Aloo Sandwich | Grilled Aloo Sandwich | How to Make Indian Stuffed Sandwiches with Potatoes Step by Step Recipe

Imagine riding against a wind strong enough to make your bike sway and chill drizzle hitting your face and all you could see were blurry images far off because you were busy trying not to get dust into your eyes. Well that's how I was coming back home from work this evening because the cyclone Thane was in full swing. This morning when I woke up, I almost thought it was midnight. It was pitch dark and I couldn't imagine why it was so. I went back to sleep and when I woke up again I understood the reason.

The whole day at work was almost cold and since we were doing the final snack of our December Drizzle at office, we were all busy not to notice the cyclone. We made Vegetable Soya chunks Biryani. I even made my colleagues take step by step pictures for the blog. And when it was all done, you could see some ten satisfied faces on job well done.

Coming to this Aloo Sandwich, it was such a delicious mix of spices and I can never say no for a sandwich. With the release due end of this month, my team has been working during the weekends and I thought I should appreciate their hard work with some homemade sandwiches. Since Aloo Sandwiches were already featured and knowing my team loves spicy food, I decided to make the masala more spicy and tangy. Surprising part was that both Konda and Peddu loved it. 

Even though I can't technically tag this colourful palette, I still would want to send this to Veena, who is hosting this month's Kid's Delight event. When I opened the sandwiches, it was colourful with the coriander and aloo etc. Ok it might be hard to accept, let's just say I want other kiddos to enjoy this sandwiches!..:)

Saute onion julienne with Pav Bhaji Masala, Chat Masala, salt, Amchur, green chilies in oil

Add fresh coriander leaves.

Microwave potatoes for 8 mins, then mash well.

Add the mashed potatoes to the pan

Mix and adjust the spices.

Trim the bread and spread the stuffing.

Pre heat the sandwich maker and grill till done.

Aloo Sandwich with Pav Bhaji and Chat Masala:

Ingredients Needed:

Bread Slices - 8
Potatoes - 2 medium
Onions - 1 big
Green Chillies - 2 medium
Pav Bhaji Masala - 1/2 tsp
Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Kala Namak a small pinch
Oil - 1 tsp
Butter for toasting

How to make Aloo Sandwich

Wash and mw potatoes for 6 - 7 mins, once done soak in water and peel. Then mash well, keep it aside.

Heat a non stick pan with oil. Saute onion julienne and green chilies till they turn colour, add all the masalas and mix well. 

Then add the potato mash and combine everything well. Adjust spice if required.

Meanwhile pre heat the sandwich maker.

Trim the bread slices on all sides as required. Scoop out the masala over one bread, cover with the other and press well. 

Grease the sandwich maker with butter, place the bread grease on the top slice and cover to grill. Grill till done.

Serve with sauce!

Sending this to Kid's Delight, hosted by Veena this month themed on colourful palette


With this we are done with the Blogging Marathon for this month. It's been a wonderful session with my friends. As always weeks seem to pass in a jiffy!


My recap of last 6 days!

• Gobi Matar Masala | Gobi Matar Curry
• Chana Dal Bihari Style & Kheera Raitha
• Saffron Vegetable Biryani | Zafrani Sabzi Biryani
• How to Blanch Tomatoes | Prepping Tomatoes in Different ways
• How to Freeze or Store Pre cooked food
• How to make Rusk | How To Make Bread Crumbs

With this post I will also be completing a year of starting Blogging Marathon. Something that I started to get myself motivated to post regularly as become a group and a community! I have enjoyed our sessions, discussions and reading each other's posts. Looking forward to see a new start with new goals and new recipes. 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 11

Mixed Vegetable Kurma ~ Madras Style | Mixed Vegetable Korma Step by Step Recipe | Lunch Box Recipes

Today we are starting the second group of the Blogging Marathon Edition #10. I decided to do the Lunch Box series, basically it's more like what one makes for a typical meal or pack for office. Since I pack and carry my lunch, I decided to share my everyday box for this week. These may not always be a full three course meal, I warn ahead.

