Dahi Aloo Chat

Quick and tempting snack of boiled potato,yogurt and Indian spices

Potato is the worlds most popular vegetable.We don't have to think much about using potatoes as there are endless numbers of recipes to make with potatoes.In fact most of the Indian street food are made with potatoes. side dish ,snack,curries and even dessert can be made with potato,my favorite sweet is -Potato halwa.

Potato bread rolls,  minty potato, Potato cup chat are many snack I have already posted,but they need some pre planning, stir frying or deep frying.As we all know that if potato is fried then only it become loaded with calories,boiled potato is not that high in calorie so can be used easily and guilt free.

This dahi aloo chat is a popular street food/chat of North India specially from my home town.
boiled potatoes are soaked in yogurt and then roasted cumin powder, chili powder is sprinkled over it. A spoon full of green chutney and tamarind chutney is drizzled over to make it delicious and tempting.\
This is also a ideal recipe for fasting days as it didn't require frying or roasting and use the  delicious -Aam papad chutney and green chutney to drizzle over it if you are fasting

Prep time- 10 min

Difficulty level-easy

Spice level-mild

Cuisine-North Indian

Type-Snack,street food

Serve-3

Dahi Aloo Chat

Ingredients

• 3 (small size) - Potato, boiled
• 1 cup of - Yogurt /dahi
• To taste- Salt /namak
• 1/2 tsp - Chili powder /lal mirch
• 1/2 tsp - Roasted cumin powder/bhuna jeera
• 1/4 tsp- Black salt /kala namak
• 2 tbsp - Tamarind chutney /imli ki chutney (recipe here)
• 2 tbsp - Green mint chutney /hari chutney(recipe here )
• A pinch of - Sugar

Cooking Directions

1. Peel and chop potatoes into small cubes.
2. Take yogurt in a bowl and whisk it well
3. Add sugar,salt and black salt in the yogurt and mix well.
4. Add chopped potatoes in the yogurt.
5. Let it soak for 15 minutes.
6. Now serve in individual serving bowls.
7. Sprinkle chili powder and roasted cumin powder over it.
8. Drizzle some tamarind chutney, mint chutney and pomegranate seeds.
9. Best served chilled.

NOTE-

1. If you are fasting then use pepper powder instead of chili powder.
2. Use mango leather chutney /aam paapd chutney if you are fasting.
3. Instead of boiled potatoes you can also use deep fried potato cubes.

Aloo Tamatar Ki Subzi - Potato and Tomato Curry

Quick and easy tangy potato and tomato curry

Aloo tamatar ki subzi is a classic combination and the most popular curry of North India.This is amongst the easiest and most delicious recipe to make with a combo of potatoes and tomatoes.This is made on all festive occasion as well as a daily quick fix curry. It goes very well with pooris, Bedvi ,  Daal poori , but you can serve it with any Indian bread.You can also make this for fasting as it is made without using onion and garlic like all my recipes

Boiled and mashed potatoes are cooked with tomato puree and then a simple but flavourful tempering is added in the end,so you don't need to stand beside the pan to stir fry all the masala etc.just add everything and let it cook for about 6-8 minutes and then just add the tempering and a delicious curry is ready to serve .
The consistency or thickness of the potato curry depends on individual choice ,as some prefer to make it quite thick and some like to have it on thinner side so add water according to your preference.

If you like potato curries then check these -Vrat ki aloo curry,  Mathura ke dubki waley aloo  , Dahi ke aloo,  Dum aloo masala , Aloo Gobhi ki subzi  and many more potato recipe in my blog

Prep time - 10 min
Cooking time -15 time
Difficulty level - easy
Spice level - medium
Cuisine - North Indian
Type - side,main
Serve - 5

INGREDIENTS-

• Potato/aloo, boiled- 4 (450 gms)
• Tomato/tamatar ,chopped -350 gms
• Green chilies/hari mirch ,chopped - 1 tsp
• Fresh coriander,chopped- 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder/haldi -3/4 tsp
• Chili powder /lal mirch - 1.5 tsp
• Coriander powder/dhaniya - 1tsp
• Sugar/chini- 1 tsp
• Salt /namak- to taste

