It's a lovely day here in White Plains, New York. Since it's a weekend, there is lot more activity outside. The son's apartment window has a great view, -it's my favorite place where I sit and watch people hurrying past on their way to work, or parents dropping off toddlers to school. After the morning rush of office goers, it is people going with their trolleys for grocery shopping. On a nice day like this, the park just bang opposite, has a group of oldies enjoying the gentle cool breeze and lazing on the bench.
I was here a few months back, and though this trip came all too soon but a chance of visiting the children was not something, I could miss. I did finally decide to fight off the challenge of a 15 hour flight, for nothing is more fulfilling than spending time with your children.
Since I have come, been cooking mostly Indian meals, as this is one thing that they miss the most - having wholesome home cooked food. The Indian food scene is pretty dismal here, the other day we had ordered Indian food, the whole works - daal makhani, kadhai paneer, naan and other sundries.The veg tasted like nothing we have back home, couldn't believe that this was being passed of as Indian food and if that was not bad enough, it was expensive to boot. Some raw vegetables cooked in tomato puree with lots of red chilli powder added to make it spicy - seriously, what this place needs is an Indian joint serving authentic food.
Of course this is not the case in say Pittsburgh (where my daughter is) which has some great places for good Indian food, and why only Indian, the food scene is amazing there, no wonder it has been voted as the best new food city 2014 by Bon Appetit. On my wish list is tasting Prantl's Burnt almond torte, touted as the Best Cake that America has to offer by no less than Huffington Post. The daughter has been coaxed into getting it when she comes over to Delhi for her winter break, later this year.
Coming back to White plains - since it was the son's day off we did away with the regular food and made pakoris (vegetable fritters) for him. Served with a sprinkling of my home made chaat masala they tasted amazing. The son enjoyed this change from routine food a lot and so did we. Everyone hogged so much that any chances of having dinner was out of the question. The husband was the master chef for today and I have to admit he did a great job and fed all of us very lovingly.
Aloo and Pyaaz pakoris (Vegetable fritters)
2 medium sized onions, peeled and chopped fine
2 medium sized potatoes peeled and diced
6-7 green chillies, chopped
2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 cups oil
Water as per requirement
2 tablespoon chaat masala
Dice the onions and potatoes into very small pieces. Destalk the chillies and cut them into roundels or any shape that you fancy. Next make the batter, mix the chickpea flour with water, just enough to get a dropping consistency. Once the batter is mixed with appropriate amount of water, whisk it well to aerate the batter. This whisking helps in making soft pakoris with a crisp outer covering.
Finally once the batter is well aerated add in the diced vegetables, salt and red chillies. Mix in well till all the vegetables are well coated. Heat the oil in a wok (kadhai) on medium heat. Then drop the batter by spoonful into the hot oil. Frying the pakoris at the right temperature is the key to getting it right, if the oil is too hot the fritters will quickly brown on the outside but remain uncooked from the inside, a low temperature results not only in soggy fritters but also oil soaked ones. So maintain an equitable temperature wherein they are well done inside and have a crisp outer covering. Once they turn a nice golden shade, more towards the darker side, drain them well on the paper napkins and serve hot with a generous sprinkling of chaat masala alongside some nice tangy coriander chutney which just so completes it.
Enjoy this lovely snack which can be had anytime of the day- yup I have even made it for breakfast on a rain soaked Delhi morning. A perfect finger food on such a day with the Indian masala 'chai'
I was here a few months back, and though this trip came all too soon but a chance of visiting the children was not something, I could miss. I did finally decide to fight off the challenge of a 15 hour flight, for nothing is more fulfilling than spending time with your children.
Since I have come, been cooking mostly Indian meals, as this is one thing that they miss the most - having wholesome home cooked food. The Indian food scene is pretty dismal here, the other day we had ordered Indian food, the whole works - daal makhani, kadhai paneer, naan and other sundries.The veg tasted like nothing we have back home, couldn't believe that this was being passed of as Indian food and if that was not bad enough, it was expensive to boot. Some raw vegetables cooked in tomato puree with lots of red chilli powder added to make it spicy - seriously, what this place needs is an Indian joint serving authentic food.
Of course this is not the case in say Pittsburgh (where my daughter is) which has some great places for good Indian food, and why only Indian, the food scene is amazing there, no wonder it has been voted as the best new food city 2014 by Bon Appetit. On my wish list is tasting Prantl's Burnt almond torte, touted as the Best Cake that America has to offer by no less than Huffington Post. The daughter has been coaxed into getting it when she comes over to Delhi for her winter break, later this year.
Coming back to White plains - since it was the son's day off we did away with the regular food and made pakoris (vegetable fritters) for him. Served with a sprinkling of my home made chaat masala they tasted amazing. The son enjoyed this change from routine food a lot and so did we. Everyone hogged so much that any chances of having dinner was out of the question. The husband was the master chef for today and I have to admit he did a great job and fed all of us very lovingly.
Aloo and Pyaaz pakoris (Vegetable fritters)
2 medium sized onions, peeled and chopped fine
2 medium sized potatoes peeled and diced
6-7 green chillies, chopped
2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 cups oil
Water as per requirement
2 tablespoon chaat masala
 |
| Batter for the fritter's |
Dice the onions and potatoes into very small pieces. Destalk the chillies and cut them into roundels or any shape that you fancy. Next make the batter, mix the chickpea flour with water, just enough to get a dropping consistency. Once the batter is mixed with appropriate amount of water, whisk it well to aerate the batter. This whisking helps in making soft pakoris with a crisp outer covering.
Finally once the batter is well aerated add in the diced vegetables, salt and red chillies. Mix in well till all the vegetables are well coated. Heat the oil in a wok (kadhai) on medium heat. Then drop the batter by spoonful into the hot oil. Frying the pakoris at the right temperature is the key to getting it right, if the oil is too hot the fritters will quickly brown on the outside but remain uncooked from the inside, a low temperature results not only in soggy fritters but also oil soaked ones. So maintain an equitable temperature wherein they are well done inside and have a crisp outer covering. Once they turn a nice golden shade, more towards the darker side, drain them well on the paper napkins and serve hot with a generous sprinkling of chaat masala alongside some nice tangy coriander chutney which just so completes it.
 |
| Sizzling in the heat |
Enjoy this lovely snack which can be had anytime of the day- yup I have even made it for breakfast on a rain soaked Delhi morning. A perfect finger food on such a day with the Indian masala 'chai'
 |
| Ready to eat |
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