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Chapli Kabab (Chicken)

By: noreply@blogger.com (Vandana Pai Badal- (VPB))

6 June 2020 at 20:26

Kabab or Kebab has a nice ring to it, it brings a smile on my face whenever someone utters that word. My mind starts getting images of get-togethers, fun with friends, with some beer or wine in the vicinity(yaasss), jamming sessions, or a fancy restaurant, sometimes dhaba style restaurants too :) etc. etc. So in short, this dish brings happiness to me. It is served as an appetizer mostly during parties and get together's!
Of course, one shouldn't stop at that, make it at home, in your kitchen whenever you feel like :)
I call it a 'Happy Side Dish'

It is a cloudy rainy day today in my town and I was craving for some chatpata (spicy peppery) snack. Had some minced chicken in the fridge, thought of making these chapli kebabs. Very easy to make, use the spices on hand, make patties and fry it in the oil!

Chapli kebab is a Pashtun-style minced kebab, usually made from ground beef or mutton with various spices in the shape of a patty. It originates from Peshawar in Northwest Pakistan and is also known as the Peshawari kebab.

The chapli kebab is a popular barbecue and street food in parts of Northern India, Pakistan, as well as in eastern Afghanistan. It can be served and eaten hot with naan bread, rice, or in burgers and sandwiches such as a Bun kebab or stuff in Pita Bread. Or just have as an appetizer with chutney dip, sliced onions and lemon wedges on the side.
Can't wait to dig in, every time I make something like this!

Here is the recipe for Chapli Kababs,

Ingredients:

1 16 0z minced chicken pkt (or get chicken thigh or breast and grind using the blender)
1 med size onion chopped finely
2 tomatoes chopped finely (squeeze the water out)- I used cherry tomatoes :)
2-3 green chilies chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2- 1tsp chili powder flakes (if you don't have, take dry red chili and crush it)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1 tbsp coriander seeds crushed in a mortar n pestle ( coarse coriander seeds pwd, a must step in chapli kababs)
1 cardamom crushed
2 cloves crushed
1 egg
2 tbsp whole wheat flour ( optional, if your mixture gets little soggy, add this)
Oil to fry

Deep fried chapli kababs

Shallow fried Chapli Kebab

Preparation:

Take a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except oil. Patties mixture should be dry enough.
Take a bowl of water at the side to dip your hands, while making patties.
Heat a pan with little oil in it. You can either deep fry it, which will taste awesome or shallow fry it(I like it this way)
Take a small portion of the meat mixture and make patties by flattening it, you can give any shape you want. Traditionally it is given an oval shape.
Place in on the hot pan, it should sizzle. Let it cook for 3 minutes. Then flip and again cook for another 3 minutes or till done. Cook on medium flame.
Strain it out and place on the paper towel to absorb extra oil.
Serve hot with sliced onions, chutney etc.

You may also enjoy Seekh Kebabs, Chicken Lollipops, Tofu Pan fry, Zucchini Paneer Flapjacks etc.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Health Benefits:
Chicken is one of the best non-vegetarian sources of protein. It is lean meat, which means that it contains more amount of proteins and less amount of fat. Apart from protein, chicken is rich in several minerals like phosphorus and calcium, that helps keeps bones in mint condition. Also, it has selenium which has been known to cut a risk of arthritis.Chicken has two nutrients that are great for reducing stress – tryptophan and Vitamin B5. It boosts immunity (remember how we eat chicken noodle soup when we are sick?) and promotes good heart health as it is rich in vitamin B6, plays an important role in preventing a heart attack. so I say YAY to chicken!

Missal Pav/Bread

Pinch Of Swad

By: noreply@blogger.com (Vandana Pai Badal- (VPB))

1 April 2020 at 10:06

Street food, it's the best way to experience a local culture by eating the everyday food that the common man eats and relishes. And it's usually always hot and fresh and has taste that hits the spot sending you to the ecstacy land, if you know what I mean :) Another important fact being it usually cost less avoiding making a hole in your wallet😀. Most of us try so hard to recreate that magic by cooking at home and fail miserably... I can imagine you nodding head with me:) We have our days, and it is a journey of trial and error to get the exact taste like that of a street vendor.

