Spicy Garlic Potatoes

Like I promised, here is another easy vegetarian BBQ recipe that is quick and you can never go wrong. On my little charcoal grill in my balcony, setting up and grilling food becomes super simple and fun. Two weeks back we put mat in the balcony and were ready to enjoy our dinner of grilled kababs, corn on the cob, and grilled potatoes. We love potatoes and yams grilled on charcoal...with crispy charred skin and sprinkle of salt pepper and lime juice, it is just delicious. It is a rustic and natural way of baking potatoes and yams.

This Spicy Garlic Potatoes is my creation of tandoori aloo that can go well as an appetizer or with naan and roti. These baby potatoes are par boiled, stuffed, and grilled on charcoal till the skin gets crisp and flavorful.

Ingredients
1 lb. baby potatoes
1/4-1/2 cup chilli garlic paste or my recipe Schezwan sauce
1 Tbsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
Water to par boil potatoes
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tbsp. chaat masala
Juice of fresh lime
Cilantro to garnish

• Boil water in a large pan. Season it with salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
• Add washed baby potatoes with skin into boiling water. Boil for 7-8 minutes till they are slightly tender. You do want to keep them firm so that they don't fall apart when inserting a skewer through them.
• Remove from water and let the potatoes cool for some time.
• Slit the potatoes halfway. Gently open the slit and stuff with chili garlic paste or my recipe of schezwan sauce.
• Insert a skewer through each of the potatoes.
• Let the potatoes rest for few minutes for flavors to be absorbed.
• Grill on hot charcoal or in an oven till they turn crisp and brown.
• Serve in a platter. Sprinkle chopped onions, chaat masala, juice of fresh lime, and cilantro and serve.

After my last post on Dal & Sabz Seekh Kababs, I had lot of questions and requests to show how to use the charcoal grill? So here are few tips & tricks with pictures:

• Below is my little terracotta charcoal grill from World market. You could use and terracotta pot too to make a small grill. The basic idea to use any charcoal grill is that charcoal should get enough air/oxygen which will help in burning. We all know without oxygen fire can burn out. So if using a terracotta plant pot as a grill, it would be a good idea to drill few small holes on the side for air to enter into the pot. 
• Charcoal can easily be found in most of the stores. You could buy regular charcoal with an igniting liquid or use self igniting charcoal. Self igniting ones are easier since you don't have to pour ignition liquid on them, but both can work. 
• Take a sheet of recycling paper and twist it to make a loose rope. Bring the edges together to form a ring. Place this loose paper ring at the bottom of the grill. Arrange few charcoals over the grill such that paper is not totally covered. It would require some air to continue burning. Do not overload the grill with lot of charcoal. It is easy to add charcoal later as needed.
• Using a long lighter, light the paper ring at the bottom. As the paper continues to burn, charcoal will catch fire too. It might take time for it to burn too. Be patient and you might have to repeat this step.
• Charcoal closer to the paper will burn faster than the ones further away and that is fine because eventually they will all start to burn and get red hot. 
• When outer layer of charcoal burns it turns to ash and it is tricky to figure out it they are still burning or have they extinguished. Use a stainless steel plate or a hand fan and lightly fan the charcoal. The hot charcoal will glow red hot which indicates that they are burning fine and you are ready to cook on it. 
• A pair of long tongs should always be kept handy to move charcoal around. Distribute charcoals evenly in the grill to ensure even cooking. 
• While cooking with food that has been marinated with oil, few drops of oil on hot charcoal could create a flame, and that is okay. Just be cautious about it. 
• Charcoal touching food is also fine. It can easily be dusted off if you want.
• Remember to always soak bamboo or wooden skewers in water before using them so that they do not catch fire. 

Grilled Paneer and Vegetable Tikka

Grilled Corn or Bhutta

Spicy Garlic Potatoes

Happy Grilling!!

Dal & Sabz Seekh Kabab

As the climate starts getting warmer, grills start getting hotter!! Yes, it is time to get out of the house and BBQ. My favorite part of BBQ is cooking on charcoal. Red hot charcoal, smoky flavor, and food cooked to perfection in a very short period of time. Yes that's the fun of BBQ. 

People feel there are immense BBQ options for non-vegetarians and vegetarians can only enjoy grilled vegetables and corn on the cob. Surely, marinated and grilled veggies taste heavenly and corn on the cob smeared with salt and lime are delicious, but wait till you see all my BBQ posts. As vegetarians we enjoy cooking on charcoal and our little terracotta grill is perfect to store and clean and perfect size for BBQing in our balcony! This grill was bought from World Market (my favorite shopping place) and is perfect to carry it for outdoor BBQ or to the campsites.

Seekh are metal skewers used in kabab making. Seekh kabab gets it's name from the fact than minced meat is wrap around metal skewers and then grilled to perfection. Charcoal cooks the food quicker and evenly. Inspired by non-vegetarian seekh kababs, I tried my hands on vegetarian version by using nutritious dals/lentils and veggies.

So why should you wait?? Turn on your grill and get BBQing!

