Monsoon is the most beautiful and desired season for us Indians. Not only it provides a respite after the dreaded summer months but it also brings our appetite back. After months of eating light bland watery food and all types of gourds, the first sound of the dark monsoon clouds invariably makes an Indian hungry for her share of deep fried goodies. Yes Telebhaja, pakora, bhajia we give these different names but these little bites when deep fried to golden perfection brings back some crunch and punch in our life.
So Telebhaja it is that I will share with you. But not our regular fare, the kind dipped in chickpea flour (besan) batter and fried. Rather I will share something which we can call Bhindeshi Telebhaja or the delicious counterpart of our deep fried goodies from other countries. Yes these lipsmacking goodies are enjoyed by almost every country but definitely by other names and sometimes the techniques are little different. So while the English people enjoy their fish and chips, The Americans love their fried chicken and onion rings, Spain on the other hand relishes their Mejillones fritos and Mexico brings to the table the Camarones rebozados.
That is the magic of food. If you look closely you will find a thin thread of familiarity that runs through different places and times. It makes the World seems like a smaller place, a much friendlier one where everyone is united through taste, flavour and texture.
Tempura is a very light and airy fritter of seafood and vegetables. These Japanese delicacies have a flour based crisp outer layer. I have patiently waited and watched the chefs in my favourite Japanese restaurant making 'light like air' tempura batter and learned a few tricks. Here is my recipe with all the ingredients easily found in your kitchen. Make it with the freshest vegetables you can lay your hands on and enjoy the pitter patter of raindrops outside..
Ingredients:
Fresh vegetables like Ladies Fingers, Carrots, Potato, Sweet Potato, Thin long Brinjals, White Radish, Beans, Cauliflower, Pumpkin etc. You can also use snowpeas, asparagus, shisho leaves, Shitake Mushrooms etc.
Eggs: 1 or 2 per person
For the batter: Egg: 1 Flour: 3/4 cup Chilled water: 1 cup salt Oil for deep frying
For the rice bowl sauce: (my recipe) Vinegar: 3 tbsp Light Soy sauce: 2 tbsp Sugar: 1 tbsp
For the pickled Radish vinegar: 1/4 cup Sugar: 2 tbs salt White Radish: 1/2
Roasted sesame seeds to sprinkle on the rice bowl
Method:
Rice
If you can get some Japanese short grain rice Cook it as per package instruction and keep aside. Keep it warm.
Pickled Radish
Peel and cut the radish lengthwise. Slice it finely. Mix the rest of the ingredients together till the sugar melts. Check the taste and if needed adjust the sugar and salt. Place the radish in it. cover and keep aside for couple of hours. It will soften and absorb the sweet sour taste from the vinegar mix.
Sauce
Mix everything together till the sugar melts. Keep aside till needed.
Make the Tempura
First prepare the vegetables by thoroughly washing them under running water. Dry them properly and then with a clean and dry knife prepare them as mentioned below.
Egg
Bring a pan of salted water to boil. Submerge the eggs in it and cook exactly for 5 minutes. Take out and place them in a bowl of iced water. Let them cool down completely for at least 10 minutes. Carefully peel and keep aside.
Once all your veggies are prepared sprinkle them with All purpose flour. This will help the batter to cling to the veggies. Make sure all your vegetables are dry before doing this step.
Place enough oil (I used white oil) for deep frying in a heavy bottom pan. As per many website the oil should be between 160-180C. In my case I just check by dropping few drops of batter into it. If it sizzles and immediately comes up on the surface, I know my oil is ready.
While the oil is heating make the batter, Mix salt, egg and water and lightly whisk to mix it together. Add the flour using a sieve and mix to incorporate together. Do not whisk it vigorously as that will activate the gluten in the flour and you will end up with heavy oily tempura.
Now Pick a slice of vegetable coat it in the batter and immediately place in the hot simmering oil. It will sizzle. Repeat the same with few more pieces of veggies, but do not over crowd the pan. Once the side is light golden in colour flip it. I use chopsticks to do this job, you can use a small spatula. Once both the sides are golden take it out and shake off the excess oil. Place on few layers of absorbent paper. Using a slotted spatula take out the fried batter bits and place them on absorbent paper too.
Repeat with all the vegetables in a similar manner. To fry the egg use your hand. Sprinkle flour on it and then dip the whole egg in the batter. Scoop out and place in the hot oil. Fry till golden and place on the rice.
Serve hot with some dipping sauce or on a bed of steamed white rice drizzled with The sauce. Place the pickled radish, tenkasu bits, roasted sesame and sauce in different bowls. Let everyone adjust the accompaniments as per their likings.
Nippatu could very easily termed as Peyanji or onion pakora made healthy by baking. These addictive crackers are a speciality of Iyenger bakeries in Bangalore. If you have an oven make a batch and enjoy them just out of the oven. These are delicious in itself but when served with some tomato onion chutney these becomes addictive and the best part is they are guilt free.
Ingredients:
Flour: ½ cup Whole wheat flour: 1 cup Onions: 2 (medium) Green chillies: 2 Curd: 2 tbsp Olive oil: 4 tbsp Baking powder: 1/3 tsp Soda-bi-carb: a pinch Seasame seeds: 11/2 tsp Sugar: 1/3 tsp
Salt
Method:
Slice the onion very fine in half moon shape. Chop the chillies as fine as possible.
Mix flours, salt, sugar, baking powder, soda, sesame seeds, chillies and half of the chopped onions in a big bowl. Add the curd and oil. Mix and make a dough (if required add water. Do this very carefully by adding a spoonful everytime).
