Category: Appetizers

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Appetizers

The World of “CHAAT”

Tangy, spicy, and rich flavors combine to make chaat, a crunchy and delicious snack that is a popular fast food served in South Asian countries. The word “Chaat” is used for various snacks. Chaat is a phrase defining savory snacks, typically served at road-side tracks from stalls or food carts.

Each may look and taste a little different, but they all share a common combination of sweet, salty, crunchy, spicy, and savory ingredients.

There are many versions of chaat, each distinguished by its combination of ingredients. 

Chutneys are a staple in chaat which are served alongside.  

  • Tamarind Chutney: This classic tangy sauce is sweet, sour, and spicy. It’s made from zesty tamarind, spices, and a sweetener like sugar, or dates.
  • Red Garlic Chutney: This vibrant, hot sauce is loaded with garlic and ground Kashmiri chilies.
  • Green Chutney: This chutney is made essentially of cilantro, mint, garlic, ginger, cumin, and chilies. This chutney is both spicy and refreshing.

 

A key requisite to any good chaat is, of course, “Chaat Masala”. Black salt is one of the main ingredients in this particular spice blend. Chaat masala, also known as “snack spice” is a spice everyone should keep in their spice rack. Chaat masala is a spice blend, containing cumin, coriander, dried green mango powder, and black salt as it is a key component in chaat.

 

The World of 'CHAAT"

Papri Chaat

The perfect soul food, a variety of every possible taste and texture – Chaat. This is the classic pick-me-up every other day. Papri Chaat is traditionally eaten as a type of street food, although this delicious vegetarian recipe is well served as a snack or side dish, loaded with Papri (mildly spiced crackers) that are usually deep-fried.


Be it an unexpected guest or just your usual craving for something tasty, Papri Chaat is the perfect fix.
The green and sweet chutney drizzled on a base of papri chaat, lends a sweet, tangy, and savory note, further enriched with beaten yogurt and completed with chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, and sev, adding crunch to the lively chaat. A crowd-pleasing appetizer recipe that is quick to make, wow your guests by artfully arranging the papri with zesty toppings and vibrant garnishes for an impressive beginning to dinner.

Fruit Chaat

Fruit Chaat is versatile, delicious, and simple to prepare snacks. It can be served as a lunch or as a side dish with any meal.

Fruit chaat is a blend of assorted fruits tossed with a delectable blend of spices. Fruit Chaat can be prepared of any combination of fruits according to the seasonal availability and personal choice. This dish is packed with mixed flavors and tastes and rich in nutrients as well as is low in calories.

Fruit chaat is an excellent refreshing and exotic summer salad with an alluring zing-in taste.  Fruit chaat is considered to be street food and sold at most of the market places. The amazing thing about making this dish is that it can be to anyone’s taste and choice as you desire. You can use any fruit that you like and flavor the spiciness as per your taste. It would be a creation of your own.

Fruits are important ingredients during Ramadan. They are mainly valued for their nutritional value and easy digestion hence fruits are considered the best option to break the fast. 

There are many varieties of this recipe like

  • Fruit Chat with Cream
  • Fruit and Vegetable Chaat,
  • Fruit Chana Chaat.

Chana Chaat (Garbanzo)

Chana Chaat, a salad from Southeast Asia, is a pack of flavor to your taste buds. Chana chaat is not only an easy-to-make salad but a dish that can be eaten with your own special twist. 

Chana Chaat is a delicious and commonly eaten savory snack of Pakistani fast food cuisine. Chana Chaat is easy to prepare and takes only minutes to be ready to be served. You require some extremely spicy, delicious, and tangy ingredients like boiled garbanzo, chopped onions, green chilies, coriander, mint, cumin seeds, pomegranate seeds,  chaat masala, crushed red pepper, chili powder, dry mango powder, and tamarind paste. Chana Chaat is all about assembling once garbanzo beans are boiled.

Aloo Chaat (Potato)

Aloo Chaat is a savory and tangy dish composed of crispy fried potatoes tossed in spices with sweet and tangy sauces.

Aloo chaat is a favorite and quick snack particularly when one is craving something spicy, flavourful, and tangy.

Aloo chaat recipe has shallow fried crispy potatoes which are then topped with salt, spices tamarind, and coriander chutney (sauce). It is garnished with fresh coriander leaves and fresh-cut onion pieces.

One of the key ingredients in this recipe is the chaat masala. Roasted cumin powder and dried mint powder also give a fresh and mouthwatering zing to this dish.

Bhel Puri Chaat

Bhel Puri Chaat is a popular savory snack made with puffed rice, tossed with vegetables, and tangy chutneys. It is a quick & easy snack to prepare at home and is also served over roadside stalls. Bhelpuri is served as a tangy and crunchy snack for teatime.

The vegetables used in the preparation of Bhel Puri may vary in various regions, but it most commonly consists of boiled potatoes, diced onions, and tomatoes. Another essential ingredient of Bhel is Sev, which are savory thin crunchy noodles made of chickpea flour. Sev is mixed in the bhel itself as well as used for garnishing.

Various other ingredients can be added in Bhel like roasted peanuts, papri (thin crunchy wafers),  for more taste and crunchiness. The mixture is then spiced with salt, chilies, and the star of the Chaat world…The Chaat Masala.

The dish is finished by adding tamarind and coriander chutney (sauces) which bind the ingredients together and gives the unique sweet & spicy taste to the bhel.

Categories
Appetizers

CINNAMON CHALLAH RAISIN SWIRL BREAD

Cinnamon Challah Raisin Swirl Bread is soft, fluffy, and airy. This soft buttery bread comes with a brown sugar cinnamon swirl along with sweet raisins. The dough is mixed and risen, rolled out, filled up, braided, and brushed with egg, sprinkle with coarse sugar. Each strand is filled with some fantastic goodness.

