CORN CHIPS

One packet of corn chips bought from market is never enough. You can have loads of it ….Here is a simple to make recipe of corn chips at home.

Corn chips are made from corn flour or makke ka atta which is coarse in texture and yellow in colour, unlike the white corn flour which is fine in texture. Maida or all-purpose flour is added to corn flour to make the dough rollable or else it will tend to tear from the edges like makke ki roti.

Corn chips make a very good snack for your impromptu parties. Serve it with salsa or a quick dip or just pour some cheesy sauce over it. Also, it makes a nutritious option for your kid’s tiffin box.

I make these chips in large quantity as they are always high on demand. I like to fry the chips to get that nice crispyness and even colour on them. You can even bake these chips at 180 deg Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe for Corn Chips

Ingredients for Corn Chips

• 2 cups corn flour (yellow) or makke ka atta
• 1 cup maida or all-purpose flour
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

How to make

Mix the corn flour, maida and salt in a mixing bowl.

Add water in small quantities and knead a dough. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough in three equal portions.

Roll it into thin round rotis. Prick with fork.

Cut into desired shapes and size.

Fry in medium hot oil until crisp.

Store in airtight container up to a month. Serve with your favourite dips and salsa.

SESAME POTATOES

 Sesame potatoes my way! Such dishes add variety and flavour to parties. This is a popular snack at my parties. During one of the dinner party preparations, I wanted to make something tongue tingling with baby potatoes. I wanted to take advantage of the fact that baby potatoes are bite-sized and round in shape which can serve as a good starter. A little experimentation… and that is how this dish has never gone out of my favourite party snacks list. One more reason for Sesame potatoes being my favourite is it doesn’t require any elaborate preparation and a very simple procedure.

All the baby potatoes should be more or less of the same size. Do not take too small or too big ones. Sweet dark soya sauce can be substituted with dark soya sauce and sugar. Remove the potatoes that are over boiled as they may get squashed and spoil the dish.

Recipe for Sesame Potatoes

Ingredients for Sesame Potatoes

• 500 gms baby potatoes
• 6 green chillies (finely chopped)
• 10 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp sweet dark soya sauce
• 2 tbsp roasted sesame
• 3 tbsp oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make

Boil the baby potatoes till half done. Peel and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadhai (skillet). Add finely chopped garlic and green chillies. Saute for a minute.

 Add the baby potatoes and saute on medium heat till it turns golden and crisp from outside.

Reduce the heat to low and now add soya sauce, salt and pepper. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat.

Sprinkle the sesame on the potatoes and remove from heat.

Pierce with toothpicks before serving.

PRAWNS KOLIWADA

Prawns Koliwada, a delicious dry prawn preparation, inspired by the Kolis(fishermen) in Mumbai. Like Vada pav, prawns koliwada is another popular street food found all over Maharashtra, mainly in Mumbai. It is generally a takeaway dish.

Prawns are marinated in ginger garlic paste and spices for a few minutes. Gram flour gives nice body to the coating. I have included rice flour in this recipe which adds to the crunch of the coating on prawns.

Prawns are deep fried in hot oil. It is important to maintain the temperature of the oil to high. Also, it is necessary to fry the prawns in small batches. Overcrowding in oil may drop the temperature of the oil. 

Recipe for Prawns Koliwada

Ingredients for Prawns Koliwada

• 500gms prawns (cleaned and deveined)
• ¾ cup gram flour 
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

How to make

Clean and devein the prawns.

Marinate the prawns in ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, salt and lemon juice for 10 minutes.

Add gram flour and rice flour to the prawns. Mix well.

Add 2 tbsp of water to get the coating consistency.

Heat the oil. Fry prawns in small batches. The temperature of the oil should not go down or else the prawns will sink to the bottom and become soggy.

Fry the prawns on each side for approximately 1 minute or until crispy from outside. Over frying may result in chewy prawns.

Serve with mint chutney.

SHAWARMA

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern wrap. Marinated, slow cooked and thinly sliced chicken, veggies and sauce wrapped in pita bread is what it is.

Shawarma has gained popularity in India as an 'on the go' food just like burger or sandwich. It has been indianised to some extent.

Thinly sliced veggies like onions, tomatoes, cucumbers can be added. Pickled cucumber, carrots, beet root can also be added. Sauces used in Shawarma differ from place to place.

Traditionally the chicken is slow cooked on a specially designed rotassarie.  Similar results can be obtained in the oven.

Here is the original recipe for Shawarma which can be easily prepared at home. Preparation of Shawarma is divided in four parts chicken marination, Shawarma bread, tahini sauce and the veggies. It may sound elaborate but doesn’t take much time. But surely you need to plan for this one.

Recipe for Shawarma

Ingredients 

For marinade

• 250gms boneless chicken (breasts or thighs)
• ½ cup thick yoghurt
• ½ tsp cumin seeds (roasted and ground)
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½  tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp tomato paste or ketchup
• Salt to taste
• Oil for basting

For flat bread

• 2 cups all purpose flour (maida)
• ½ tsp dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp raw sugar or white sugar
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For tahini sauce

• ½ cup tahini
• 2 tbsp thick yoghurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• Few sprigs of parsley (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste

For salad

• 2 cucumber (thinly sliced)
• 2 tomatoes (thinly sliced)
• 2 onions (thinly sliced)
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce (roughly chopped)

How to make Shawarma bread

In a small bowl put dry yeast and raw sugar. Pour ¼ cup warm water. Keep aside for 5 minutes.

In a mixing bowl take the all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Add salt to it and mix well.

Add the activated yeast mixture. Knead a  soft dough by adding warm water. I required ¾ th cup of water to knead this dough.

Dust the working area with some flour. Now transfer the dough to a on the dusted surface. Knead for 6 to 7 minutes or until the dough becomes soft.

Apply some olive oil and keep into a big bowl (greased with oil). Cover with a moist cloth. Keep in a warm place to prove. That will require 2 hours or more depending on the climate.

Divide the dough in six equal portions. Shape them into balls. Cover with moist cloth for ten minutes.

Roll it thin into circles of 6 inches diameter.

Transfer it on medium hot griddle. Cook for two minutes on each side.

Cover them with moist cloth until consumed.

How to make Tahini sauce

Put all the mentioned ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Mix well.

How to make Chicken kebabs

In a mixing bowl combine the yogurt, garlic, cumin seeds, cinnamon, chilli flakes, chilli powder, tomato paste and salt with chicken pieces. Gently rub the marinade over the boneless chicken.

Marinate overnight.

Grill the chicken at 220 deg celsius for 10 minutes on each side. Keep aside.

How to assemble Shawarma

Spread a big spoonful of tahini sauce on the flat bread.

Place the veggies in the center of flat bread followed by thinly sliced chicken.

Fold it into wraps and eat immediately.