
4. Heat oil in a kadai, use a ladle with lot of holes (Kara Sevai ladle / sev maker). Put some dough on the ladle and rub directly into oil (It will look like split string).
5. Deep fry in oil till the sev are well cooked and golden brown on all sides.
6. Drain excess oil, cool and store in an airtight container.

Peyaji

Peyaji is an all time favourite snack. Peyaji / Onion fritters are usually served as an evening snack, perfect accompaniment with tea / coffee in a rainy afternoon, generally served with �muri� (puffed rice) and kancha lonka (green chilli).

This post was long due, here is the recipe for Peyaji. Enjoy these crispy fritters as the weather is just perfect.

Ingredients

• Onion (Peyaj): 2
• Besan (Bengal gram flour): 1 cup
• Plain Flour (Maida): 1 cup
• Green Chillies, chopped: 2
• Red chilli powder: a pinch
• Baking Soda: a pinch
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Peel, halve and finely slice the onions and chop green chillies.
2. Take a mixing bowl, take the sliced onions, chopped chillies & salt and mix thoroughly.
3. Add a pinch of baking soda, red chilli powder, maida & besan and mix well.
4. Add a little water and mix thoroughly so that the onions are coated with the besan and stick to each other (add more water if required but avoid excess water).
5. Heat oil in a deep bottomed kadhai; add few drops of heated oil in the besan mixture and again mix well.
6. Scoop some of the onion-besan mixture and release in the oil (be careful not to crowd the pan or else the pakodas will stick to one another and will remain uncooked inside).
7. Fry the onion fritters in medium heat, turn and cook till crisp and golden brown on both sides.
8. Drain out excess oil. Repeat until all the batter is used up.
9. Place the onion fritters in a serving plate with ketchup and serve hot with tea /coffee.

Capsicum Rings

Capsicum rings, a light and crunchy dish, perfect for a hot cup of tea / coffee. The mint leaves provide unique flavour to the dish.

Ingredients:

• Capsicums, firm: 3 medium sized
• Paneer (cottage cheese), grated / crumbled: 1 cup
• Raw Potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed): 1/2 cup
• Mint (pudina), finely chopped: 4 tbsp
• Green chillies, finely chopped: 1-2
• Cornflour: 1-1/2 tbsp (as required)
• Salt to taste
• Cornflour (for coating capsicum rings)
• Oil (for deep frying)

Method:

1. Wash the capsicums, cut the stems and deseed them. Cut the capsicums into medium sized thick rings and keep aside.
2. Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Hold one capsicum ring in between the palms, carefully stuff the mixture and press tightly.
4. Coat the capsicum ring with cornflour form all sides and deep fry in hot oil till they are golden brown. Repeat with the remaining capsicum pieces.
5. Serve hot sprinkled with the chaat masala.

Chire Bhaja (Fried Pressed Rice)

Chire Bhaja (Fried Presse Rice / Avalakki) is a light snack, perfect for a rainy evening accompanied with a steaming cup of tea / coffee.
Chire (pressed rice) can be either dry roasted (to give a crispy taste) or fried in white oil to give a crunchier taste.

One thing to remember while frying, that you have to get the correct temperature, or else if the oil is too hot, the chire will get burnt (turn deep brown in colour) or it will be sort of soggy with oil (if the oil is not heated properly). As the chire / pressed rice tends to soak oil, always fry each batch with little oil.

The fried chire can be served as it is or you can add ingredients as per your choice to make a perfect crunchy and savoury dish like fried peanuts & papads, mixed with sliced onions, chopped green chillies.




Ingredients:

• Chire (pressed rice): 100 gms
• Peanuts: 2 tbsp
• Plain / Masala Papad: 2-3
• Onions, sliced: 2
• Green chillies, chopped / whole: 2 (as per taste)
• White oil: 3-4 tbsp (as required)
• Mustard oil: 2-3 drops
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper, freshly ground (optional)
• Bhujia / chanachur (to garnish)
• Coconut slices (optional) (to garnish)

Method:

1. Heat white oil in a deep bottomed frying pan. Make sure that the oil is of right temperature (fry a little pressed rice to see whether it puffs up in the oil). Fry the remaining chire (add oil as required), drain quickly remove from fire. Keep aside.
2. Lightly fry / saute the peanuts and papads in a little oil and keep aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine fried pressed rice, peanuts and papads. Add sliced onions, chopped green chillies, bhujia, salt and a few drops of mustard oil (be careful, otherwise everything will be soaked in oil) and mix thoroughly.
4. Garnish with a some more bhujia and coconut slices and consume immediately to retain the crispiness.

Jhal Moori

Jhal moori / masala muri (or known as Bengali bhel) is a tea time must have dish for all Bengalis. It�s a spicy combination of muri / moori (puffed rice) mixed with sorser tel (mustard oil, for that authentic pungent taste) with sliced onions, boiled potato slices, chanachur (bhujiya) and of course green chillies (from where it gets the name �jhal� / hot) with varieties of other ingredients as per your taste & availability like thin coconut slices, tomatoes, cucumbers, fried papad�the list is endless and each one unique from one another.

Sending this to the Sunday Snacks - Chaats/Indian Street Food event hosted by Pallavi.

Ingredients:

• 200 gms puffed rice (moori / muri)
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 2 boiled potato, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 2 cups chanachur (bhujiya / ganthia)
• 4 fried papad, crushed
• 1� ginger, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, minced
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• salt to taste
• a pinch of rock salt
• coconut slices
• 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
• lemon juice (optional)

Procedure:

1. Sprinkle mustard oil over the puffed rice. Mix well. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well with the puffed rice.
2. Adjust salt. Serve immediately.

I am also sending this to 15 minute Cooking event, hosted by Mahimaa...