Temering /waghar/tadka

• Cooking oil /Tel - 1.5 tbsp
• Clarified butter /ghee - 1.5 tbsp
• Cumin seeds/jeera - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida /hing -1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves /kadi patta - 10
• Whole red chilies,dried - 4
• Kashmiri red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Peel and coarsely mash boiled potatoes.(don't make a paste)
2. Grind chopped tomatoes and green chilies in the mixer and make a fine and smooth paste.
3. Take a pan and add mashed potatoes and the ground tomato paste.
4. Add all the dry spices, few curry leaves  and 2 .5 cups of water in the pan.
5. Mix well and let it cook on medium heat for about 7-8 minutes or till it thicken slightly.
6. Now heat oil and ghee in a small pan.
7. Add cumin seeds ,when seeds become golden in color add asafoetida ,curry leaves and whole red chilies.
8. Switch off the flame and after 2-3 seconds add the kashmiri mirch powder in the tempering.
9. Now pour the tempering over the boiling gravy.
10. Switch off the flame and add chopped coriander in the curry.
11. Cover with a lid and wait for 5 minutes so it will absorb all the flavors.
12. Serve hot.

Serving suggestions-serve with poori ,paratha or any bread.

NOTE-

1. You can add little more or less water in the curry according to the consistency you want to have in the curry .
2. Can also add some boiled peas at step -3 

Sama Ke Chawal Ka Uttapam

Sago barnyarn millet and potato pancakes -food for fasting

Sama /samu /varai  or Barnyan millet is a seed ,which is very easily available in Indian stores.It is quite small in size and round in shape,almost similar to thick semolina.It is a complex  carbs and rich in fibre so can be easily used on daily basis.It absorb a good quantity of water so is quite filling.
In North India it is mainly used during fasting as grains ,lentils and rice are not consumed during fasting,fox tail millet,sago,water chestnut flour  are few commonly used seeds or millets which are used during fasting.there are many recipes to make with samu.
I have already posted-

• Sama ki khichdi
• Sama aloo ki tikki
• Sama ki idli

Prep time-10 min
Cooking time- 15 min
Difficulty level-easy
Spice level- medium
Cuisine-North Indian
Type-snack,vrat ka khana
Serve-3

Sama uttapam

Ingredients

• 1 cup - Samu /samak /tandul /varai
• 1/2 cup - Sago pearls /Sabudana
• 1 medium - Potato,boiled
• 1.5 tbsp - Yogurt/dahi
• To taste - Salt/namak
• 3/4 tsp - Pepper powder /kali mirch
• 2 tsp - Green chili,chopped
• 3 tbsp - Fresh coriander,chopped
• 1 tsp - Cumin seeds

Cooking Directions

1. Wash and soak samo and sabudana in enough water in separate container for about 6 hours.
2. Grind them into fine paste with little water(don't add too much water )
3. In a bowl add yogurt,salt and the ground paste and make a batter of pouring consistency.
4. Add finely grated or mashed boiled potato and mix.
5. Grease a non stick griddle and pour a ladle full of batter.
6. Spread to make a medium thick pancake.
7. Sprinkle pepper powder,cumin seeds,green chilies and fresh coriander.
8. Drizzle some ghee or oil on the pancake.
9. When get cooked then flip the side and let it cook from other side.
10. When become golden then remove from the pan.
11. Serve hot with green chutney and aam papad chutney

NOTE-

You can also add some grated or chopped vegetables on the uttappam at step 8

Roasted Phool Makhana Namkeen

Crisp and low fat lotus seed snack

Makhana or phool makhana is a seed from lotus plant so commonly used during fasting days.This is very easily available in all Indian stores and is very light in weight.
There are so many recipes made with phool makhana.it is also used to make curries and the roasted makhana powder is used to thicken curries.I have posted -Makhana ki kheer and makhana paag and both are fasting recipes.
It is also good for health as it is light on stomach and have many medicinal properties. It is rich in calcium, it regulates high blood pressure,good for arthritis, detoxify body, cure insomnia and very good to have as a post natal food .
This namkeen makhana is very filling and a low fat snack.Though it is very easy to make but it takes some time to become crisp so you have to roast it on low heat else it will become crisp from outside but the inner portion remain raw and chewy.

