Under100CalorieSnacks – The Secret Ingredient

Appetiser

Muhammara | Syrian Peppers & Walnut Dip | Red Pepper and Walnut Spread Recipe

By anshu October 18, 2016

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I find Bell Peppers to be the most beautiful vegetable. I have talked in length about this in my Charred Bell Pepper and Pine Nut Pasta Recipe. So I will not yap about it anymore. I had a few bell peppers in my fridge and I was looking for some interesting recipe to put them to use other than using them for pastas and stir fries. That’s when I came across this Syrian Recipe of Muhammara. This was the most interesting dip I have ever made. The addition of Pomegranate Molasses gives it that additional tangy kick which cannot be described in words. And walnuts adds magic to the dip and makes it absolutely irrepressible.

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Specially when Diwali is right around the corner, I have planned this for my teen patti or poker parties wherein you can munch crackers or salad sticks with this delicious dip. If you have a party in your house you shouldn’t think twice just make this and amaze your friends.

Directions:

1. Take some Red Bell Peppers and roast them in an oven and remove its skin and also discard its inner membranes and seeds. Learn how to roast Bell Peppers here. Add the pulp of the pepper in a blender.

2. Add chopped Onions or scallions to what ever you find it easily. Also add cumin powder and salt.

3. Add Pomegranate Molasses and red chili flakes or if can lay your hands on Aleppo Pepper.

4. Add juice of lemon and a generous drizzle of Olive oil.

5. Add walnuts and blitz everything together,

6. Now add bread crumb or u can even add panko. And blitz again in the blender till you get a smooth thick dip like consistency. Add more bread crumb and pulse if the dip is still loose.

7. Transfer the dip in a serving bowl and make a swirling well in the center with the back of a spoon and add a generous drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle some crushed walnuts. Serve with crackers, cucumber sticks, lavaash, pita bread and anything else you fancy 🙂

Other dips you can try are: Greek Purslane Yogurt Dip, Indian Plum & Mint Dip, Charred Aubergine Curd Dip, Bathua Ka Raita.

Other dishes with Red Bell Pepper you can try are: Charred Bell Pepper and Pine Nut Pasta Recipe, Roasted Bell Pepper & Black Eyed Peas Salad, Red Chilli & Red Bell Pepper Jam, Malai Bell Pepper Mushroom, Sautéed Red Bell Pepper and Olive Pasta Salad.

muhammara_featured6 [whohit]Muhammara[/whohit]

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Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fried Plantain & Potato Kebabs Recipe | Vegetarian Raw Bananas & Potato Croquettes

By anshu September 23, 2016

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If you are a North Indian its likely you will miss using a few ingredients which are fundamental to South Indian Cooking. For example use of Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil (in food not for head massage), Yam, Plantain and many others. When I started blogging I broke the stereotype and gave them all a try. I must say the Coconut Milk has become an essential ingredient in my kitchen. I have been making a lot of Thai dishes using Coconut Milk. Apart from this I also tried Plantain or unripe bananas. When I saw plantains in my farmers market I grabbed them readily and decided to play with them. These Plantain and Potato Kebabs were a result of my trials and they were a delight. I air fried them for guilt free indulgence and served them with Harissa and Sweet Chilli Sauce.

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Since I have been gifted with an Air Fryer I am leaving no stones unturned to try out snacks in this mean machine. It not only makes us try delicious things but at the same time without feeling guilty about it. Our weights are under control and we are having a ball eating new kebabs 😛 Why dont you try these out.

Directions:

1. Take some plantains or raw green bananas and cut them into pieces without peeling off their skin.

2. Place them in a pressure pan along with potatoes and water. Boil them till they have softened. You can boil them in a normal saucepan oil. Peel the skin on potatoes and plantains and set aside in a bowl.

3. Mash the potatoes and plantain with a masher and add ginger garlic paste and combine.

4. Add chopped onions, chickpea flour or besan and garam masala.

5. Add salt and Red Chili powder.

6. I like to add Tandoori masala to the kebabs for the extra zing. But its totally optional. Aldo add some chopped coriander leaves.

7. Mix everything together to form a dough .

8. Preheat your Air fryer to 180 degree C for ten minutes and if you are using oven you can preheat the same on 180 degree C. Also brush the wire gauze basket of Air fryer with some oil so that the kebabs do not stick. In case of Oven line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

9. Shape the dough into tikkis or kebabs or into patties and place them in airfryer and brush the top with little oil.

10. Air fry them for 18 minutes and halfway flip the kebabs and brush with oil on the top side and continue to bake until it’s got some golden hue. Enjoy with Ketchup, Mint Chutney, Spinach Coriander Chutney, Pesto or any dip of your choice.