I get frequent emails asking to share my Menu planning or my lunch box menu. I have stopped publishing my menu sheet sometime back, basically because I wasn't making anything new. Somehow things fall in place with the few restrictions I have in my usage of ingredient. Still we have managed quite well.

It should become easy now, that we have a fixed day for buying the vegetables. We do it every Sunday morning and I pretty much plan what I am going to make through the week, both for lunch and dinner. Though seeing the pattern I may not have been that adventurous. I am planning to change that and decided to try at least couple of new recipes every week. My recipe collection is brimming out with so many new ideas to try.

Anyway coming to today's post, today's recipe was something that I made as I went on. It was loosely based on the way the kurmas are normally prepared in hotels. The kurma was lip smacking with Rotis, I am sure it would taste great with Naans.

Step by Step Picture Recipe:

 

Madras Mixed Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients Needed:
 

Onion paste
 

Onions, puree - 1 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilies - 2 medium
Garlic - 2 medium cloves
Ginger - 2"

Coconut Paste:

Coconut, finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Poppy Seeds - 2 seeds
Green Chilies - 1 medium

Other ingredients

Tomatoes, puree - 1 & 1/2 cup
Vegetables - 2 cups (Carrots, Beans, Turnip)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Coriander leaves, finely chopped - 2 tsp
Tomato, finely chopped - 1 small
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

How to make the Madras Mixed Vegetable Kurma

To make the Onion paste:

Roughly chop the onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies. Grind this along with cumin seeds, fennel seeds using little water to make a smooth paste.

Trim and chop the vegetables, keep aside.

To make the gravy:
Heat a pressure cooker with oil, add the onion paste and sauté the paste till it's done. Cover with lid, saute for couple of minutes, when the oil starts coming out and the onion paste is well cooked, add the tomato puree. mix everything well. lastly add coconut paste, salt and turmeric. 

Mix everything well, cook for 2 mins, then add the chopped vegetables, cover with lid and continue cooking for a while.

Next add the coriander powder, coriander leaves, tomato pieces. Cook for 5 mins, then add 1 cup or little more, depending on the gravy thickness. Cover the pressure cooker with lid and cook for couple of whistles, for the vegetables to be done. 

Enjoy with Rotis and salad.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#10

Shahi Tukra Recipe | How to make Shahi Tukda | Step by Step Recipe | Cooking with leftovers

Shahi Tukra must be one of those dishes that I have been forever reading about and wanting to make. I guess almost ever since I started baking some 15 years ago. That's when I first started using Milkmaid and along with it I got it's recipe book that has such pretty food pictures. I used to literally drool over them and I have almost made of them till date. Except for few like this delicious Shahi Tukra. On reading it, I realized it sounds very much like the Bread Halwa that we make, of course with a major change that alters the entire taste.

Looks like I had to wait for an eternity to finally make this dish. As with all BM's I have been so without any ideas on both the themes I did this edition. However when compared with the first week, I knew I will be able to make the second week where I am supposed to dress up a leftover with new avatar! Imagine making something to become leftover and then creating this dish. I confess on few occasion, it was more of an idea than the actual dish being a leftover. But then I guess it's all fair in blog and war, if I may to borrow and change the cliche!

Coming back to the Shahi Tukra, do I have to say that Konda loved it? I almost thought that she was just giving me those expressions just to please. You never know right, just so that I confirmed with Hubby dear on the taste and he said the dish did match her ecstatic expression. I was happy hearing that naturally. And know that this is something that will be featured more often.

In spite of this being a rich and creamy dessert, I wanted to make sure I reduced and modified something in this. The bread is supposed to be deep fried. I wanted to avoid and shallow fried it. I seriously don't know how much of a taste that must change, but presume it to be a small bit when you consider the amount of calories it must otherwise give you.

And to make sure I fit the theme, I used leftover bread. I pinged Harini to confess if she was okay with me using a leftover bread. She was and that's the reason why you get to read about this Shahi tukda and drool over it.

