Meat Masala

This spice blend is used to add flavor and fragrance in dishes. You can add this in the marinade, Kabab mix or while frying/ cooking the meat. You can also add this spice in vegetarian curries and Paratha/ fritter fillings. Remember with the proper spices you can make restaurant quality dishes at home and enjoy them whenever you want. A few readymade spices like this really saves the day, specially when you are having guests over. Some of the ingredients of Meat Masala are: Red Chili, Paprika, Salt, Coriander seeds, Turmeric, Cumin, Ginger, Garlic, Green Cardamom, Black Pepper, Brown Cardamom, Cinnamon, Black Cumin, Fennel seeds, Clove, Fenugreek Seed, Nigella, Carom seeds and Cane Sugar. Just like Tandoori Masala, I always grab a packet of Meat Masala from the local Indian stores because it is way more convenient to do that. Plus, when stored properly the masala can last up to 3-4 months (if I haven’t already used all of it in my cooking!)

Use Meat Masala in the following recipes:

• Mughlai Mutton Stew
• Mughlai Kabab
• Mangshor Jhol (Bengali Style Mutton Curry)
• Rajma (Indian curry with Red Kidney Beans)
• French Chops
• Alu Cutlet (Crispy Shallow Fried Potato Patties)
• Amritsari Chole (Delicious Chick Pea gravy with Fresh Cheese)
• French Paratha (Potatoes with Chicken stuffed Paratha)
• Kathal ki Sabji (Enchor/Jackfruit in a Tomato Curry)
• Keema Matar (Minced Goat meat/ Beef with dried Peas)
• Egg Curry (Bengali recipe: Fried Eggs curry)

Samosa (Spicy Potato stuffed Pastries)

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Samosa is one of the most popular street foods in India and as I have written numerous times in my articles, this is one of my favorite snacks and everyone knows my love for them. During my recent India trip, my dad used to bring Samosas almost every evening and we used to enjoy it together. 

What is a Samosa? 

Samosa is a deep fried pastry, its outer layer is made of all purpose flour and it’s filled with potato, spices and sometimes peas. Samosas have their own versions in every state of India but its unique triangular cone like shape remains more or less the same. Although nowadays we get many versions of Samosas (filled with meat, paneer or lentils) my favorite is the traditional one where the filling is made of fried mashed potatoes and spices. I love the Samosas of Allahabad as they have the perfect crust and filling ratio. Because of their small size they are super crispy. The crust holds the filling perfectly and it doesn’t crumble with the first bite. 

Why is Samosa the most popular street food?

I think its because of its cute small size and tangy spicy taste. Samosas are widely popular amongst people of all age groups. Eating hot samosas during rainy or cold season with a cup of hot tea is in itself an ecstatic feeling. I have enjoyed many such Chai (Tea) Samosa party with my friends. Samosa is usually served with the green Dhania (Cilantro) chutney although sometimes it is also served with a tart Tamarind Cilantro Green Chili chutney. Compared to a plate of Chow mein or Sambar Vada, Samosa costs way less and is quite filling.

Homemade Samosas or Readymade?

Yes, you can get ready made Samosas from the Indian restaurants. Sometimes the Indian stores also have ready to fry or bake Samosa packets which comes quite handy if you are entertaining people on a short notice. However, if you want to taste real Allahabadi Samosa without travelling to Allahabad then I suggest you to prepare this Samosa at home. Now I have to admit, I have never prepared it myself because in our home, Debarshi prepares this Samosa. He knows how much I love this snack and he devotes all his time and attention to prepare this from scratch. I help him in chopping or kneading but he takes care of the rest. So, a couple of weeks ago when he was in the kitchen preparing this for me, I asked him for some photos so that I can provide step by step directions. 

I would like to share a few pointers for making these Samosas, first we need a smooth and tight dough, well kneaded for making the cups so be very careful while adding water. Once the kneading is done, cover the dough with a moist cloth and set it aside. Next we will prepare the stuffing which will be filled in a semi circular rolled out dough and sealed. Finally, we will deep fry the Samosas and enjoy them hot with Dhania chutney.

