Karela or Bitter Gourd chips

Ingredients

5 Thinly sliced bitter gourds
4 tbsp Rice flour
1 tbsp Salt
Pinch of turmeric powder
Pinch of chili powder(Optional)
1/2 tbsp Sambhar masala
1 tbsp water
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Method:

1. Take a big bowl, to it add sliced bitter gourds, rice flour, turmeric powder, chili powder, sambhar masala, salt and water and mix well.

2. Now heat oil in a deep frying on medium heat.  Key to perfectly crisp bitter gourd chips it the temperature. So do not fry them on high or low heat.  Start frying the bitter gourd in small batches. Do not over crowd your pan.  Everything has to cook evenly on medium to high flame.

3. Cook until they are golden brown and drain it on kitchen towel. Enjoy as is or goes well with Indian meal as a side dish.

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Pua Recipe from Uttarakhand

Ingredients:

1 cup semolina
1 cup yogurt
1 tbsp Ghee/ clarified butter
3 tbsp sugar
1 banana mash(Optional)
Oil for deep frying

Preparation Method:

1. Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients Semolina, yogurt, ghee, sugar and banana mash together and whisk it well.  Keep it aside for minimum 10-15 minutes for best results or can be cooked instantly as well.

2. Heat oil in a deep frying pan on a medium high flame and once ready, start dropping the batter one by one and fry till golden brown on medium flame.  Pua is ready to be served as an appetizer or snack.

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Gram Flour Stuffed Peppers Or Besan Bharwa Mirchi

Ingredients:

6-10 Banana Peppers or big green peppers
1 cup Gram Flour
1/2 cup Oil
Sal to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tbsp fennel powder
Pinch of cumin seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp dry mango powder/Amchur powder

Preparation Method:

1. Wash all the peppers and pat them dry with a cloth.  Now put a slit in the middle of the peppers to remove the seeds.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and asafoetida and saute for a second.  Now add turmeric powder and gram flour and saute until the mixture turns light brown in color.  To it add salt, coriander and fennel powder and saute again for a minute. Finally add Amchur powder and garam masala to till and give it a good mix.  You can turn off the flame and keep it to cool down a bit before you start stuffing your peppers.

3. Now start stuffing all the peppers one by one gently without breaking the peppers in halves.  Try stuffing as much of the filling as you can.  Make sure they don't open up easily while shallow frying them.

4. Heat a pan on a low flame and put some oil to it.  Now place all the stuffed peppers to the pan and cover the lid.  Cook them for about 4-5 minutes on low flame.  After few minutes flip them to the other side so that both the sides are nicely cooked.

5. They are ready to be served as a side dish with any Indian meal.  Goes really well with Parathas or Chapatis.

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Egg Bhurji/ Indian Style Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients:

4 Eggs
2 medium size finally chopped Onions
Freshly chopped coriander leaves
2 chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons chickpeas flour/ Besan
Pinch of cumin seeds
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil

Preparation Method:

1. Heat the oil a frying pan. Now add cumin seeds to it and once it splutters add chopped chilies and onions.

2. Now fry until they are translucent. To it add chickpea flour and mix well. Dry roast it until it turns slightly brown. Its time to add salt and mix well.

3. Finally break the eggs and put them into the mixture.  Give it a good mix and cover it with the lid for about 1 minute. Your eggs should be done. Do not over cook, else your mixture will burn.

4. Serve it with bread or as is for breakfast or snacks.  Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

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