Cooking time-15 min
Difficulty level-easy
spice level -mild
Cuisine-North Indian
Type-snack,vrat ka khana
Serve -4

Ingredients

• 50 gm - Makhana/ phool makhana /fox nut/Lotus seeds
• 2.5 tbsp - Ghee or oil
• As required - Rock salt /Sendha namak
• 1/2 tsp - Pepper powder/ Kali mirch
• 1/2 tsp - Mango powder /amchoor

Cooking Directions

1. Heat ghee or oil in a pan.
2. Add lotus seeds and roast on low heat and keep stirring.
3. Roast for about 10-12 minutes till they become crisp.
4. Press a roasted seed to check, if it is roasted well then it will break into pieces,and if it still feel soft and chewy then roast for some more times.
5. When roasted then add the spices and 1 tsp of ghee and mix well.
6. Let it cool down completely.
7. Store in air tight jar.

Serving suggestions-serve as a snack with tea,coffee or any beverage

Aloo Chiwda / Vrat ki Falahari Namkeen

Fried potato sticks,peanuts and cashews tossed Indian style

During Navratri and other fasting days we need some snacks or munchies along with the main course meals.As there are only few option to use during fasting ,so often we have to try something mainly with potato,banana and yam.This aloo chiwda can be easily used during fasting.
Potato is grated and fried and then fried peanuts,cashews,green chilies and few spices which are acceptable in fasting are added .You can also make this with sundried potato sticks if you want to make it quick and easy.but the taste and texture will be slightly different.

Prep time- 10 min
Cooking time-20 min
Difficulty level-medium
Spice level-mild
Cuisine-North Indian
Type-snack,vrat ki recipe
Yield-approx. 5 cups

INGREDIENTS-

• Potatoes /aloo - 4 medium(500 gms)
• Peanuts/moongphali - 3/4 cup
• Cashew nut/kaju,halves- 3/4 cup
• Raisins /kishmish - 2 tbsp
• Green chili/hari mirch ,chopped- 2 tsp
• Curry leaves/kadi patta - 10

Spice mix-

• Castor sugar/pisi hui chini-1.5 tsp
• Tatri/citric acid,powdered -1/4 tsp *
• Pepper powder/kali mirch - 1 tsp
• Rock salt/sendha namak-to taste

PROCEDURE-

1. Peel potato and then grate it with a thick grater .
2. Wash the grated potato with enough water and then squeeze well.
3. Now spread it on a kitchen towel for 20 minutes.
4. Take a small bowl and mix all the spices and keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a deep and wide pan.
6. Add the grated potatoes in the pan and fry on high flame for 2 minutes.
7. Then lower the flame and fry till they become golden and crisp.
8. Drain the fried potatoes on a paper napkin.
9. Repeat the process and fry potatoes in batches.
10. Then fry peanuts on low heat till they become golden and crisp,drain on a paper napkin.
11. Fry cashews on low heat till golden and then drain
12. Add chopped green chilies in the hot oil and fry,after few seconds add chopped curry leaves .
13. When curry leaves become crisp, add raisins.
14. When raisin floats on top of the oil then take out and drain on a paper napkin.
15. Now sprinkle the spices over all fried ingredients and mix well.
16. Let the chiwda cool down completely then serve or store.

Note-
1-Citric acid can be substituted with mango powder,or you can skip both.
2-Instead of making with freshly grated potatoes,you can also make this potato chiwda with readymade sun dried potato sticks/sev .But the taste and texture will be different

To make sun dried Aloo sev and papad-check the recipe here