You can use the leftover dough to make Parathas and the stuffing can be used to make Alu Parathas or Chops. Try it, this is a lip-smacking snack.

Ingredients for the dough:

• All Purpose Flour - 2 Cups
• Carom Seeds – ½ Teaspoon 
• Oil – 3 Tablespoons 
• Salt - To Taste (About ¼ Teaspoon)
• Baking Powder – About ¼ Teaspoon

Ingredients for making the stuffing:

• Potatoes – 3 large (boiled, peeled and mashed)
• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Onion – ½ medium, minced
• Garlic – 2-3 cloves, minced 
• Green chilies – 2, minced
• Cilantro – a handful, minced
• Salt - to taste (about 1 teaspoon)
• Crushed Red Pepper – 1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
• Chaat Masala – ½ teaspoon
• Amchur – ¼ teaspoon 
• Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon 
• Oil - about 4 cups (for frying) + 4-5 tablespoons for making the stuffing

Others:

• wok
• Spider spoon

Tip:

• Like hot spices? feel free to increase the amount of the spices in the stuffing.

Got everything? Good. Its time to knead the dough. Follow the Directions for Kneading the Dough by Hand:

• Wash your hands, you will be using them a lot.
• In a large bowl mix together the All Purpose Flour, Carom Seeds, Oil, Salt, Baking Powder. (I prefer to sift the Flour). Mix using either your fingers or a whisk.
• Add water, a little at a time, and knead into a dough. We need a tight dough for making the cups so do not add a lot of water all at once. 
• Keep kneading until the dough feels smooth, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest while we prepare the stuffing.

Directions for kneading the dough using a Stand Mixer:

• Attach the Bowl and Hook to your Stand Mixer and connect it.
• Add the All Purpose Flour, Carom Seeds, Oil, Salt, Baking Powder to the bowl. (I prefer to sift the Flour).
• Give it a whirl on the lowest speed until its well blended.
• Now we start the kneading, start the mixer on lowest speed and slowly start adding half a cup of water in the flour. I give it time to knead and form the dough. If the sides are sticking with the bowl too much I switch off the mixer and clean the sides using a spatula.
• I keep it running until the dough begins to come together adding a tablespoon of water at a time.
• At this stage it will look dry, remember we need a tight dough for making the cups so do not add a lot of water all at once. 
• Now sometimes the dough turns out a bit stickier I usually add a little flour and keep kneading it until its smooth and almost non sticky. You can also add a tablespoon of oil and keep kneading till it looks smooth.
• Remove the hook and cover the bowl. Let the dough rest while we prepare the stuffing.

Directions to prepare the stuffing:

• Heat a wok over medium high heat.
• Add about 4-5 tablespoons of Oil in it.
• Temper the oil with Cumin seeds. After a couple of seconds, add the Onion and Garlic and fry them till they are golden brown in color. 
• Add the Green Chilies and Cilantro and mix well.
• Add the mashed Potato in it with Salt and mix well.
• Now let’s add all the spices - crushed Red Pepper, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Chat masala, Amchur powder and Garam Masala.
• Mix everything well and fry the mixture until its fragrant and the Potatoes change color to dark red and get dry.
• Turn off the heat and allow it to cool down (about 10 minutes).

Directions to roll the dough and make the cups:

• Re-knead the dough for a few seconds. Then divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll each part into a log like a thick breadstick. Divide both the logs into 6 equal pieces. 
• Now these 6 pieces will make 12 cups. Take a piece of dough between your palms and roll it into a ball. Press the ball lightly between your palms to flatten it a little like a disc. Put all the other balls of dough back in the bowl and cover it. This will prevent the dough from drying out. Keep in mind, there should be enough dough in each piece to form two cups so that we can put the stuffing inside it. 
• Now let’s roll the dough, remember if the dough has been kneaded properly it will not need any extra flour for dusting and rolling. However, if you can’t manage it, it’s ok to dip the disc lightly into the All Purpose Flour. This will give it a smoother texture. Place the disc on the rolling board and start rolling it into a thin oval shaped circle, about 6-inches in diameter.
• Cut each circle in half so that you have two semi circles.