Making this recipe is definitely no science. It is made with very few ingredients from the pantry and is ideal for breakfast and dessert, or use leftovers for a Blueberry French Toast.

Dough Proofing & Filling

Start with combining milk, sugar, honey, and yeast and transfer the dough to a greased bowl then prepare the filling of brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside. On a very lightly floured surface cut the dough into 3 equal pieces. Spread filling on top of each dough equally and seal the edges.

Braiding the Dough

Braid the three strands by placing them side by side. Pinch together the upper end of the three strands. Pinch the end and tuck the tip under that it has a round shape and braid until fully shaped. Transfer to a parchment paper layered baking sheet. 

Baking till Perfection

Brush the loaf with egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 30-32 minutes. Cover with parchment paper after 10 minutes to prevent heavy browning.

CINNAMON CHALLAH RAISIN SWIRL BREAD

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups bread flour 
  • 2 tsp yeast 
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup warm milk 
  • 3 tbsp oil 
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup  raisins 
  • 2 tbsp softened butter 
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • Egg wash- 1 egg yolk 

Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Combine flour, yeast, sugar & salt in a mixing bowl.
  • Add warm milk followed by oil and egg.
  • Mix with electric mixer on medium-high for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in raisins and enough flour to form a mass.
  • Transfer to a floured surface and knead.
  • Cover dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  • Meantime, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and combine brown sugar & cinnamon in a bowl.
  • Roll dough into a rectangle. Cut into three 3 x 12-inch strips.
  • Spread butter down the center of each strip.
  • Top the butter with narrow rows of the brown sugar mix, keeping away from the edges.
  • Pinch the strips closed. Go over sealed edges with floured hands to make three sealed ropes with filling inside.
  • Form into a braid, tucking in edges. Place on a baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours till double in size.
  • Brush loaf with egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven at 375° F for 25 minutes.
  • Cover with a foil tent for the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning.
  • Let rest 10 minutes and top with glaze.
  • Serve with tea or coffee.
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Categories
Appetizers

FOCACCIA BREAD

Focaccia is an oven-baked Italian bread that is usually related to Italian flatbread. It’s a dimpled dough packed with olive oil and various seasonings and a choice of toppings.

Focaccia is most commonly compared to pizza dough. They are both flat, oven-baked bread that often includes different toppings. One of the main differences between the two is the rise time. 

A traditional focaccia bread bakes up crisp on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. With endless topping options, you can easily make this focaccia recipe your own by simply changing the choice of topping or keeping it simple. Perfect for serving with soups and stews, or even for making into sandwiches. This homemade recipe of Focaccia Bread is surprisingly simple but makes rich, flavorful, and soft bread with ultra-crispy edges that you’re going to love.

The Proofing of Dough

Stir together flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the olive oil and water and mix at low speed until it forms a wet, sticky ball. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. Add additional flour to firm up the dough enough to clear the sides of the bowl. Let rise for 2 hours in a warm place.

The Herb Oil Dressing

Made with olive oil, fresh or dry herbs, kosher salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. This is what infuses the bread with tons of flavor and gives it that characteristic texture. There are lots of flavor modifications and additions you can make to suit your tastes

Dimple the dough

Lightly oil your hands transfer the dough to the sheet pan, keeping the rectangular shape as much as possible. Spoon half the herb oil over the dough and use your fingertips to dimple the dough and spread it to fit the pan.  Use more herb oil as needed to ensure the entire surface is coated.

TOPPING IDEAS FOR FOCACCIA

 

There are various points in the recipe when you can add toppings to your Focaccia. 

 

Pre-Proof Topping Ideas: 

      • Sun-dried tomatoes
      • Olives
      • Roasted garlic
      • Fresh herbs
      • Walnuts, pine nuts, or other nuts
      • Sauteed mushrooms, bell peppers, or onions

Pre-Bake Topping Ideas:

      • Fresh mozzarella, and feta
      • Cooked ground meat
      • Coarse salt
      • Coarse sugar

FOCACCIA BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE HERB OIL:

  •  2 cups olive oil
  •  1 cup chopped fresh herbs
  •  1 tbsp kosher salt
  •  1 tsp ground black pepper
  •  6 cloves garlic (minced)

FOR THE DOUGH:

  •  5 cups flour
  •  2 tsp salt
  •  2 tsp instant yeast
  •  6 tbsp olive oil
  •  2 cups water

FOR PREPARATION:

  •  ¼ cup olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Make the Herb Oil:

  • Warm 2 cups olive oil in a small saucepan. 
  • Add the herbs, salt, pepper, and garlic and stir together, remove from the heat and allow to steep while you prepare the dough.

Make the Dough:

  • Stir together the flour, salt, and yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer.
  • Add the oil and water and mix until all of the ingredients form a wet, sticky ball.
  • The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. 
  • Sprinkle enough flour on a clean work surface to make a bed.
  • Transfer the sticky dough to the bed of flour and leave the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
  • Coat your hands with flour and stretch the dough from each end to twice its size.
  • Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise on the work surface for 1 hour. 
  • Drizzle ¼ cup olive oil over the baking tray, and spread it with your hands or a brush to cover the surface. 
  • Lightly oil your hands and lift the dough, transfer it to the baking tray maintaining the rectangular shape as much as possible. 
  • Spoon half of the herb oil over the dough.
  • Use your fingertips to dimple the dough and spread it to fill the pan. If the dough becomes too springy, let it rest for 15 minutes and then continue dimpling.
  • Drizzle additional herb oil over the surface and dimple it in.
  • The pan should be filled completely with the dough and the dough should have a thickness of about ½-inch. 
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
  • Place the baking tray in the oven. 
  • Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it begins to turn a light golden brown. 
  • Serve with a dip of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
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