Potato Pancake/ Batata Na Pudla

Potato pancake or બટાટા ના પુડલા, a delicious, mouthwatering snack :) Who does not like potatoes!! One of our favorite food during fast (and even otherwise:)) With all Hindu fasts and festivals lined up, variety in food is a must! This pancake is prepared by just using grated potatoes and spices.

Ingredients (Makes 8 pancakes)
6-7 large potatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. ginger and green chili paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp. red chili powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 fresh lime
Oil for shallow frying 

• Peel and grate potatoes.
• Add salt, finely chopped green chilies, or ginger and green chili paste, finely chopped cilantro, lime juice, turmeric powder, red chilly powder (and any other spice you would prefer, like garam masala.) 
• Depending on your family values/culture, you can add spices that are permitted during fasts.
• Mix spices well with grated potatoes. I like to use my fingers and palm for good mixing :)
• Heat a non stick pan or a skillet. Add few drop of oil. Take a handful of potato mixture and spread it on the pan or a skillet. Do not squeeze out starch water that potatoes have let out. This starch water will allow grated potato to bind. Lower the heat or get the skillet off your stove while spreading the mixture. This is a popular Maharashtrian cooking method while cooking Thalipeeth.
• Size, shape and thickness, entirely depends on how comfortable you are handling grated potatoes on hot skillet. Don't worry, this is sure to taste yummy!
• Add few drops of oil. Oil seeps through the potato mesh to make it crispy. The steam allow the potato to cook and binds all the strings. 
• Allow the bottom to cook and turn golden brown before you flip it. Use your spatula to press the pancake, which will allow it to bind and not come apart when you flip it.  
• Use a wide spatula to flip the pancake ad let it turn golden brown and crisp on both sides.
• Serve with cilantro chutney, peanut chutney, and some sliced cucumbers salad.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:
Peel and grate potatoes.

One of my favorite appliance in my kitchen, Food processor! I use this all the time to chop, grind, make a dough or grate. Today I used it to grate potatoes. Specially in a recipe like this, where you need lot of potatoes, grating them manually is time consuming and laborious.

I love my Food Processor!!

Grate potatoes to obtain long potato strings. If you are grating it manually, avoid making it too thin or it turns mussy.

 Transfer in a large mixing bowl.

Add salt, finely chopped green chilies, or ginger and green chili paste, finely chopped cilantro, lime juice, turmeric powder, red chilly powder (and any other spice you would prefer, like garam masala.)
Depending on your family values/culture, you can add spices that are permitted during fasts.
Mix well.

Mix spices well with grated potatoes. I like to use my fingers and palm for good mixing :)

Heat a non stick pan or a skillet. Add few drop of oil. Take a handful of potato mixture and spread it on the pan or a skillet. Do not squeeze out starch water that potatoes have let out. This starch water will allow grated potato to bind. Lower the heat or get the skillet off your stove while spreading the mixture. This is a popular Maharashtrian cooking method while cooking Thalipeeth.

Size, shape and thickness, entirely depends on how comfortable you are handling grated potatoes on hot skillet. Don't worry, this is sure to taste yummy!

Add few drops of oil. Oil seeps through the potato mesh to make it crispy. The steam allow the potato to cook and binds all the strings.

Allow the bottom to cook and turn golden brown before you flip it. Use your spatula to press the pancake, which will allow it to bind and not come apart when you flip it.  

Use a wide spatula to flip the pancake ad let it turn golden brown and crisp on both sides.

Serve with cilantro chutney, peanut chutney, and some sliced cucumbers salad.

Enjoy!!

Healthy Veggie Frankie

Frankie, reminds me of my childhood days! A tangy, spicy veggie cutlet wrapped in wheat flour pancake, is a healthy and delicious snack or a to-go meal.
Frankie is a weekend breakfast menu in my house. My father in law loves this recipe and I hope he comes here soon!

Ingredients.

To make cutlets: This is my moms cutlet recipe, Makes delicious, mouthwatering cutlets. Beetroot in this recipe not only added nutrition, but also a wonderful color and taste.

Boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes

Beans

Carrot

Beet root

Green peas

finely chopped ginger

finely chopped green chilly

chopped cilantro

lime juice

salt

Steam grated beet root, grate carrot, finely chopped beans, and peas.

I like to arrange these ingredients in a metal sieve and steam it. Do not over cook the veggies as it may destroy the nutritive value.

Remove steamed veggies in a mixing bowl.

Add boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes to the veggies. Add salt, lime juice, finely chopped green chillies, finely chopped ginger. Mix well steamed veggies let out lot of water. Do not discard the water. Lets save the nutritive value :) Add some dry poha or rice flakes to absorb water and to bind the cutlets well. (you could add bread crumbs) My mom never used bread or bread crumbs in most of her recipes since my grand mother like many old people in my country would not prefer bread or bread products. Mix the veggies well. Take 2 tbsp of mixture in your palm and make rectangular shaped cutlets and shallow fry using little oil.