• Now take a piece of rolled dough on your palm and apply just a little water all around the edges.

• Join the two edges together to form a triangular cup.

• Take about 2 spoonfuls of stuffing and fill it inside the cup. Make sure you are holding the cup properly. Also do not over fill.
• Press the remaining two edges of the dough together to seal the cup securely. Make sure it is sealed properly on all the sides otherwise the stuffing will break and spill in the oil.

• Put the prepared Samosa on a baking sheet and mold the rest.

Let’s fry the Samosas:

• Once all the Samosas have been molded, it’s time to fry them.
• Heat a wok over medium heat. We want the Samosas to be crispy and their color golden brown so keep the heat balanced so that the Samosas do not get burned. If they are changing color quickly turn down the heat a bit.
• Flip sides so that they get fried evenly.
• Remove with a spider spoon and drain on paper towels. 
• Serve hot with Dhania chutney.

Recommended Reading:

• Dhania chutney
• Chow Mein recipe
• Allahabad - The City of Good Food
• How to know when the oil is hot enough to deep fry
• How to deep-fry food with confidence?
• Plain Paratha (Fried Flat Bread)
• French Chops
• Alur Bora (Mamma’s Potato with Garlic fritters)
• Alu Tamatar Sabji (Curried Potatoes with Tomatoes)
• Kabiraji
• Picnic at Smithville Lake, Missouri
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Alu Tikiya ki Chaat (Crispy Fried Potato Patties with Dried Peas, Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Know more about Joan (Ajwain or Carom Seeds)
• Tamarind Chutney – sweetness with tang
• Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• Jalapeno Poppers with Cream Cheese and Bacon
• Alu Cutlet (Crispy Shallow Fried Potato Patties)
• Loknath wali Meethi Lassi (Sweet Yogurt based drink)
• Namkeen (Savory Deep Fried Indian Snacks)
• Plum Chutney
• Mamma’s Dahi Bara (Lentil Fritters with creamy Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Egg Devil (Bengali recipe of Croquettes with egg and minced meat/ Indian Scotch Eggs)
• Bread Pakora (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Potato filling)
• Vegetable Cutlets
• Bread Pakora with Soa Alu (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Dill and Potato filling)
• Paneer Pakore (Fresh Cheese Fritters)

French Paratha (Potatoes with Chicken stuffed Paratha)

Photo Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

There is a place in New Delhi called Parathe Wali Gali which literally means a street where fried breads are sold. Although it may sound like just another place where street vendors sell Parathas, it isn’t, because they have been selling Parathas for generations. They prepare Parathas using different ingredients and serve them with various types of chutneys and curries. This is a very popular area for food lovers and you can see locals and tourists sitting side by side enjoying hot Parathas and talking in one common tongue – the language of food.

I think cooking is one of those treasures which is passed down through generations. Anyone who has learnt anything from their Mother or Grandmothers always seem eager to tell and share the recipe. Family stories are often told around the dinner table, like my Papa (maternal Grandfather) always used to tell funny stories and make us laugh. He used to make family meal time a fun time. I think, by preparing a dish which we used to share with our grandparents we relive those happy moments and feel proud and accomplished at the same time. 

The recipe I am going to share today is a heavy stuffed Paratha. Although Debarshi has prepared this Paratha only a couple of times it has earned its special place on my blog. It is perfect for the weekend brunch and will please all the members of the family. I present to you the 3rd generation recipe of - French Paratha (Potatoes with Chicken stuffed Paratha). 

Debarshi makes these awesome Alu ka Parathas and whenever we get Alu (Potato) I start bugging him to prepare some Parathas for me. He prepares them with such a proficiency that even the professional restaurant bought Parathas don’t score. A few months back I woke up late on a weekend and found him very busy in the kitchen. He was very excited and refused to let me enter the kitchen even to get my coffee. He said it was a surprise. So I waited patiently and soon he presented to me the most delicious Paratha I have ever had. 