Step by Step picture Recipe

Shahi Tukra Recipe | Shahi Tukda

Ingredients Needed:

For the bread

Bread slices - 4
Ghee - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp

For the Cream Sauce

Condensed Milk - 1/2 cup or 4 tsp
Milk - 1/2 cup, more if you want
Corn flour - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Cardamom powder a pinch

For the Sugar Syrup

Sugar - 1/2 cup
Water enough to cover the sugar

Almonds and Pistachios, finely chopped for garnish.

How to make Shahi Tukra / Shahi Tukda

For the Cream Sauce:

In a bowl, take the corn flour and add 2 tsp of milk and blend well to form lump less liquid. Keep it aside.

In a pan take the condensed milk and add the rest of the milk. Bring to boil. When it starts to boil, simmer and slowly add the corn flour mix. It will thicken very fast so keep stirring constantly.

This takes only about 2 mins or so, you will have a thick mix in the pan. If required thinner the cream by adding more milk or condensed milk. Else keep it aside.

Notes: One way to get that creamy texture is to pulse this condensed paste in mixer for a smooth paste.

For the bread:

Trim the sides and cut into two or four squares depending on how you want to serve.

If you are going to shallow fry, then heat a pan add 1 tsp of ghee and oil. Once it's hot, place all the bread pieces and fry over slow flame. After couple of minutes, sprinkle the rest of the ghee and oil. Flip to the other side.

If you are going to deep fry, take a kadai with little oil and heat. When it's hot, deep fry the bread pieces in batches. You will have to add more oil/ghee as you finish up the whole lot as the bread will dunk more oil/ghee.

Deep frying will make the bread to be very crisp, while the shallow frying will take longer time to become hard.

Once done, remove and keep it aside.

For the Sugar Syrup

In a pan, take the sugar and water, bring to boil. Remove impurities if any.

Continue boiling till you get a sticky syrup which will be 1 thread consistency. Switch off the flame and remove.

Dip the fried bread into the sugar syrup and remove to a plate. When you are done with all the bread pieces, arrange in a plate.

Scoop a spoonful of condensed milk cream on each bread piece and garnish with finely chopped almond and pistas.

Serve hot or chilled.

These will make a great dessert for a party both for adults and kids as well!

If you want to make this a rich affair then you really won't be able to indulge in this frequently. I think this low fat, low calorie will suit all our requirement!

Sending this to Harini who is hosting Kid's Delight, themed on Dressing up Leftovers for Kids

With this we are done with the Blogging Marathon Edition #9

I did Indian Festival Food with Step by Step pictures for the first week

• Moong Dal Laddu | How to make Pesara Pappu Ladoo
• Pesara Karapusa | Moong Dal Ompodi / Sev
• Badam Katli | How to make Badam Katli in Microwave
• Chum Chum Recipe | How to make Cham Cham
• Thattai Recipe | How to make Thattai
• Chandrakanthalu Recipe | How to make Chandrakantha
• Besan Ki Burfi | How to make Besan Ki Barfi in Microwave

And the theme "Dressing up Leftovers for Kids" for the second week.

• Leftover Idlis with Spice Powder in Microwave
• Leftover Rice Pakodas | Pakodas with leftover Rice
• Leftover Chapati Pizza | Indian Style Quesadilla
• Paratha with leftover dal
• Leftover Vegetable Cutlet | Cutlet with leftover Vegetables
• Sweet Poli with Badam Katli | Cashew Almond Nuts Poli

Hope you enjoyed reading these as I had enjoyed making them.


Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#9

Ragi Dosa | Finger Millet pancake, Indian Style | Diabetic Diet ~ 101 Dosa Varieties!

When you plan for breakfasts in the morning, it becomes relatively easy to manage if you have ready to use Idly or Dosa batter on hand. My boys love to eat Dosa most days, while Konda is off the Dosa for a while, which is sad as she used to love Dosas so much. Anyway her fancy is anything with bread these days.

But one can't offer the same dosa every day of the week for the elders at home right. Moreover with the eating habits changed much, I sometimes have to pack Dosas for lunch or even Dinner. Then there are the times when I think I should reach my target of 101 Dosa Varieties and pester Amma to come out with some new proportions. It was one of those moments when Amma ended up trying out this instant Ragi Dosa and I must say it turned out very delicious.

