Baked Dahi Vada

 Dahi Vada is savory snack, almost all parts of India. You will find it being served at the weddings and also on the side of the roads. Traditionally dumplings are deep frying in oil. As usual I want to stay away from frying and see if I can find an alternative. So after few attempts, I have finalized on this baked version. 

Ingredients for Vada:

1. Urad Dal - 3 Cups

2. Moong Dal - 1.5 Cups

3. Green Chili - 4 

4. Ginger - 1 Inch

5. Salt - 3 TSP

Ingredients for Yogurt Sauce:

1. Yogurt - 3 Cups

2. Water - 1 Cup

3. Sugar - 1 TSP

4. Salt - 1 TSP

Ingredients to Garnish:

1. Tamarind Chutney

2. Powdered Roasted Cumin Seeds 

3. Red Chili Powder

4. Thin Sev

Method:

1. Soak urad dal and moong dal for at least 4 hours to overnight.

2. Blend both with green chili, ginger and salt. You probably have to add some water but batter should not be runny, almost same as cake batter.

3. Preheat the over at 450 degree Fahrenheit. Lightly grease the cupcake tray or you can use silicon mold. I am opting for using tray as is. the In cupcake tray, add more than 1 TBSP of batter in each mold.

4. Bake for 12 min. At this point, each vada should easily be separated from the tray and look lightly golden brown.

5. Take the tray out, flip each vada. And put it back in the oven for another 7-8 min. 

6. Have a large mixing bowl ready with cold water. As you take away vada from the tray, place those in water.

7. Let those soak in water for 5-7 min. While those are soaking, I prepared yogurt sauce. Mix yogurt with sugar, salt and water.

8. Pour the yogurt in a large tray. Squeeze the water out of vada by gently and place those in yogurt sauce.

9. Leave the tray in the refrigerator for a couple of hours so letting the yogurt sauce to get soaked in the vada. Now place 2-3 vada in a plate with yogurt sauce. And garnish with tamarind chutney, roasted cumin seeds powder, chili powder and sev.

Hibiscus Latte

 A friend introduced me to herbal Hibiscus tea. So after a while, I wanted to try it with milk. But cow or buffalo milk curdles instantly from the acids of hibiscus. I tried with oat milk and results are delicious. This recipe is yields one cup.

Ingredients: 

1. Hibiscus Tea bag - 1
2. Oat Milk - 4 oz
3. Maple Syrup - 1 TSP

Method:

1. Heat up the water, about 4 oz and steep hibiscus tea for 5 min. Mix in maple syrup. In place of maple syrup you can use any other sweetener of your choice.

2. Pour oat milk in another cup, a bit deeper so you can use frother. In place of frother, you can use a jar and shake it vigorously to create foam. Heat up the milk with all foam. Now slowly pour milk in the hibiscus tea. You would have to spoon remaining foam on the top.

3. Sprinkle some powdered hibiscus tea powder on the top and Hibiscus Latte is ready to enjoy.

Stuffed Eggplant Curry

 Stuffed Eggplant Curry is simple curry because it takes a few steps to make it. The recipe I am sharing here is influenced by many from mom, grandma, aunts. 

Ingredients:

1. Eggplants - 9-10 medium size
2. Roasted Peanut - 2 TBSP
3. Soaked Thick Poha - 2 TBSP
4.  Cumin Powder - 1 TSP
5. Salt - 2 TSP
6. Turmeric Powder - 2 TSP
7. Red Chili Powder - 2 TSP
8. Molasses - 1 TSP
9. Lemon Juice - 1 TSP
10. Cumin Seeds - 1 TSP
11. Mustard Seeds - 1 TSP
12. Curry Leaves - 6-7 leaves
13. Garlic - 3-4 Cloves
14. Vegetable Oil - 2 TSP

Steps:

1. Wash eggplants thoroughly and cit off stems. To be able to fill in the stuffing, cut each one in plus sign from the top.

2. Soak thick poha in water for about 5-7 min. Now mix crushed roasted peanut, soaked poha, roasted cumin powder, salt, half of turmeric powder, half of red chili powder, molasses with half of oil.

3. Stuff the eggplants with all this stuffing.

4. Heat the cooker at high heat. Once it is hot, add half of the oil then add muster seeds and cumin seeds. Once the seeds sputter, add curry leaves. Follow with turmeric powder and red chili powder. Mix it well. Then add crushed garlic cloves. Saute only for less than a minute so garlic do not burn. 

5. Place each stuffed eggplant one at a time, with a spacing of an inch from each other.

6. Add a cup of water.

7. Cover the lid and cook for two whistle. Turn off the cooker and let it cool down naturally. Open the lid to see cooked eggplant.

8.  Take a quick test by checking if eggplant is cooked by using fork. While serving, pick some gravy along with eggplant. Enjoy with roti or rice.