Vada Pav

Today, I am making chana saag.  I need to do a post on all the recipes that make repeated appearances in our kitchen.  You see that is why I think I have slowed on my posting.  I have a repertoire that I love- not that I dont like to try anything new now, its just that its not as often as it used to be.  Sometimes too, I am making meals that are boring, just because they are so fast.  Having my attention focused on my sewing has really taken a bite out of my passion for cooking and yes the blogging part too.

Quilting is like a soul mate for me.  I am artistic in nature but have never found a medium that totally enveloped me.  I did do water color for quite a while.  I loved it.  It was very relaxing but it just didn't totally fit the bill. Thats not to say that I havent been thinking about doing anoth painting.  Colored pencil and drawing same story.  I am not that good at either.  I am proficient.  Now with quilting- its like a long lost friend descending upon me. Filling my life with joy.  I am not as proficient as I want to be but I am getting there little by little.  It's a journey.

I still love to explore the world of Indian cuisine.  So wide and vast.  Many distinct areas with different spices and dishes.  I have always loved cumin and cilantro so it is a natural fit.  These dishes, along with occassional sweets, seem to be the bulk of what I want to post.

This Vada pav dish is amazing.  I had some leftover Thanksgiving mashed potatoes that I out through a ricer to lighten them up a little so I could add the spices and aromatics to them.  I also added an egg, mainly for its binding qualities.  We loved these.  I didn't have time to make the chutneys.  You know, it was spectacular even without the sauces.  So I can only imagine what it would be like with them.  You can visit Aayi's Recipes for the original recipe.

Vada Pav

3 cups mashed potatoes
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic minced
1 inch piece of ginger, minced
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon ghee (I used my niter kibbeh)
salt and pepper to taste
10 curry leaves, cut in small piece
oil for frying (I used peanut oil)

coating mixture:

2 tablespoons rice flour
1/2 cup besan/chick pea flour

In a fry pan melt the ghee and add the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds.  Wait until they begin to be fragrant.  Then add the curry leaves for one minute more.  Inhale that fabulous aroma.  Swoon.  Remove from pan and pour into the mashed potatoes.  Add the onion to the fry pan.  Cook until transluscent.  Add the garlic and ginger. Cook one minute more and add to the mashed potatoes.  Stir.  Add egg and stir until combined.

Form patties and dip into flour coating mixture.  Fry in not oil until golden.