Now I must confess that I have never prepared this Paratha myself. Debarshi got the recipe from his mom who had gotten it from her mom. So it’s his Grand Ma’s recipe and he takes great pride in preparing it himself. I came to know that his Grand Ma used to deep fry the bread and make a French Poori (The bread is rolled in a small circular shape and filled with the stuffing. It is then deep fried and the crust gets puffed up). However, I would recommend preparing the Paratha as the Pur (Stuffing) is heavy and may break out. Last week when Debarshi was trying to surprise me by preparing this Paratha I requested him to let me take some pictures for the blog for which he happily agreed. So here you go, step by step pictures with directions.

Now this Paratha will be different than the Methi Saag Paratha. In this case we will be stuffing the dough cup and then roll the Paratha, but I would recommend you to read the tips given in the Methi Saag Paratha article as they may be helpful. 

This time after preparing the Parathas we were left with some Pur and I reused it in the evening by preparing French chops. I served it to Debarshi along with Dhania Chutney and Tea in the evening. It was a wonderful treat and we both loved it. 

There is a quote on Indian Parathas - “Ghar Ki Roti sabse achi” which means homemade bread is the best so give this a try today!

Ingredients:

• Potato – 400 grams (about 1 big Russet Potato), washed, boiled and mashed 
• Ground Chicken – 400 grams 
• Red Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped 
• Green Chilies – 3 -4, finely chopped 
• Garlic – 5 -6, minced 
• Ginger – 1 ½ inch, minced 
• Oil – 4–5 tablespoon (for stuffing) plus 2-3 tablespoon for frying the Parathas 
• Cumin Powder - 1 heaped teaspoon 
• Garam Masala – ½ teaspoon 
• Red Chili Powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Salt - To Taste (about 1 teaspoon) 
• Meat Masala - 1 heaped teaspoon 
• Amchur (Mango Powder) - 1 heaped teaspoon 
• Cilantro – a handful (chopped) 
• Whole Wheat Flour – about 2 cups 
• All Purpose Flour – about half a cup for rolling 

Directions: Kneading the Dough by Hand

• Wash your hands, you will be using them a lot. 
• In a large bowl mix the Whole Wheat Flour with a pinch or two of Salt. Mix using either your fingers or a whisk. 
• Add water, a little at a time, and knead into a dough. You may need a few extra tablespoons of water if the dough feels tough. It should be soft and slightly sticky. Keep kneading it for another minute. 
• When the dough feels smooth, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest while we prepare the Pur (stuffing). 

Directions: Kneading the Dough using a Stand Mixer

• Attach the Bowl and Hook to your Stand Mixer and connect it. 
• Add the Whole Wheat Flour with a pinch or two of Salt to the bowl. 
• Give the Flour and the Salt a whir on the lowest speed until its well blended. 
• Now we start the kneading, start the mixer on lowest speed and slowly start adding half a cup of water in the flour. I give it time to knead and form the dough. If the sides are sticking with the bowl too much I switch off the mixer and clean the sides using a spatula. 
• I keep it running until the dough begins to come together adding a tablespoon of water at a time. 
• At this stage it will look dry, normally for 2 cups of flour 1 cup of water will be sufficient so make sure not to add too much water at this stage. Keep running the mixer. 
• Now sometimes the dough turns out a bit stickier I usually add a little flour and keep kneading it until its smooth and almost non sticky. 
• Remove the hook and cover the bowl. Let the dough rest while we prepare the Pur (stuffing). 

Let’s prepare the Pur (Stuffing):

• Heat a wok over medium high heat. 
• Add about 4-5 tablespoons of Oil in it. 
• Add the Onion, Garlic, Ginger and Green Chili in the wok and fry them till they are golden brown in color. 
• Add the ground Chicken and mashed Potato in it and mix well. 
• Fry the mixture for a while. When the Potato and Chicken are half done start adding the spices (Cumin Powder, Garam Masala, Red Chili Powder, Salt, Meat Masala, Amchur and Cilantro). Mix everything well and fry the whole mixture. The prepared Pur will look like this: 

Let’s do a little prep:

• Re-knead the dough for a few seconds. Then divide the dough into two equal parts. Roll each part into a log like a thick breadstick. Divide both the logs into 6 equal pieces. 
• Now these 6 pieces will make 6 Parathas. Take a piece of dough between your palms and roll it into a ball. Put all the other balls of dough back in the bowl and cover it. This will prevent the dough from drying out. This stuffed Paratha will be thicker than the Methi Saag Paratha so there should be enough dough in each piece to form a cup so that we can put the Pur inside it. 