My aunt is an expert (according to me) when it comes to making few chaat/street food dishes. This is her recipe and we love it at home. I did not have mix chiwda(farsan) for topping so just added plain sev on it.

This particular Missal Pav is a famous Maharashtrian chaat food where it has a 2 part preparation. One is Matki(moth beans) usal (dry sabji) and other is thin spicy red gravy Kat (coconut based). Then you can garnish it with the toppings of your choice. It is accompanied with Pav or Bread.

Dunk the pav in slurrpy kat with moth beans usal and toppings! You tend to soak the Kat using pav and finish eating very soon so they always provide you with extra kat in a katori on your plate.

It is very very yum dish!

Let us check out the recipe:

Ingredients:

For Matki Usal

2 cups boiled sprouted matki (moth beans)

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/4th tsp asafoetida (hing)

1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp goda masala ( or garam masala)

salt to taste

For Kat (wet gravy)

<A>

8 peppercorns

6 cloves

1 tsp jeera

1 tsp coriander seeds

4-5 dry red chillies

1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)

1/4 inch cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp sesame seeds

1/th tsp fennel seeds

1/4th cup grated coconut

2 tsp oil

<B>

4 big garlic pods

1/2 inch ginger

1 onion chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

2 tbsp oil

<C>

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp goda masala ( or garam masala)

salt as per taste

For Toppings:

1 onion finely chopped

1 cup cilantro chopped

1 cup sev (or mix dry farsan)

2 lemon cut in wedges

Preparation:

Mataki Usal:

In a pan heat some oil, add mustard seeds, after it splutters add all the ingredients under Mataki usal except matki (moth beans) and saute quickly.
Now add the cooked* sprouted matki, salt and mix everything together. Cook for about 5 minutes and switch off the gas.
Keep aside.

Kat (wet curry):

In a frying pan, heat oil and ingredients under <A> except coconut.
Saute lightly till it starts leaving aroma for about a minute or 2. Add this to a blender.
Now in the same pan, roast coconut and add it to the blender as well. Make a paste and keep aside.
In a cooking utensil, heat oil and add other ingredients under bullet <B> in the order of ginger, garlic, onions saute till brown and add tomatoes.
Fry everything till it becomes one mushy mixture. Switch off the gas as oil starts leaving from the sides.
Let this mixture cool. Add to the blender and make a paste.
In the same pan, add some oil, add <B> paste and bring to a quick boil. Add coconut paste <A> and cook for about 10 minutes.
Now you can adjust the taste by adding more chilli powder and goda masala under bullet <C>. Adjust salt too.
Add 3-4 cups of more water and bring to a boil.
Simmer the Kat on low flame till you see oil floating on top!
Now this is how you serve, take a soup bowl, add 3-4 tbsp mataki usal, then pour the kat generously over it, add chopped onions, squeeze lemon juice, add chiwda or sev on top and dunk your pav/bread in it and savor all the goodness!
You can see in my plate I have kat more as I like it that way :)

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

notes*: How to cook sprouted matki (moth beans)-Soak 1 & 1/2 cups of moth beans in 5 cups of water overnight or for 6 hours. Drain all the water and keep in a warm spot for another 6 hours or so for it to generate sprouts. You can also tie it in a muslin cloth and leave overnight. Boil it in 3-4 cups of water for about 25 minutes or till done.

Health Benefits:

Moth Bean seeds are a good source of proteins and other essential minerals and vitamins.
It can make an excellent protein supplement to Vegetarian diet. Maximum benefits can be reaped when it is soaked and sprouted. The coconut base thin spicy curry has all the masala ingredients that provides adequate minerals and nutrients to our body. If we use the oil sparingly (if you are making this dish often) it will prove to be a more healthier dish.