Ingredients to make 20-25 Seekh Kababs (for a BBQ party)

2+1/2 cup mixed dal (yellow moong dal, chana dal, and masoor dal)
2 cups carrots minced
2 large boiled potatoes
2-3 green chillies (or to your spice)
1 tsp. turmeric
2 tbsp. chilli power
2 tbsp. coriander seeds (dhania seeds)
4-5 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger
4-5 spring onions
2 fresh limes
3 tbsp.oil
Salt to taste
Around 1 cup poha (flaked rice)
Around 1/2 cup rawa (semolina)
Around3-4 tbsp. cornstarch

• Soak dals in double the amount of water for 2-3 hours or overnight if you want to make the kababs in the morning.
• Remove excess water from the top. Just keep enough water for dals to be submerged in it. Add salt and turmeric and boil for 10-15 minutes till tender and water evaporates.
• In a food processor mince carrots, ginger, garlic, green chillies, spring onions, coriander seeds. 
• Add softened dal and coarsely grind it.
• Add boiled and mashed potatoes.
• Remove in a mixing bowl and add chilli powder and garam masala powder to taste.
• Add juice of fresh limes and oil.
• Mix well and give a taste test, Add salt, spice or lime juice.
• Add poha and rawa to the mixture. This will absorb all the moisture and help to bind the mixture.
• Add cornstarch the the mixture and mix well. You might have to adjust the amount of poha, rawa and cornstarch depending on how moist the mixture is. The mixture should stay well on the seekh without falling. If it does not, add more poha, rawa, and cornstarch to the mixture.
• Dip your palm in water or oil. Spread handful of dal and sabz mixture on the seekh/skewers and lightly press it.Water or oil will prevent the mixture on sticking onto your palm.
• When done, immediately put on a charcoal grill or electric grill or griddle. cook on all side for 2-3 minutes on charcoal grill.
• Remove in a plate. Sprinkle chaat masala and squeeze fresh lime juice. 
• Serve with sliced onions and cilantro and min chutney.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Soak dals in double the amount of water for 2-3 hours or overnight if you want to make the kababs in the morning.

Remove excess water from the top. Just keep enough water for dals to be submerged in it. Add salt and turmeric and boil for 10-15 minutes till tender and water evaporates.

In a food processor mince carrots, ginger, garlic, green chillies, spring onions, coriander seeds. 

Add softened dal and coarsely grind it.
Add boiled and mashed potatoes. 

Remove in a mixing bowl and add chilli powder and garam masala powder to taste.

Add juice of fresh limes and oil.

Mix well and give a taste test, Add salt, spice or lime juice.

Add poha and rawa to the mixture. This will absorb all the moisture and help to bind the mixture.

Add cornstarch the the mixture and mix well. You might have to adjust the amount of poha, rawa and cornstarch depending on how moist the mixture is. The mixture should stay well on the seekh without falling. If it does not, add more poha, rawa, and cornstarch to the mixture.

Dip your palm in water or oil. Spread handful of dal and sabz mixture on the seekh/skewers and lightly press it.Water or oil will prevent the mixture on sticking onto your palm.

When done, immediately put on a charcoal grill or electric grill or griddle. cook on all side for 2-3 minutes on charcoal grill.

Remove in a plate. Sprinkle chaat masala and squeeze fresh lime juice. 

Serve with sliced onions and cilantro and min chutney.

Enjoy Vegetarian BBQ!!

Tawa Bhindi

'Mid-week'...today was that tiring day when I wanted to cook and enjoy some delicious dinner without much effort. I did not want to go to a restaurant either.  Since I had a bag full of bhindi/okra that I had purchased over the weekend, it came to rescue. I thought of making my favorite tawa bhindi.

I just enjoy rustic food... bhindi/orka stuffed with spice mixture and cooked on an iron griddle or skillet till it is slightly crisp, goes so well wrapped in freshly made rotis. As soon as my husband entered the house through the garage door, I heard him say "Yummy'.  He had no idea what the dinner was, but just the aroma triggered his brain to express it that way!  :)

You could use various veggies for Tawa Vegetable. I like to use eggplant, cauliflower, bitter gourd, bell peppers, and okra. This recipe is ideal for BBQing too. just stuff veggies, coat them with oil and toss into a grilling skillet. The smokey, charcoal flavor will enhance the flavors of the veggies and will be perfect with tandorri roti or naan.

Here is how I make Tawa Bhindi
1 lb. Okra
4-5 tbsp. Tawa Masala (either homemade or MDH Tava masala)
4-5 tbsp. Oil

To make Tawa Masala (can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator)
1 tsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
4-5 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
2 tbsp. coriander seeds
2 tsp. kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1 tbsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. Amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 tsp. Chaat masala
1 Tsp Salt

To make Tawa Masala

• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds. When they start to crackle turn off the heat.
• Add all other ingredients to the same pan and roast for a minute or two. Cool
• Grind to form a powder.

To make Tawa Bhindi

• Cut the edge of bhindi/okra
• Make a long slit lengthwise through the entire bhindi.
• Stuff with a pinch of two of Tawa Masala. You could also use store bought Tawa Masala. I really like MDH Tava Masala. 
• Once all okras have been stuffed, keep them aside.
• Heat 4-5 tbsp. oil in a skillet or a wide pan. (you can add more oil if needed)
• Add stuffed okra and toss well.
• Toss them occasionally and cook till they are done.
• Serve with rotis.

Here is step by step pictorial recipe

Cut the edge of bhindi/okra
Make a long slit lengthwise through the entire bhindi.
Stuff with a pinch of two of Tawa Masala. You could also use store bought Tawa Masala. I really like MDH Tava Masala.

Heat 4-5 tbsp. oil in a skillet or a wide pan. (you can add more oil if needed)
Add stuffed okra and toss well.
Toss them occasionally and cook till they are done.
Serve with rotis.

Enjoy Tawa Bhindi!!