To make pancakes: These pancakes can be made either using maida or all purpose flour. But I would like to use whole wheat flour, again to make it fiber rich and nutritive.

2 cups whole wheat flour

Water

Salt

1 tsp red chilly powder (optional)

Pinch on baking soda

Mix the ingredients to form a batter (pancake or dosa consistency)

In a frying pan, make wheat pancakes with few drop of oil to fry (avoid making too thin or too thick

Stack the pancakes. Make enough for the whole family :) Its okay for pancakes to cool down since we will be re-frying them before serving. Cover the pancake to prevent them from drying out. You could prepare this a day before and refrigerating it. I have done this a lot, specially when we need to carry them for picnics :)

Here comes the main part, arranging the Frankie :) 

Re-fry the pancake till its hot but not crisp. It might not allow you to make a roll.

Arrange cutlets in the center of the pan cake.

Sprinkle chopped onions and chopped cabbage (optional).

Sprinkle good amount of chaat masala. A main ingredient of frankie. Cutlets could be made with any ingredient you want, but chaat masala cannot be omitted. The combination of onions and chaat masala give the tangy (chatpata) taste to this healthy snack or a meal.

 

Tightly roll the pancake over the cutlets. Serve hot!

Wrap each frankie in aluminum foil. A great to go or picnic food. Each person gets their frankie. Easy to eat, filling, and healthy!

Enjoy!

Suggestions: 
Cutlet could be made only of potatoes or veggies of your choice.
Add grated cheese or paneer for kids (for adults too) :)
Add left over paneer tikka, or chicken tikka ( remember to add chaat masala and onions for taste).

Kesar Shrikhand

Shrikhand, a traditional Gujarati and Maharashtrian sweet yogurt prepared during auspicious occasions. This sweet/dessert is very easy to make and makes a great accompaniment with rotis and puris. In fact, a Gujarati Thali is incomplete with serving shrikhand. Aam ras/ Aam shrikhand also know as Aamrakhand or mango flavored shrikhand can be substituted during mango season.

Although Shrikhand is easily available in the Indian store, it is totally worth to make it at home with fresh ingredients and high quality products. Actual time needed to make this is just 10 minutes. Flavor intensifies and become delicious while left covered in the refrigerator. I think I might just take orders to cater Bay Area people with this easy and fresh recipe with best quality ingredients :)

Updated: On January 14th 2017, I invited some of my friends over for Undhiyu party. It was a potluck where my friends brought delicious Gujju food while I prepared Undhiyu and Shrikhand. Although I had published this post in 2012 the pictures were from 2008 and had made Shrikhand plenty of times after that, I was finally able to take fresh new pictures to update this post :) I am so glad my friends loved this Shrikhand. It is the happiest moment for a chef/cook when the entire bowl is licked.  HAPPY HAPPY ME!!!

Ingredients (serves 3-4 people)

4 cups regular plain yogurt (homemade or store bought or greek yogurt)

2 - 2+1/2 cups regular sugar powdered at home

A pinch or two of good quality saffron

1/4 cup slivered almonds and pistachios

Method: (Also check pictures at the bottom)

• Use a clean, white, muslin cloth to hang curd/plain yogurt to separate excess water. You could also use a fine mesh colander over a big bowl to collect excess water that drips. Let it remain for 3-4 hours to remove water and make thick and creamy dessert. If the climate is hot and humid, leave the colander and bowl in the refrigerator. That way yogurt will not turn sour and also drain excess water. Do not discard this water. Use it to make roti dough or kadhi/curry.
• Empty thick curd/yogurt in a mixing bowl.
• Add sugar. I do not add confectionery/icing sugar as it contains cornstarch and cannot be used during Hindu fasts.
• Add saffron and mix well to obtain maximum color. The color, taste, and flavor intensifies with time. I would like to make this ahead of time: before few hours or a day before to get delicious shrikhand.
• Mix sugar and saffron well.
• Add nuts and mix well.
• Cover and leave it in the refrigerator for few hours or overnight.
• Mix well, remove in a serving bowl.
• Garnish with nuts, and serve chilled.
• Enjoy!! 

 

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:
Use a clean, white, muslin cloth to hang curd/plain yogurt to separate excess water. You could also use a fine mesh colander over a big bowl to collect excess water that drips. Let it remain for 3-4 hours to remove water and make thick and creamy dessert. If the climate is hot and humid, leave the colander and bowl in the refrigerator. That way yogurt will not turn sour and also drain excess water. Do not discard this water. Use it to make roti dough or kadhi/curry.

