Vegetable Pakora

This makes for great snack food, and perfect for appetizers to any party. Zucchinis, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, even bananas make this a scrumptious snack.

Ingredients:

1 c. chickpea flour
1/4 c. rice flour
1 t. salt
1 1/2 T chili powder
1 1/2 T.  ground coriander
3/4 c. water
potatoes sliced thin and cut into bite-sized chunks
chopped veggies (zucchini, cauliflower,  or bananas)
vegetable oil for frying

1. Mix all ingredients together until you have the consistency of crepe batter. Add more water as needed. Mix until all lumps are gone and batter is smooth.

2. Chop whatever vegetables you are using, and put salt and paprika on them.

3. Fill a wok or deep fryer with vegetable oil and heat up on high heat. When you put a drop of batter in the hot oil and the batter comes right up, it is at the right temperature. Reduce the heat to medium.

4. When the batter-covered vegetables rise back up to the surface of the oil and are golden brown, you can remove them and place onto a paper towel to soak up excess oil.

Tomato Soup with Coconut Milk

Spring rain might bring April flowers, but it's a serious reason to keep making soup even if winter has lost its grip. This brings the comfort of tomato soup to a whole new level. Subtle flavors that really make it quite scrumptious, and it's quick and easy to prepare!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4









Ingredients:

4 medium tomatoes
13.6 oz. can of coconut milk (lite ok)
1 T. ginger, chopped
1 serrano chile, stem removed, cut in half
1 t. cumin seeds
2 T. butter or ghee
2 t. salt (or to taste)
pinch of sugar
fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Boil tomatoes until skin falls off. Remove tomatoes from water, and remove skins. Put a cup of water and tomatoes into a blender. Blend thoroughly with ginger. Strain tomatoes through a fine sieve.

2. Put tomato mixture into a saucepan. Add coconut milk and blend with the tomatoes.

3. To make the tadaka (seasoning): in a small pan, heat up the butter or ghee, then add cumin seeds. When the seeds start popping, add the chili pepper. Add the tadaka to the tomato mixture. Add the salt and pinch of sugar. Put on medium heat, and stir constantly until it comes to a boil.

4. Serve with chopped cilantro for a garnish.

Onion Pakora

Sometimes deep fried things are too good to resist. This is one of those times where it is impossible deny the palate. The onions get caramelized in the frying process, making this quite delectable and sweet. Even kids will love them! Pakora can have any kind of vegetable and apparently even fruit (banana pakora to come soon!).

Prep time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4 (about 20 pakora)

Ingredients:
1 large onion, cut in half, then thinly sliced
3 t. chili powder
2 t. salt
1/2 t. turmeric
2 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground cumin
pinch of sugar
chopped cilantro
1 c. chickpea flour (available at health food or Indian grocery stores)
1/4 c. white rice flour (available at health food stores)
2 T. water
vegetable oil for frying

1. Put onion in a bowl, and cover with salt. Let sit for half an hour. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well together until the flour completely cakes the onion mixture. It should look like a sticky paste covering the onions.

2. Heat up at least 2" of vegetable oil in a deep fry pan on high heat. Reduce heat to medium high, and drop spoonfuls of the onion mixture into the oil and fry until deep golden brown.