By definition, we can call this instant as this batter need not be fermented after being ground. But Urad dal needs to be soaked and ground to a smooth batter. Normally any dosas made with flours like Wheat, Ragi, Jowar and others etc, are quite instant dosas. When you want to make crepes with these flours, you just have to blend into a smooth batter and make them right away. So Amma wanted to ferment overnight and see. Result was fantastic.

Moreover when you make like this, you can refrigerate the batter for couple of days if needed. Makes a great change from the regular one. And very healthy for a Diabetic Diet.

 

Ingredients Needed:

Ragi Flour - 1 & 1/2 cup
Urad Dal - 50 gms
Methi - 1/2 tsp

How to make Ragi Flour:

Wash and soak Urad dal for 5 hrs along with methi seeds. Then grind to a smooth paste. Blend the ragi flour with water and mix the ragi flour to the urad dal paste along with Salt.

Ferment overnight.

To make the Ragi Dosa:

Heat tawa, grease with oil. Spread a ladleful of batter and sprinkle oil over this. Cook on both sides.

Serve with chutney

Enjoy with chutney! Though I served with coconut chutney you could serve it with sambar or other healthy version of chutneys as coconut will not surely help..:)

Beetroot Pulao Recipe | Beetroo Pulav - Step by Step Recipe

One more day of school for the boys before their pooja holidays begin. Konda will be feeling sad that she is not going to have her share of holidays as her exams will begin this week. While the boys have been looking forward for this period, I am sure I can't say the same for others at home. Just yesterday they got their birthday dresses and have been asking me when it's going to be. It's another 15 days to go but I am sure they will be asking me everyday.

It's interesting to see how they design their games, they have company for each other and can play the whole day long. Konda joins them when she can, else she keeps herself busy with something. But when they get into that mood together, it's tough task to get them settle down. It was the same story this morning too, when I tried to wake them up for school. Bribing with chocolates or the fact that their holiday starts very soon. Chinnu got up saying he wants noodles for breakfast at school. I never send it for them but they get that idea from other kids who bring it along. I wonder how kids can carry Maggi for school. It gets so dry and not that tasty, yet kids love it so much.

After much persuasion he agreed to postpone the request to another day. I had to think about our lunch preparation only after the kids left and I was really in a fix not knowing what to make. I decided yesterday that it was going to be a pulao today but what it was, was the problem. I saw that I had beets on hand and realised that I had always wanted to make Beets pulao but never attempted. Hubby dear came on to look couple of times and even wondered at the way the beets looked if the rice was going to end up being sweet. He was pleasantly surprised that the Beets Pulao was perfect and very nice too.

I even called up home earlier to get the kids' reaction and Athamma said Peddu liked it and ate. It works like this, even if one likes it, I believe we can persuade the other kids to eat it..:)

Step by Step Picture Recipe

 

Beetroot Pulao

Ingredients Needed:

Rice, - 2 cups
Beetroot - 1 big
Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 2 small (1/2 cup or little more)
Green Chilies - 2 medium
Mint Leaves - handful
Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 2 pinches
Cashew nuts - few

Whole Spices

Bay Leaf - 2 small
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardamon - 2

How to make Beetroot rice

Wash and soak rice for 15  - 20 mins. Pressure cook with 4 cups or less water (Water depends on your rice ). Once the pressure falls, remove and add 1 tsp of butter and cover it again and keep aside.

To make the Beetroot Masala.

Wash and peel the beetroot outer skin. Chop into small slices, microwave for 10 mins or till done. Grate or pulse it couple of times. Keep it aside.

Heat a non stick pan with butter, add all the wholes spices, saute, then add onion juliennes, chopped green chilies, simmer or cook on high for couple mins, till the onions starts turning colour. Add the cashew nuts.

Then add chopped tomatoes, mint leaves, add salt, red chili powder and simmer till tomatoes turn soft. Once the tomatoes turn to paste, add the grated beetroot. Mix well.

Cover with lid and simmer for 2 mins.

Now add the cooked rice and mix everything well. Simmer for couple minutes and serve with Onion Raitha.

These make a colourful dish on a party table - Kid's Delight Party