Other kebabs and croquettes you can try are: Tapioca Croquette, Baked Paneer Corn Kababs, Veg Shami Kabab, Airfried Yogurt & Cottage Cheese Kebabs for Fasting , Baked Broccoli Cheese Patties.

plantainkebabs_featured4 [whohit]PlantainKebabs[/whohit]

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Appetiser

Baby Corn Satay | Easy Baby Corn Starters | Indian Vegetarian Twist to Southeast Asian Satays

By anshu May 9, 2016

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Last week when I had plenty of Baby corns lying in my refrigerator I wanted to use them differently. Not just adding them to any Thai or Chinese dishes. I looked all over the web, unfortunately there were not many recipes which excited me. They were the usual Baby Corn Manchurian in hot chili sauce. But then I found this recipe by Lubna Karim, a fellow blogger from Yummy Food. The recipe instantly pleased me. It stood top in all three parameters. It was easy, quick and fairly healthy. These were Baby Corn Satays in Indianised avatars to suit our palettes

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Satays are Southeast Asian Dishes with pieces of Grilled Meat on skewers. They are some what close kin of Seekh Kebabs famous all over the world. However, this vegetarian version was totally terrific and perfect for parties.

Directions:

1. Wash and clean Baby Corns and place them to steam in a steamer filled with water. Close the lid while the baby corns cook through for about 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of corns. You can also microwave them for 3 minutes till they are blanched. You should be looking at baby corns which are ready to eat but still hold their crunch.

2. In a bowl add plain Yogurt or curd, corn flour and turmeric powder.

3. Also add red chilli powder, carom seeds or ajwain and garam masala.

4. Also add salt and minced garlic and marinate the blanched baby corn in this. Let the baby corns sit in the marinade for 20 minutes or so.

5. After 20 minutes, pour some oil in a non stick pan.

6. Add the marinated baby corns to the pan along with the marinade. Toss them in the oil till the baby corns have absorbed the marinade and have attained a slight golden colour.

7. Insert the skewers in each piece and serve hot with Mint Chutney or simply ketchup.

Other Party Menu ideas you can try are: Baked Paneer Corn Kababs, Healthy Kachalu Aloo Chat, Tangy Mint Potatoes and Veg Shami Kabab.

BabyCornSatay_Featured3 [whohit]BabyCornSatay[/whohit]

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Air Fryer Recipes

Baked Broccoli Cheese Patties | Healthy Broccoli Croquettes

By anshu April 21, 2016

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Its been a while that I have fried anything in my wok. I either air fry stuff or bake them to perfection. I guess eliminating fried food from my life has helped me lose weight and I actually feel good about it. Some time back I had posted Baked Paneer and Corn Kebabs, they were immensely loved by you all and also by my family. So the other day I had Broccoli florets and I wasn’t in a mood for Cream of Broccoli Soup. I decided to make baked croquettes with Broccoli with an addition on egg and bread crumbs. What I thought would turn out an average dish came out an amazing recipe.

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We tugged it under a burger bun and smeared some Parsley Pistachio Pesto over it and enjoyed our lunch in comfort. It was the best broccoli recipe I have ever made. If you have Broccoli Naah! people in your family, surprise them with this amazing dish.

Directions:

1. Take one head Broccoli and cut it into florets. Wash well under running water.

2. In a large pot add some water and bring it to a boil. Add salt to it.

3. In a wire mesh submerge Broccoli florets in water for seven to nine minutes or until they are blanched al dente. Don’t let them go mush.

4. Drain the broccoli and place them on a kitchen towel and squeeze out all the water. Give broccoli a coarse chop under the knife and set aside.

5. Chop Onions and Garlic and set aside.

6. In a pan add little oil and add chopped onions and garlic. Oh I had some chopped red and yellow bell pepper I added them too for colour. But its optional. Saute them until they are slightly cooked.

7. In a bowl mix Broccoli, eggs, onions and garlic, grated cheese and breadcrumbs.

8. Add salt and pepper to the mix and combine.

9. Line a tray with Parchment Paper and preheat the oven* to 200 degree Celsius.(Learn more about Oven temperatures and Conversions). Take a little dough in your hands and shape them into patties.

10. Place them on baking sheet and brush them with oil.

11. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for another 15 minutes or until browned and crispy.

12. Tug them inside a burger bun and top it with Parsley Pistachio Pesto and enjoy hot. You can also line the burger with veggies and cheese.

