Crispy Arbi

This dish can be eaten as a tea time snack too. If one want they can sprinkle some chat masala on top. Have them just like it or with chutneys or ketchup.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg colocassia (arbi)

1 cup beaten rice (poha)

3 whole dry red chillies, dry roasted and broken

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method:

Wash the colocasia thoroughly. Pressure cook in a vessel over water for 2 whistles. Make sure the colocasia is cooked but not overcooked.

Remove and peel the colocasia. Cut into ¼" thick roundels. Keep aside.

Grind together the beaten rice, red chillies, asafoetida and turmeric powder to a fine powder. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds in it.

When they crackle, add the colocasia, salt and the ground powder. Stir-fry till the mixture is crisp.

Serve hot.

**This dry dish of crispy rice-coated arbi pieces goes extremely well with moist dal and Parathas.

Stir-fried Spinach Pancakes

One can experiment by using this interesting spinach filling in varied ways!
The sesame adds not just crunch but a liberal quota of iron as well to this interesting stuffing of spinach sautéed with garlic and a little oil. Spinach adds to the health factor too – it is rich in vitamin a and folic acid.  

Ingredients:

For The Stir-fried Spinach

2 tsp oil

2 tsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)

6 cups shredded spinach (palak)

2 tsp sesame seeds (til) , toasted

2 tsp soy sauce

salt to taste

For The Pancakes

3 tbsp corn (makai ke dane) flour

2 tbsp plain flour (maida)

2 tbsp low fat milk 

1 tsp melted low fat butter

a pinch of salt
1 tsp oil for cooking

Method:

For the stir-fried spinach

Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai, add the garlic and sauté on high flame for a minute, while stirring continuously add the spinach and sauté 5 to 7 minutes over a high flame or till all the water evaporates, while stirring continuously. (remember to sauté the spinach on a high flame to retain its colour and nutrients. ) 

Add the sesame seeds, soya sauce and salt and toss gently.

Divide it into 4 equal portions and keep aside.

For the pancakes

Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl, add 2 tbsp of water and mix well to a smooth batter (add 1 tbsp water if required to make it of pouring consistency).

Divide the batter into 4 equal portions and keep aside.

Procedure

Heat a non-stick pan, pour a portion of the batter and tilt the pan around quickly to make a 125 mm. (5”) diameter thin circle.

Cook on using ¼ tsp oil till both sides turn brown.

Repeat with the remaining batter to make 3 more pancakes and keep aside.

Place a pancake on a clean, dry surface and spread one portion of the stir-fried spinach at one corner.

Fold to make a roll and press it lightly to seal the stuffing.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more stir-fried spinach pancakes.