• Now take a piece of dough and roll it with both your palms. Press the dough roll with both your palms and start flattening the edges, the trick is to keep the edges thin and the center thick. 
• Put about 2 tablespoons of the Pur in the center of this dough cup. 

• Carefully pull the edges together to close it and make a crown on top, it will look like a garlic head. 

• Press the ball between your palms lightly to flatten it a little like a disc. 
• Do the same with all the dough balls. Fill them up with the Pur and close the edges and flatten them like discs. 

• Dip that disc of dough lightly into the All Purpose Flour. This will give it a smoother texture. Place the disc on the rolling board and start rolling it. 
• I usually spread a little flour whenever the dough starts to stick on the board and roll it into a round shape with even thickness on all sides. 
• Roll the Parathas very gently so that the stuffing does not break out. 
• It takes some time and experience to measure the stuffing. It may break out or not spread evenly. Have patience, it will still taste good. 
• Now let’s fry the Paratha. Heat a big Skillet over medium high heat. Transfer the rolled out Paratha to the pan and do this carefully. Lift the Paratha with both hands and place it on the skillet. If it folds while placing, carefully straighten it using a spatula. 
• Use a brush to apply Oil on the Paratha and let it cook for about a minute. If you see a few reddish brown spots beginning to form, it’s ready to be flipped. 

• Flip the Paratha and apply oil on this side as well and flip it again. The Paratha will start puffing up. If it doesn’t, press onto the Paratha with your spatula on different places for 5-10 seconds. 
• Flip the Paratha back over and press the other side with your spatula for a few seconds. 
• Turn the heat down to medium low. 
• Transfer the cooked Paratha on a plate lined with paper towel. 
• Serve the Paratha hot with Pickles, Onion Rings and a dollop of butter. 

**This article has also been published in the 2016 Durga Pujo magazine of Birmingham (Alabama).

Recommend reading: 

• Make Cumin Powder at Home
• Methi Saag Paratha
• French Chops
• Garam Masala
• Meat Masala
• Dhania Chutney
• Kabiraji Paratha (Fried bread stuffed with Potatoes and Egg)
• Debarshi’s Alu ka Paratha (Fried Bread stuffed with Potatoes)
• Indian Salad
• How to re-use the leftover dough

Make Cumin Powder at Home

• Take a couple tablespoons of Cumin seeds and spread them on a wide pan or skillet.
• Dry roast the Cumin on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, keep moving them in the skillet after every couple of seconds. 
• You will see that the Cumin will darken a bit and smell roasted. That means you can take it off the heat and let it cool a little.
• In your grinder/ Nutri Bullet, grind the roasted Cumin seeds until a fine powder is formed. 
• Cumin powder is ready. Store it in an airtight container.
• Use in Cheela, Matar and Curries.

Recommended Reading:

• Moonger Daler Khichuri (One Pot dish with rice, lentils and vegetables)
• Garam Masala
• French Chops
• Kabiraji Paratha (Fried bread stuffed with Potatoes and Egg)
• Kabiraji
• Nutri Bullet – now cook gourmet foods whenever you want
• Savory Crispy French Toasts (Indian Recipe)
• One Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
• Debarshi’s Alu ka Paratha (Fried Bread stuffed with Potatoes)
• Chicken Alu Cutlets (Crispy Chicken and Potato Patties)
• Boondi Raita
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• Masala Oatmeal (Oatmeal with Indian spices)
• Cheela (Savory Indian Crepes)
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Amritsari Chole (Delicious Chick Pea gravy with Fresh Cheese)
• Mughlai Mutton Stew
• Sour Cream Dip
• Chingri Alur Dalna (Shrimp and Potatoes Gravy)
• Grilled Shrimp Plate with Fire Roasted Corn Salsa
• Allahabadi Alu Patty (Puff Pastry with Spicy Potato Filling)
• Debarshi’s Chicken Tikka Biryani
• Goat Stew with White Wine
• Mamma’s Dahi Bara (Lentil Fritters with creamy Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Dr. D’s Smoked Ribs
• Alu Palak Sabji (North Indian Dish: Stir-fried Potatoes with Spinach)
• Papa’s Kosha Mangsho (Grandpa’s Special Goat Curry)
• Egg Devil (Bengali recipe of Croquettes with egg and minced meat/ Indian Scotch Eggs)
• Kathal ki Sabji (Enchor/Jackfruit in a Tomato Curry)
• Shadi wala Masala Gobhi (Spiced Cauliflower with Potatoes as served in North Indian Weddings)
• Jalapeno Shrimp
• Chicken Kosha (Bengali Style Hot Chicken Gravy)
• Bread Pakora (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Potato filling)
• Fresh Homemade Salsa
• Vegetable Cutlets
• Veggie Puffs
• Masala Alu Bhindi (Stir-fried Potatoes with Okra and spices)
• Hariyali Ghosht - Herbed Goat Curry
• Koraishuti’r Kochuri (Deep Fried Puffed Bread with Pea Filling)
• Panch Mesali (Bengali recipe: Mixed Vegetables)
• Paneer Pakore (Fresh Cheese Fritters)
• Saag Chole (Curried Spinach and Chickpeas)
• Air fried Pakoras (Fritters)
• Kashmiri Rogan Josh (Slow cooked mutton in red curry)

Dhania Chutney (Cilantro Chutney)

Photo taken at a local Indian store featuring different types of ready made Chutneys.

In Indian cuisine an appetizer is considered incomplete without Chutney. India is famous for its delicious street food. It’s amazing to see the speed with which the vendors prep, fry and serve snacks like Chat, Kabab, Kofta, Pakoras etc.. With these snacks they serve different types of complimentary chutneys. Indians have bold taste buds and we love hot and spicy food and the chutney enhances the taste. The most common chutney sold by the street vendors is a simple paste of cilantro, tamarind and green chilies. It is a burst of flavors on the taste buds - spicy, tangy everything coming together with the hot snack. Yum! Now for those who have never had chutney before, believe me you have actually missed an important condiment. Chutney is like a thick sauce or dip and is served not only with Pakoras but also with meat and fish. I serve it with Tandoori chicken and sometimes use it as a marinade as well. Once you get a hang of it there is no turning back. You are bound to fall in love with it. 

Chutneys can be sweet or sour, spicy or mild depending on its ingredients and are prepared with a variety of herbs, vegetables or fruits.  My grandma used to make Sweet Tomato Chutney and I used to eat it with Parathas all the time. This traditional Chutney is a favorite in the Bengali households. During the bhog (food offered to the goddess) of Durga Pooja (the most important religious convention for the Bengalis) this chutney is served with the other special items, which include and is not limited to Pulao, Luchi, Paneer Curry, different Bhajas and other yummy Torkaris, Sweets and Payesh. It’s marvelous that this simple chutney plays such an important part in completing the meal, which is being offered to our Goddess Durga.

In India, even Mc Donald’s serve their world famous McChicken burger with a layer of Mint Chutney on top of the chicken patty  which tastes heavenly. This chutney consists of Mint, Cilantro, Green Chili and Yogurt. Wait wait! You don’t have to go to India to try this amazing burger, just make the chutney and add it to a chicken burger and enjoy!

There are many dishes that are paired with special chutneys. Have you ever had Dosa or Idli? I love them. They are the classic South Indian dishes and are available at almost all the Indian restaurants or Chat cafes in the US. These dishes are served with a special Coconut chutney, which is prepared by tampering lots of Spices and adding it to the ground Coconut, Lentils, Green Chili and Ginger. You can also have this mild chutney with a Cheela (savory pancake) or Vada (fritter).