Look at the amount of water collected in the bowl. If the water is not removed from yogurt, it would make a runny lassi drink and not shrikhand.

Empty thick curd/yogurt in a mixing bowl.

Add sugar. I do not add confectionery/icing sugar as it contains cornstarch and cannot be used during Hindu fasts.

Add saffron and mix well to obtain maximum color. The color, taste, and flavor intensifies with time.

Loo how kesar/saffron imparts color. 

There is no artificial color or flavor added to this.

Mix in slivered nuts. I like the texture of nuts in my skrikhand so I don't mind adding a lot of these.

Cover well and leave it in the fridge for few hours or overnight.

After few hours: See how saffron bleeds the color and flavor.

I love this picture...saffron strands with various intensities of color in yogurt.

Mix well and see how the color intensifies.

Pour in a serving bowl and garnish with slivered nuts and few strand of saffron (optional)

Tiramisu

Tiramisu, my husband's favorite dessert :) Super delicious and tempting!! 
No wonder it means "Pick Me Up"

More than 10  years back I first got introduced to tiramisu in India and just loved it. Neither am I a coffee drinker nor wine, but still the combination in this dessert is just delicious. Also the process of preparation of this dessert is just so intoxicating :) 10 years back I first referred to Tarla Dalal's recipe: (https://www.tarladalal.com/Tiramisu-(-Italian-Cookbook)-3316r) and used ingredients found in the USA.  Since then, I have always used the same recipe and Tiramisu turns out delicious.

Every time I make this dessert for my friends, it is gone in a minute. I hardly get opportunity to click good pictures. Thanks to my friend  N  :) I finally have few new pictures to put up here and update the post. I also took some videos of whipping cream and cream cheese using my Kitchenaid stand mixer which I was able to combine and make one YouTube video. I will try to get more videos next time I make it :)

Meanwhile,You should try this recipe. Don't be intimidated with the steps. It is really easy to make.

Also, check my recipe of making Tiramisu cups using egg less cake. 

To make Tiramisu: (Serves 6)

This recipe makes enough to fit in an 8in square Pyrex baking dish. Check this picture here.

Ingredients:
1 loaf Angel food cake or loaf of sponge cake (12 slices)
8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese
1/4 cup Marsala or Port wine
1 cup whipping cream (chilled)
3 tbsp. powdered sugar

Coffee soaking syrup
3 tbsp. instance coffee powder
3 tbsp. sugar
1 cup warm water

For garnishing:
1 tsp. cocoa powder or drinking chocolate powder

Method:

• Heat wine and 5 tbsp. sugar till sugar dissolves. Leave it aside and allow the mixture to cool completely.
• Whip whipping cream and powdered sugar till it reaches soft peak stage. Whipping cream should be chilled in the refrigerator and should be removed in a clean chilled bowl just before using it.
• In a separate bowl whip cream cheese and wine mixture till it is soft and fluffy.
• Using a spatula or folding blade on the stand mixer add whipped cream mixture to fold into cream cheese mixture. Repeat till all whipped cream in folded into cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate it.
• Slice angel food cake or loaf of sponge cake into around 1/2 inch slices. You will need 12 slices.
• toast in a 350 F oven for 15-20 minutes.
• Leave it aside to cool.
• In a separate bowl mix warm water, instant coffee and sugar to my coffee soaking syrup.

 To assemble:

• Dip toasted cake in coffee syrup for 10 seconds and place in a deep serving dish. Use half of the slices to arrange in the bottom of the serving dish.
• Spread 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture over them.
• Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• Use remaining toasted cake slices dipped in coffee syrup and place on cream cheese to form another layer.
• Spread remaining cream cheese mixture evenly.
• Use a sieve or strainer to sprinkle cocoa powder.
• Refrigerate for an hour or two.
• Cut into pieces and serve.
• Enjoy!!

 Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Heat wine and 5 tbsp. sugar till sugar dissolves. Leave it aside and allow the mixture to cool completely.
Whip whipping cream and powdered sugar till it reaches soft peak stage.
In a separate bowl whip cream cheese and wine mixture till it is soft and fluffy.
Using a spatula or folding blade on the stand mixer add whipped cream mixture to fold into cream cheese mixture. Repeat till all whipped cream in folded into cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate it.

Video of whipping cream and folding with cream cheese.

  

Slice angel food cake or sponge cake into 1/2 inch slices and toast in a 350 F oven for 15-20 minutes.
Leave it aside to cool.
In a separate bowl mix warm water, instant coffee and sugar to my coffee soaking syrup.

Dip toasted cake in coffee syrup for 10 seconds and place in a deep serving dish.
Spread 1/2 of the cream cheese mixture over them.

Use a sieve or strainer to sprinkle cocoa powder.

Refrigerate for an hour or two.

Cut into pieces and serve.

Pick Me Up!!!