Cheesy Vegetable Puffs / Pizza Puffs

Puff pastries stuffed with the pizza topping

Now a days Puff pastry sheets are very easily available and are so versatile that you can use them in so many ways.The most popular stuffed puff pastries can be made in both-sweet and savory versions.we can experiment with so many fillings and flavours to suit our taste.

My daughter likes pizza very much so we tried to create the same flavour in puffs, we make the stuffing with pizza topping ingredients and spices and it turn so wonderful,but you can add any vegetable of your choice, but the mixture should not be very loose else the puffs will not seal properly.

Prep time-10 min
Cooking time-20 min
Difficulty level-Easy
Type-snack

INGREDIENTS-

• Puff pastry sheets - 7
• Thick Tomato puree-1/2 cup
• Tomato,chopped-1
• Tomato ketchup -1.5 tsp
• Black olives, sliced - 2 tbsp
• Corn kernels, boiled - 2.5 tbsp
• Capsicum, chopped- 3.5 tbsp
• Mushroom, chopped - 1.5 tbsp
• Jalapeno,chopped - 1 tsp
• Mozzarella cheese,grated- 2.5 tbsp
• Olive oil -2 tsp
• Chili flakes - 1 tsp
• Chili powder- 1/2 tsp
• Oregano - 1 tsp
• Dried basil - 1/2 tsp
• sugar- 1 tsp
• Salt-to taste

PROCEDURE-

1. Take out the pastry sheets(store brought) from the refrigerator and thaw them for about 20 minutes on room temperature.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add tomato, tomato puree and chili flakes.
3. Saute for 2 minute,then add all the spices and vegetables and cook for 2-3 minute or till it become thick.
4. Now add ketchup in it and take out in a bowl and let it come to room temperature.
5. Now add grated cheese and mix well.
6. Take a puff pastry sheet and put some mixture in the center of it.
7. Fold the sheet into half to cover the mixture.
8. Press the sides of the sheet with a fork to seal it from all the sides.
9. Preheat the oven at 200 c temperature.
10. Now put the stuffed puffs in the oven.
11. Bake for about 20 minutes or till they become golden from the top.
12. Cut and serve hot.

Diwali Special: How to make Raj Kachori / Indian style crispy tacos

Crispy shells dressed with various toppings and chutneys

Raj kachori, as the name suggests, is a royal treat! It is stuffed with a variety of traditional Indian toppings, savory munchies, and a combination of hot and sweet chutneys.

Besides the great taste and variety of textures in the dish, a great part of this dish is that it is assembled live, right in front of the guests. If you have done your preparations right, then it is a very quick and easy dish to assemble and serve. The outer shells of raj kachori, and most of the other ingredients can be prepared ahead of time. The shells in particular, remain fresh for a fortnight so it is good to make them a few days before the festivities.

A mixture of boondis, papadis, boiled potatoes, boiled chickpeas, dahi vadas, sprouts can be stuffed inside the kachori. There is no fix list of components in the stuffings, and you can create your own version from whatever is easily available at hand, or can be prepared easily. You can just add potatoes, sprouts or boondis and some chopped tomatoes to make it a quick, light, and healthy appetizer.

Prep time - 10 min
Cooking time - 20 min
Difficulty level - Medium
Spice level - Medium hot
Cuisine - North Indian
Type - Snack, Street food

INGREDIENTS-

To make Raj Kachori-

• Semolina / Sooji -1 cup
• Refined flour / Maida - 1 tbsp
• Gram flour / Besan - 1/4 cup
• Cooking oil - 2tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Fruit salt / Eno - a pinch of (optional)
• Salt - to taste

To assemble-

• Chickpeas / Kabuli chana, boiled- 1 cup
• Potatoes, boiled- 2 small
• Dahi vada (only the vadas) - 6 piece
• Boondi - 3 tbsp
• Papdi, crushed  -8
• Namkeen (Bhujiya / Nylon sev) - 3 tbsp
• Pomegranate seeds - 2 tbsp
• Yogurt / Dahi - 1cup
• Mint or Coriander Chutney - 1/2 cup
• Tamarind Chutney (Saunth) - 1/3 cup
• Roasted Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1.5 tsp
• Black salt - 1 tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. In a bowl add all the ingredients listed to make Raj Kachori.
2. Mix everything well.
3. Add just enough water to make medium soft dough.
4. Cover and rest the dough for 15 minutes.
5. Knead it again and make small balls from the dough.
6. Roll to make medium thick pooris/discs
7. Slide the prepared poori in hot oil.
8. Press with a spatula to help it puff completely.
9. Reduce the heat to medium low and deep fry in from both sides till golden in colour
10. When done drain on a paper napkin.
11. Let them cool down completely.
12. Beat yogurt and add some salt and 1/2 tsp sugar.
13. When you want to serve then poke it on top and make a hole  in it.
14. Add chopped potato,chick peas,dahi vada.
15. Add some curd and green chutney.
16. Add some crushed papadi and boondi and fill it till the top.
17. Again drizzle yogurt,green chutney and tamarind chutney.
18. Add some bhujiya sev and sprinkle chili powder,cumin powder and black salt.
19. Garnish with anar dana/pomegranate seeds.
20. Serve immediately

