Goodies from Agra !!

I was in Agra last weekend and was amazed to see the large number of Petha and Daalmoth shops, but then  isn't  Agra known for these two delicacies? The funny part was that  all shops had the brand name Panchi, just like all chikki shops in Lonavla call themselves Maganlal Chikki!

The wide variety of Pethas offered include, Kesar Petha, Mango Metha, Kesar- Angoor Petha, Strawberry Petha, Santra Petha and many, many more.... innovation at work!

Having tried the very juicy and oh so sweet petha, the crunchy and spicy dal moth was a perfect add on. There is  a variety of Dal Moth offerings to select from too! No wonder the combination of petha and dal moth sells so well!! 

Add Zing to your Snacking with Coconut Chana Chutney

With Lord Ganesha's final visarjan yesterday, our ten day feasting on sweets has also come to an end. Its time for hot savoury snacks, accompanied by flavorful chutneys. A very simple and delicious chutney that goes well with vadas, dosas, idlis, pakodas and even chips is the Coconut and Chana chutney.
Its just takes a couple of minutes to make and stays fresh for 2 days in the fridge.

Ingredients                                                                     

1/2 Coconut peeled and cut into small pieces
An equal amount by volume of split yellow chana
2 green chilles
1 inch piece of ginger
Salt to taste

Method

Put all ingredients in the grinder, add half a cup of water and grind to a smooth paste. Serve with hot snacks or with chips.

While weekends are a time for indulging and giving in to your desires for yummy food and snacks, most people today are health and calorie conscious and looking for interesting, tasty options that are low on calories. An idea that I  find practical and easy to make is a capsicum, tomato, spring onion spread which I use in multiple ways -  on ragi or whole wheat crackers topped with grated cheese or as a dip for chips and it's equally good as base for grilled sandwiches and pizza toasts. It takes just a few minutes to make and can be stored for a few days. Here's how you can make it

Ingredients
1 medium sized capsicum very finely chopped
3-4 spring onions finely chopped or one medium sized  regular onion 
4 medium sized tomatoes finely chopped
1 green chilli finely chopped
1/2 inch piece ginger finely chopped
1/2 tspn coriander powder
Salt to taste
1 tblspn Oil

Method
Heat Oil in a thick bottomed kadai. Add chillies, ginger and onions and saute on low flame for a couple of minutes. Add chopped tomatoes. Mix well and cover the kadai for a couple of minutes. When the tomatoes are soft and pulpy, add chopped capsicum, coriander powder and salt and mix well. Cover and allow to cook on a low flame for a few minutes till capsicums are soft and the whole mixture is homogeneous. Cool and use as you like - as a topping or a dip. Garnish with cheese to give that extra taste. In grilled sandwiches, you can use it as a base and top it with boiled potato or boiled egg slices.