I took the first photo at a local Indian store; it shows different sorts of ready-made chutneys available. There is Mint, Coriander (Cilantro), Red Chili Garlic and hot and sweet Mango chutneys in the photo. Personally I never buy readymade chutneys from the stores because preparing the chutney at home literally takes 5 minutes and tastes way better. Another benefit of making fresh chutney is that you can adjust the ingredients according to your taste. Make it hotter, milder or tangier as you like. However, it is  useful to have readymade chutneys from tried and tested brands at home as It provides some instant options and saves time.

The recipe is of Cilantro chutney and is usually prepared by Debarshi at home. With its garlicky taste and fresh Cilantro flavor it takes the pakoras to a different level of flavor pallet. I think this chutney goes very well with the Onion Pakoras. It’s simple to prepare and tastes awesome (The 2nd photo features the Cilantro chutney with Mathri). The secret trick is to roast the garlic and chili peppers on a grill before throwing them in the blender to add a smoky flavor and aroma to the chutney.

A chutney should be prepared using fresh herbs only and grinded very smooth so we use the Nutri bullet for this purpose although I think any smoothie maker or wet grinder should work. In older days before the age of household electric blenders chutneys were prepared in a Mortar Pestle. However, I will not recommend it. My suggestion is to enjoy the advantages of modern machinery on this one. Mortar Pestle is handy for many things but it will take a lot of time and energy to grind the ingredients. I always store the chutneys in a plastic container or glass bowl because its taste may change upon keeping it in a reactive metal bowl.

I will soon add the recipe for the other two chutneys but in the meantime try the Cilantro chutney and don’t forget the yummy Pakoras.

As I say, “Add some spice to your life with a Chutney”.

Dhania Chutney (Cilantro Chutney) with Mathri (fried savory biscuits).

Ingredients:

• Cilantro - 1 large bunch, fresh, washed and roughly chopped
• Garlic – 4-5 big cloves (optional)
• Lime juice – 1-2 teaspoon
• Salt – 1/8 teaspoon or Black Salt - ½ teaspoon
• Serrano pepper or Green chili - 2

Directions:

• Take your blender or Nutri bullet and add all the ingredients in it with about 1⁄4 cup of water.
• Blend all the ingredients till smooth.
• Check the seasoning, if you want to add some more Salt or Lime juice add it and give it a whirl again.
• Serve the chutney with Pakoras, Samosas or even with Biryani.

Tip:

• This chutney can be stored in the refrigerator for at least 4-5 days. I just put it in an airtight container and use it whenever required. It’s served at room temperature with hot snacks.

Change the chutney into a dip:

• Sometimes I use the same ingredients and change the chutney to a dip or sauce. I then serve this with fish or meat. For this, I simply use yogurt or buttermilk instead of water. That gives it a thicker consistency.

Recommend Reading:

• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• Mughlai Kabab
• Allahabad - The City of Good Food
• Mathri (Savory Indian Cookies)
• Samosa (Spicy Potato stuffed Pastries)
• Alur Bora (Mamma’s Potato with Garlic fritters)
• Kabiraji
• Nutri Bullet – now cook gourmet foods whenever you want
• Picnic at Smithville Lake, Missouri
• Mamma’s Alu Sandwiches (Indian style Potato and Cheese Sandwiches)
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Alu Tikiya ki Chaat (Crispy Fried Potato Patties with Dried Peas, Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Chicken Nutrela Kabab
• Chicken Alu Cutlets (Crispy Chicken and Potato Patties)
• Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• My Cheap and Delicious Cheese Plate
• Alu Cutlet (Crispy Shallow Fried Potato Patties)
• Namkeen (Savory Deep Fried Indian Snacks)
• Indian Spiced Tzatziki Sauce (Cucumber Raita)
• Spinach Dip
• Mamma’s Dahi Bara (Lentil Fritters with creamy Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Mayo Mustard Sauce with Herbs
• Chapli Kabab with Lachha Paratha
• Bread Pakora (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Potato filling)
• Fresh Homemade Salsa
• Bread Pakora with Soa Alu (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Dill and Potato filling)
• Paneer Pakore (Fresh Cheese Fritters)
• Air fried Pakoras (Fritters)