Khandavi

Khandavi is a popular Gujarati snack made with chick pea flour batter, and served with green chutney. I made this for breakfast over the weekend in Instant Pot.

Ingredients:

1 cup chick pea flour (besan)

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup water

green chili and ginger paste to taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

salt to taste

1 teaspoon sugar

For garnish:

1 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 tablespoon fresh grated coconut

1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro

Method:

1. Mix the ingredients in a container that would fit inside Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Make a thin batter with no lumps.

2. fill Instant Pot container with 1 1/2 cups of water. Place the trivet. Place the pan with the batter on the trivet. cover with a lid. Close Instant Pot. Cook on Steam for 15 minutes. Open lid immediately.

3.Mix the batter smooth. Spread the batter in thin layer on a foil on a flat surface. Allow to cool for 3 minutes. Roll the sheet of khandavi and slice.

4. Heat oil in a pan and temper mustard seeds, sesame seeds and slit green chili to garnish. Sprinkle Khandavi with fresh grated coconut, and cilantro.

Note:

You can steam khandavi in pressure cooker instead of Instant Pot.

Bharwa Karela (stuffed bitter melon)

Karela or bitter melon is a tropical vegetable. It is also called Chinese Okra. The Indian karela is scaly, smaller and darker than the Asian variety. It tastes bitter and not many kids like it, mine certainly do not. My mom cooks it many different ways, dry as a side dish or like dal that can be eaten with rice or sambhar or chips. She also makes stuffed Karela which is one of my favorite way of eating Karela. My mom stuffs it with potato and shallow fries it. Most popular stuffing in North India is a mixture of dry spices. Karela is stuffed with this and tied with a twine so the filling doesent fall. I made the healthy version of the  North Indian recipe. I used the air fryer instead of frying it in pan. It tasted very good. My husband gave the ISI mark for it ;)

Ingredients:

6 medium size karela

3 tablespoons coriander powder

2 teaspoons red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

3 teaspoons amchur powdre (dried mango powder)

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

3 teaspoons fennel powder

salt to taste

kitchen twine

Method:

1. Scrape the scales off the karela. Make a vertical slit and remove the seeds. Place karela in a large pot of water with salt  and bring it to a boil (blanch). Drain and place on a plate.

2. Meanwhile combine the dry ingredients for the filling in a medium bowl. Add a little water to make a paste. It should not be runny.

3. Fill the karela with the stuffing. Close the slit with kitchen twine, so the filling doesn't fall.

4. Pre heat air fryer at 375 for 2 minutes. Remove the basket. Spray with oil. Placethe karela  in the basket and spay them with oil. Air fry for 15 minutes. Turn over and cook again for 15 minutes.

5. Remove from air fryer and serve with roti and dal.

Note:

I adapted the recipe from Kitchen Fables.
You can add chopped onion in the filling.
Karela can be fried in oil or pan fried too.

Vegetable cutlet

I have been trying out deep fried dishes since I bought my air fryer in Nov. Guilt free eating. My mom has been asking me to make cutlet this week. I made it for dinner tonight in air fryer. Was very easy and tasty too.

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
2 carrots, peeled and boiled
1 small beet, peeled and boiled
2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste
2 - 3 green chili, chopped(optional)
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon powdered poha (flattened rice) or roasted gram flour (dalia or sattu)
Panko bread crumbs, enough to coat the cutlets
oil spray

Method:

1. Mash the boiled vegetables in a medium bowl.
2. Add salt, chili powder, garam masala. Mix well.
3. Add cilantro, chili, lemon juice and roasted gram flour. Mix well.
4. Take panko bread crumbs on a flat dish.
5. Divide vegetable into medium size balls.
6. Roll vege balls in bread crumbs. Flatten them into a thick disk. Arrange them on a tray.
7. Wrap the tray and place in freezer for 10 minutes or longer if you have time.

8. Pre heat air fryer at 370 for 2 minutes. Spray the basket with oil. Arrange cutlets in the basket. Spray cutlets with oil. Cook for 20 minutes, flipping in between.

9. serve warm with green chutney and ketchup.