Jain Ameri Khaman

Mumbai's famous 'Khau Gali' (Foodie's Lane) has a line of fast food live counter stalls that delights the daily commuters, shoppers, businessmen and the laborer. My best time spent is at my mom's mother's place. That was very near to this shopper’s paradise ‘Zaveri Bazar’. One could find a huge aluminum Frying Pan (Kadai) of khaman that is kept worm and served with delicious garnishing. Let’s make one instant recipe now.

Ingredients:
Spices: 
Mustard seeds (rai)
Asoetefeda (hing)

2 tsp green chili paste
4 tbsp Sugar
1/2 cup grated Coconut
1 cup pomegranate
1 cup Besan or gram floor
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup Luke warm water
1 packet of Sev
Coriander leaves

1 packet of Eno fruit salt (combination of baking soda, citric acid and soda )
1 tbsp oil
1 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Take a mixing bowl and add besan or gram floor, salt, sugar, water and mix in one direction.
2. After it is mixed properly add fruit salt to the batter and over the fruit salt put lemon juice. There will be a bubble reaction. Mix it well.
3. Grease a 6-8 diameter dish (thali) with oil and pour the whole batter. Slightly bang the thali on the platform to release any air bubble.
4. Preheat water in a pan where the thali can be easily placed inside. Place in such a way that the thali doesn’t immerse in water. Use a steel cup or a raised platform. Instead one can use a Dhokla maker also.
5. Cook for about 7 minutes and you will see the batter has been baked. It will look fluffy and raised. To confirm if it is cooked from inside, immerse a clean knife tip. If the Knife tip is sticky when out then you need to cook for some more time. If the cooking time is increased then the raised batter will flatten. We don’t want that.
6. Let the Dhokla cool down for some time.
7. Now make the Dhokla flaky by simple crushing with hand. If it is not soft, you can grate it.
8. Prepare the seasoning only when you want to serve the dish. 
9. On a small pan put oil and black mustard seeds. Let it rattle and then put Asoefoteda (hing), khaman and mix well.

Serving:
Mix pomegranate, shredded coconut and Sev. Garnish it will coriander leaves. Enjoy with Tea.

Jain Cheese Chili Toast Sandwich

I know what you are thinking. A food item that has all the ingredients right in its name, would be no surprise. But this isnt the regular recipe.

Ingredients:
1 cup maida
1 cup water
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tsp green chilies paste
1 tsp salt
slice bread
butter
cilantro chutney


Method:

1. Take a pan and put oil. When it is hot put maida and roast till it throws some aroma. It will turn a bit brownish.
2. Add salt and water in one go. Stir quickly so that no chunks are left. It should be like a paste.
3. Add green chilies and green capsicum to it.

   

   The sandwich filling paste

4. Apply green chutney on the bread slice and on it apply 1tbsp of the mixture we made. On this grate some processed cheese.
5. Enclose this with another bread slice that has green chutney applied on one side.
6. Take a hand toaster and grease it with butter. Place this sandwich to toast it until golden and crisp.

Serving:
Cut it in pieces and serve with tomato ketchup.

Jain Vada Pav

This is my secret recipe for all Vada Pav lovers. Its one of my secret temptations and even on a diet, I can't stop myself to splurge on it.
Vada Pav originally a Maharashtrian Recipe, was eaten by mostly the labour class as part of their lunch. Since it is cheap and quick to make, many stalls have come up to satisfy the hunger of every munching star. Tastes best with Tea

Here goes my recipe.

Seasoning

½ tsp Asafoetida (hing)  

1 tsp Black Mustard seeds (rai)

1 tap Black Gram or (Urad dal)

1 tbsp cooking oil

Ingredient 

4 Raw Banana

½ cup chopped green coriander

6 green chilies or 1 tbsp grinned green chili

1 tsp salt (as per taste)

½ tsp black salt (sanchar)

Serving & Garnishing

sesame pickle or grounded peanut pickle

sweet date chutney

spicy coriander chutney

Preparation

1. Cut the raw banana (with the peal) in two and steam them with 3 whistle in a pressure cooker. Shut the gas and let the cooker cool down for 10 mins.

2. Take out the raw banana in a clean plate and you can easily remove the peal now. 

3. Add grinned green chilies, salt, black salt and chopped coriander. Now smash them till they mix well.

4. Take a small pan for seasoning. Put oil and Urad dal. After it turns pink add sesame seeds. After it crackles add hint to it.

5. In not less than 3 seconds, pour the seasoned oil on to the banana dough. Mix well again. Make round balls out of it when cool.

Frying

6. Prepare a semi-solid dough out of gram floor, water, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder. Dip the balls in this dough properly and fry them until it turns golden.

Serving

Cut a tile bread loaf horizontally. Apply sweet date chutney and spicy coriander chutney to the insides and place the vada right in the middle of the loaf. Sprinkle some sesame seed pickle