Other Broccoli dishes you can try are: Healthy Broccoli Pasta, Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon & Cream of Broccoli Soup with Chives

Other Croquettes and Kebabs you can try here are: Baked Paneer Corn Kababs, Tapioca Croquette, Veg Shami Kabab, Airfried Yogurt & Cottage Cheese Kebabs for Fasting.

BroccoliPatties_Featured2 [whohit]BroccoliCroquettes[/whohit]

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Chutney

Green Ber Ki Chutney | Indian Plum & Mint Dip

By anshu March 8, 2016

Green Ber ki Chutney I make every year because green ber is usually available at this time of the year. Yesterday was Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu festival which is celebrated on the fourteenth day of every lunar month or the day before the new moon. It has a special significance for those who are on a spiritual path. A lot of Shaivas, devotees of Shiva observe fast on this day. Around this time of the year the markets in India are flooded with some interesting fruits and vegetables, like the yellow ripe pumpkin, Cape gooseberry or Rasbhari in Hindi and also Ber or Indian Plum.

I have always loved eating Ber. It has a very peculiar taste not liked by everyone. This year on shivratri when I saw ber in the market I bought in abundance to munch all day long and tried to make this delicious chutney with mint. This recipe I had seen a while back and had been on my to-do list. I was a little skeptical about its taste but the end result was astonishing. Husband who doesn’t like ber also relished this chutney and asked for multiple servings with Samosa 🙂 Ha! what a happy end to ber.

Directions:
1. Wash and pit or destone the ber and cut into pieces.

2. Separate the mint leaves from the stem and wash them well.

3. In a blender add the ber pieces along with mint leaves and Black Rock Salt and normal salt.

4. Also add sugar and roasted Cumin Seeds powder.

5. A green chilli, cashew nuts and a pinch of asafoetida.

6. Blend them together to a smooth creamy paste.

7. Add Lemon juice and pulse again.

8. Serve with your favourite snacks and enjoy its deliciousness. You can refrigerate the chutney for later use.

Other Chutney Dips and Salsa you can try here are: Aalubukhara Chutney, Argentine Chimichurri Salsa, Coconut Chutney, Sweet and Sour Raw Mango Chutney, Pudina Chutney, Spinach Coriander Salsa| Phalahari Chutney , Coriander Chutney without Onion Garlic, Raw Mango Chutney with Mint and Coriander,

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Baking

Ragi Masala Twisters | Ragi Healthy Baked Namkeen | Mandua Whole Wheat Spicy Snacker

By anshu November 3, 2015

Last week I was invited to the Uttrakhand Food Festival in Nanital. I was asked to put up a stall featuring food and produce from Kumaun and Garhwal region. I decided to bake my Ragi Whole Wheat Cookies, Ragi Brownies and these savoury twisters also made from Ragi or Mandua which is grown in this region and predominantly part of the kumaoni palette. The most amazing part of these twisters is that they are baked and have very little oil in them. This is an idle guilt free snacking option, specially for weight watcher’s like me. 20 twisters contain 100 calories.. isn’t that amazing!

All twisters and Ragi Brownies were sold off on the very first day of the event. It was a huge success. I was overjoyed when I bagged the second prize for Innovation in Baking. Truly I felt my hard work paid off 🙂

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celcius (Learn more about Oven temperatures and Conversions.). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. I am using a silicon mat. Set aside. Take Ragi and Whole Wheat Flour in a bowl.

2. Add plain yogurt or curd to the bowl. Also add Ginger Garlic and chili paste.

3. Add Cumin Seeds, little sugar and salt and combine.

4. Add turmeric powder and freshly chopped Coriander.

5. Add oil and water just enough to form a paliable dough. Therefore, add little water spoon by spoon.

6. Knead a soft paliable dough. It should not be very stiff nor very sticky.

7. Divide the dough into two and roll each of them by dusting the surface with dry flour. The dough should be rolled in a large circle of 200 mm. (8”) in diameter.

8. Now cut it into strips about 25 mm. x 12 mm. (1″ x ½ “) using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.

9. Twist each strip vertically with your hands and place them on a lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until they become crisp and light brown in colour. Flip sides gently after half time. Let the come to room temperature before indulging as they will crisp up even more. Store them in an airtight container, stays good for a very long time.

Other Baked Snacks you can try are: Baked Paneer Corn Kebabs

Other Ragi or Red Millet recipes on The Secret Ingredient: Instant Ragi Dosa, Ragi Whole Wheat Cookies.

[whohit]RagiMasalaTwisters[/whohit]

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