Guava Pani Puri

Last weekend I spent a relaxing time with my girlfriends at Alviso Marine Park. It was a beautiful day with perfect climate and great picnic tables for an amazing potluck meet with friends. A month ahead we had been planning for a Chaat Party. Yes, Indian girls love chaat...spicy, sweet, tangy party with lots of jokes and gossips.

Few months back I had tasted Guava Pani at my friends place. I do make grape pani and berry pani, but guava pani was just the best. So this time I planned to make Guava Pani Puri for this chaat party.

Here is the recipe:
1+1/2 liters guava juice.
8-10 leaves of fresh mint
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. rock salt
1-2 green chillies (to your spice level)
1 inch ginger

• Grind mint, chillies, ginger. and cumin with 1/2 cup guava juice to form a smooth paste.
• Add the paste to rest of the guava juice. 
• Add rock salt (to taste) and mix well.
• Let the mixture stand in the refrigerator for few hours before serving.
• Strain the Pani. 
• Add ice if needed before serving.

 Here is the pictorial recipe:

 Grind mint, chillies, ginger. and cumin with 1/2 cup guava juice to form a smooth paste.

Add the paste to rest of the guava juice.

Add rock salt (to taste) and mix well.

Strain the Pani.
Add ice if needed before serving.

I added 2 chopped mint leaves for color.

Here are few pictures of delicious food!

 

 Enjoy Guava Pani Puri!

Stuffed Sabudana Wada

People say addiction is not good. But what if you have an healthy addiction? Yes, lately I have been addicted to Edamame (soy beans). I love boiled and slightly salted ones, and they make a great snack. Of course we know that they are a great source of proteins, but over eating them has their own disadvantage.

Last month I joined a one month short workshop of photography at the Adult Education Centre, and tomorrow is my last day. It was indeed a wonderful experience to understand all that my camera can do. I always enjoyed photographing, but now it is more systematic and disciplined. In this last month we had assignments to do and we also went on a field trip. We would then discuss and analyze our pictures and learn from our mistakes. My assignment for the last class is to free photo-shoot, which means to photo-shoot of our choice. Of course I chose to photograph my new dish. Since I am the only food blogger in our photography group, my peers suggested that I bring a dish to share with them while they see my pictures. Sounds good isn't it!! So after a week full of head scratching moments of what to make, I thought of creating something Indian that would suit the American palate too. Also my husband's taste and my effort of adding protein to our diet created this delicious dish. Yes, My husband just loves Sabudana Wada, and since I love edamame...I made Edamame Stuffed Sabudana Wada.

This recipe is very similar to my Purple Potato & Pea Patties. Check it out!

To make 10-12 Stuffed Sabudana Wada

For the covering:
1 cup sabudana/sago pearls
3 large potatoes
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
ginger and green chilli paste
2 tbsp. coarsely ground peanuts
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime

For the stuffing:
1 cup shelled edamame/soy beans or any beans in the pods. (Tuvar lilva can also be used).
3 tbsp. grated coconut
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Ginger and green chilli paste
1 tsp. red chilli powder (or to taste)
1 tsp. cumin seeds
Juice of 1 lime

Oil for frying

To make the covering:

• Soak 1 cup sabudana/ sago pearls in 2 cups of water for 5 minutes. Remove water and let the soaked sabudana rest overnight or atleast 2 hours to fluff up.
• Boil and mash potatoes. Add mashed potatoes to fluffy sabudana.
• Add salt, ginger and green chilli paste, ground peanuts, chopped cilantro, and juice of lime. Mix well. Give it a taste test. Add salt or lime if needed.

To make the stuffing:

• Heat 1 cup shelled unsalted edamame in the microwave for 2 minutes or till tender. 
• Slightly mash them.
• Add coconut, cilantro, cumin seeds, chilli powder, salt, lime juice. Mix well and taste for salt and lime. Add if needed.

To make Stuffed Sabudana Wada

• Take 1 tbsp. size potato mixture in your palm. Slightly flatten it without having cracks and holes in the potato shell. 
• Add spoonful of edamame filling.
• Gently bring potato sides together and seal them well. Press in between rounded palms. Remove the air and make a tight ball.
• Deep fry in medium hot oil till it turns golden brown.

Serve with Cilantro chutney and peanut Chutney.

Note*** Edamame is not a fasting/vrat ingredient. To make this recipe during Hindu fasting month, avoid Edamame. All other ingredients are fine. So basically you can make coconut stuffed sabudana wada for Fasts.

Here is a pictorial recipe:

Soak 1 cup sabudana/ sago pearls in 2 cups of water for 5 minutes. Remove water and let the soaked sabudana rest overnight or atleast 2 hours to fluff up.

Boil and mash potatoes. Add mashed potatoes to fluffy sabudana.

Add salt, ginger and green chilli paste, ground peanuts, chopped cilantro, and juice of lime. Mix well. Give it a taste test. Add salt or lime if needed.

Heat 1 cup shelled unsalted edamame in the microwave for 2 minutes or till tender.

Slightly mash them.

Add coconut, cilantro, cumin seeds, chilli powder, salt, lime juice. Mix well and taste for salt and lime. Add if needed.

Take 1 tbsp. size potato mixture in your palm. Slightly flatten it without having cracks and holes in the potato shell.
Add spoonful of edamame filling.
Gently bring potato sides together and seal them well. Press in between rounded palms. Remove the air and make a tight ball.
Deep fry in medium hot oil till it turns golden brown.

My new spice box!! So excited to use this :)

Enjoy!!