Green Zucchini Fritters

Green Zucchini Fritters

By Chef Rakesh Sethi

From Tea Time

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Starter

Type: Fusion

Key Ingredients:

Green zucchini mixed with eggs, flour and some herbs, shaped into fritters and shallow-fried

Ingredients

Medium zucchinis, coarsely grated 4
Large onion, finely chopped 1
Refined flour 5 tbsps
Eggs 3
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 tbsp
Fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder to taste
Oil to shallow-fry
Lemon wedges to serve

Methods

Take zucchini, onion, flour, eggs, coriander leaves, basil, salt and pepper powder in a mixing bowl and mix well.
Heat sufficient oil in a non-stick pan.
Spread spoon full of the batter in the pan, in batches, and shallow-fry them till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
Arrange them on a serving platter, garnish with lemon wedges and serve with a bowl of sauce of your choice.

Almond Crusted Chicken

Almond Crusted Chicken

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15-20 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Starter

Type: Fusion

Key Ingredients:

Chicken

Include this delightful protein filled starter in your dinner menu and win the hearts of your loved ones. The crushed almond coating makes it crispier.

Serving Suggestion : Arrange them on a serving platter and serve them hot with a salad or a sauce of your choice. .

Ingredients

Boneless chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes 500 gms
Crushed almonds 3 cups
Oil to grease
Breadcrumbs 1/3 cup
Salt to taste
Crushed black peppercorns 1/2 tsp
Egg whites, beaten 2

Methods

Preheat oven to 180 ºC/350º F. Grease a baking tray.
Put crushed almonds, salt, breadcrumbs and crushed black peppercorns on a plate, mix well and spread.
Take the egg whites in a bowl.
Dip each chicken cube in egg white and roll them with the almond-breadcrumb mixture ensuring that they are completely coated.
Arrange them on the greased baking tray. Keep the tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or till the chicken is completely done.
Check it when the crust turns a light brown and you get a mild aroma of roasted almonds.

Tomatokeftedes

Tomatokeftedes

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Starter

Type: Fusion

Key Ingredients:

Tomatoes

Tomato fritters with mint make great starters

Serving Suggestion : Serve with cocktails or mocktails.

Ingredients

Medium tomato, finely chopped 1
Fresh parsley or fresh coriander leaves, chopped ½ cup
Fresh mint leaves ½ cup
Salt to taste
Spring onions (hare pyaz), finely chopped 1 cup
Refined flour (maida) 1 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Oil to deep fry

Methods

Take tomato, parsley/coriander leaves, mint leaves, salt and spring onions in a bowl and mix well.
Take refined flour and baking powder in another bowl and mix well. Add this to the tomato mixture. Add ½ cup water, little at a time, and mix so that the batter is smooth and thick.
Heat sufficient oil in a wok. To test if the oil is hot enough, put a small blob of batter in it. If the batter surfaces up as a lump, it means the oil is hot enough for frying.
Put spoonsful of batter into the hot oil, in batches, and deep fry for 4-5 minutes, on high heat, till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper to soak excess oil.
Serve hot.

Jacket Potatoes with Cheese

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 25 minutes

Method: Moderate

Course: Starter

Type: Fusion

Key Ingredients:

Potatoes
Cheese

Treat your guests with these baked potato jackets oozing with cheese at your next party

Ingredients

Large potatoes, washed thoroughly but unpeeled 4
Oil 6 tsps
Medium onion, finely chopped 1
Green capsicum (hari shimla mirch), finely chopped ½ cup
Red capsicum (lal shimla mirch), finely chopped 1 cup
Milk 2 tbsps
Sour cream 2 tbsps
Processed cheese, grated 1½ cups
Butter 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Methods

Preheat oven to 180 ºC.
Rub about 1 tsp of oil on each potato and pierce several times with a knife (so that it bakes completely). Sprinkle salt over them and place them in a greased baking dish. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.
Halve the baked potatoes without removing peel. Scoop out the pulp into a bowl without disturbing skin. Set the skins aside. Mash the potato pulp.
To make the stuffing, heat 2 tsps of oil in a non-stick pan, add onion, green capsicum and red capsicum and saute for 2-3 minutes or till soft.
Remove the pan from heat and add mashed potatoes, milk, sour cream and 1 cup grated cheese. Add butter and mix everything well.
Place the potato skins on a greased baking dish, put some stuffing mixture in each. Sprinkle salt and remaining grated cheese on top of each.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and serve hot.

Chicken Farcha

Chicken Farcha

By Chef Shantanu Gupte

By India Unlimited

Prep: 2 hours

Cook: 30 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Starter

Type: Fusion

Key Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks
Eggs
Breadcrumbs

A popular Parsi deep-fried chicken drumsticks

Ingredients

Chicken drumsticks 7 to 8
Red chilli paste 2 tbsps + 1 tsp
Browned onion paste 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder 1 pinch
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Coriander powder 2 tsps
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Oil 3 tbsps + for deep frying
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tsps
Breadcrumbs 1 cup
Eggs 2

Methods

Make some incisions on the chicken drumsticks and put them in a bowl. Add 2 tbsps red chilli paste, 1 tbsp browned onion paste, salt, black pepper powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, 1½ tbsp oil and lemon juice and mix till all the drumsticks are well coated. Keep the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours.
Heat remaining oil in a deep non-stick pan, add remaining browned onion paste and remaining red chilli paste and saute till fragrant.
Add the marinated chicken drumsticks and a little water and mix well. Cover and cook till the gravy becomes thick, and the chicken is cooked.
Add some coriander leaves and turn off the gas.
Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
Take breadcrumbs in a bowl and roll chicken drumsticks in it till they are well coated.
Take eggs in another bowl, add a little salt and whisk well. Dip the chicken drumsticks in whisked egg and deep fry till golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve hot along with the gravy if any left.

Khatti Mooli

Khatti Mooli

By Chef Shantanu Gupte

By India Unlimited

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Starter

Type: Fusion

Key Ingredients:

Radish
Tamarind pulp

Fried radish batons tossed in a spicy spice mixture

Ingredients

Radish 4 to 5
Oil to deep-fry
Mustard oil 4 tbsps
Cumin seeds 2 tsps
Black cardamoms 2
Cloves, crushed 3
Carom seeds (ajwain) 1 tsp
Fennel (saunf) powder 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp
Dried ginger powder (soonth) 1 tsp
Dried mango powder (amchur) ½ tsp
Tamarind pulp 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder ½ tsp
Fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped 2 tbsps

Methods

Heat oil in a kadai.
Peel and cut the radish into long batons (like French fries). Slide them into hot oil and deep- fry till light golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
Heat mustard oil in a non-stick pan, add cumin seeds and saute till they change colour. Add black cardamoms, cloves, carom seeds, fennel powder, asafoetida, Kashmiri chilli powder and dried ginger powder and mix well.
Add fried radish and toss well.
Add dried mango powder, tamarind pulp, salt, black pepper powder and mint leaves and mix well.
Serve hot.