Ghughni / Matar Chaat / Dried Peas Potage

An easy to make and popular spicy snack made of dried peas

Ghughni is a chaat/street food from Eastern India, and is a very popular Bengali snack and is also quite popular in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

During my childhood days street food hawkers carrying hot and spicy ghughni in a big brass pateela were a common sight outside schools, on the road sides, near cinemas halls or just by the roadside.

Ghughni is made with dried yellow peas/dried green peas. Peas are soaked, boiled, tempered , cooked with tomatoes and spices and then garnished with radish, tomatoes and green chilies. A spoonful of hot green chutney and little bit of tamarind chutney is added  to make it more tangy and spicy.

It can be served as a chaat, snack or can be enjoyed with hot kulchas, parathas or pooris. Ghughni is also used as a stuffing for pani puri, instead of the usual boiled potato and chickpeas, in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The consistency of ghughni depends on your personal choice - some prefer it very thick, some make it with a little bit of gravy the way I made it, but it tastes great either way!

Prep time - 15 minutes
Cooking time - 20 minutes
Difficulty level - easy
Spice level - medium hot
Cuisine - Indian
Type - Side dish/Chaat
Serve-5

INGREDIENTS-

• Dried Yellow peas /matra - 1 cup
• Tomatoes/tamatar, chopped - 1 (125 gms)
• Boiled potato/aloo -  1(optional)
• Green chilies/ hari mirch, chopped -1 tsp
• Ginger/adrak, grated -1 tsp
• Turmeric powder/haldi  - 3/4 tsp
• Chili powder/lal mirch - 1tsp
• Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind pulp/imli  - 4 tsp
• Salt/namak  - to taste
• Black salt /kala namak- 1/4 tsp
• Sugar/chini - 1/2 tsp

Tempering-

• Cooking oil/tel - 2.5 tbsp
• Cumin seeds/jeera -1 tsp
• Bay leaves/tej patta - 2
• Cinnamon/daalchini - 1/3 inch

To Garnish

• Radish/Mooli, grated - 1/2 cup
• Tomatoes/tamatar, chopped - 3/4 cup
• Green chilies/hari mirch, chopped - 2 tsp
• Fresh coriander/dhaniya chopped - 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice/nimbu ras - 2 tsp
• Mint chutney /pudina chutney- 4 tsp
• Tamarind chutney/imli chutney - 3 tsp
• Roasted cumin powder /bhuna jeera- 1tsp
• Chili powder/lal mirch - 1tsp

PROCEDURE-

1. Wash the peas and soak them in enough water for 6-8 hours .
2. Then take the soaked peas along with 2 cups of water and pressure cook till they become soft but not mushy (approx for 3-4 whistles,but depends on the quality of peas).
3. Heat oil in a pan and add cubed potatoes and shallow fry till they become crisp and red. Drain and keep aside.
4. In the same pan add cumin seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon.
5. When the cumin turns golden, add the chopped tomatoes, green chilies and ginger.
6. Saute till the tomatoes become soft, then add the chili powder, turmeric, salt and black salt and saute for a minute.
7. Now add the boiled peas along with the water and tamarind pulp (can add some more water if needed).
8. Cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes till done.
9. Now add the garam masala and mix well .

How to serve-

1. Take around 3/4 to 1 cup of ghughni in a serving bowl.
2. Add some green chutney and tamarind chutney and mix.
3. Add boiled and fried potatoes (I have not added them).
4. Now garnish with chopped tomatoes, green chilies, radish and fresh coriander.
5. Sprinkle lemon juice, roasted cumin powder, black salt and chili powder. 
6. Serve immediately.

Quick version-

1. Boil soaked peas with salt and turmeric till done. Let it cool down a bit.
2. Take the boiled peas in a bowl and add all the garnishing ingredients(listed in to garnish) and serve.