The dough would be thick. Knead for a couple of minutes. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 170 C and line a baking tray with greased foil.
Pinch small balls from the dough and place on the foil. Flatten with the back of a bowl. Poke a few holes with fork. You can also roll it out as a thin sheet and cut round disks with cookies cutters.
Bake for 30 minutes or till the sides turn light golden brown.
Recipe by Sayantani Mahapatra for Jhaalmuri Barsha
Authors Blog: http://www.ahomemakersdiary.com/
So Telebhaja it is that I will share with you. But not our regular fare, the kind dipped in chickpea flour (besan) batter and fried. Rather I will share something which we can call Bhindeshi Telebhaja or the delicious counterpart of our deep fried goodies from other countries. Yes these lipsmacking goodies are enjoyed by almost every country but definitely by other names and sometimes the techniques are little different. So while the English people enjoy their fish and chips, The Americans love their fried chicken and onion rings, Spain on the other hand relishes their Mejillones fritos and Mexico brings to the table the Camarones rebozados.
That is the magic of food. If you look closely you will find a thin thread of familiarity that runs through different places and times. It makes the World seems like a smaller place, a much friendlier one where everyone is united through taste, flavour and texture.
Tempura
Tempura is a very light and airy fritter of seafood and vegetables. These Japanese delicacies have a flour based crisp outer layer. I have patiently waited and watched the chefs in my favourite Japanese restaurant making 'light like air' tempura batter and learned a few tricks. Here is my recipe with all the ingredients easily found in your kitchen. Make it with the freshest vegetables you can lay your hands on and enjoy the pitter patter of raindrops outside..
Ingredients:
Fresh vegetables like Ladies Fingers, Carrots, Potato, Sweet Potato, Thin long Brinjals, White Radish, Beans, Cauliflower, Pumpkin etc. You can also use snowpeas, asparagus, shisho leaves, Shitake Mushrooms etc.
Eggs: 1 or 2 per person
For the batter: Egg: 1 Flour: 3/4 cup Chilled water: 1 cup salt Oil for deep frying
For the rice bowl sauce: (my recipe) Vinegar: 3 tbsp Light Soy sauce: 2 tbsp Sugar: 1 tbsp
For the pickled Radish vinegar: 1/4 cup Sugar: 2 tbs salt White Radish: 1/2
Roasted sesame seeds to sprinkle on the rice bowl
Method:
Rice
If you can get some Japanese short grain rice Cook it as per package instruction and keep aside. Keep it warm.
Pickled Radish
Peel and cut the radish lengthwise. Slice it finely. Mix the rest of the ingredients together till the sugar melts. Check the taste and if needed adjust the sugar and salt. Place the radish in it. cover and keep aside for couple of hours. It will soften and absorb the sweet sour taste from the vinegar mix.
Sauce
Mix everything together till the sugar melts. Keep aside till needed.
Make the Tempura
First prepare the vegetables by thoroughly washing them under running water. Dry them properly and then with a clean and dry knife prepare them as mentioned below.
- Potato: peel (I prefer skin on) and slice them thinly.
- Radish: peel and slice diagonally.
- Okra: cut off the stem end and keep aside.
- Pumpkin: Clean the seeds and piths and slice thinly with skin on.
- Cauliflower: separate medium size florets and cook them in salted water for 3-4 minutes. Shake the excess water and dry them out with absorbent paper.
- Brinjal: Cut in half lengthwise, try to keep half of the stem. Place the cut side down on your chopping board and slice thinly on one side of the brinjal (dont cut through all the way to the stem) in the shape of fan. Using your palm press it down lightly to fan out the slices.
- Carrot: Peel and thinly slice.
- Beans: cut of the stems on both parts and diagonally cut in half. If needed you can steam them.
Egg
Bring a pan of salted water to boil. Submerge the eggs in it and cook exactly for 5 minutes. Take out and place them in a bowl of iced water. Let them cool down completely for at least 10 minutes. Carefully peel and keep aside.
Once all your veggies are prepared sprinkle them with All purpose flour. This will help the batter to cling to the veggies. Make sure all your vegetables are dry before doing this step.
Place enough oil (I used white oil) for deep frying in a heavy bottom pan. As per many website the oil should be between 160-180C. In my case I just check by dropping few drops of batter into it. If it sizzles and immediately comes up on the surface, I know my oil is ready.
While the oil is heating make the batter, Mix salt, egg and water and lightly whisk to mix it together. Add the flour using a sieve and mix to incorporate together. Do not whisk it vigorously as that will activate the gluten in the flour and you will end up with heavy oily tempura.
Now Pick a slice of vegetable coat it in the batter and immediately place in the hot simmering oil. It will sizzle. Repeat the same with few more pieces of veggies, but do not over crowd the pan. Once the side is light golden in colour flip it. I use chopsticks to do this job, you can use a small spatula. Once both the sides are golden take it out and shake off the excess oil. Place on few layers of absorbent paper. Using a slotted spatula take out the fried batter bits and place them on absorbent paper too.
Repeat with all the vegetables in a similar manner. To fry the egg use your hand. Sprinkle flour on it and then dip the whole egg in the batter. Scoop out and place in the hot oil. Fry till golden and place on the rice.
Serve hot with some dipping sauce or on a bed of steamed white rice drizzled with The sauce. Place the pickled radish, tenkasu bits, roasted sesame and sauce in different bowls. Let everyone adjust the accompaniments as per their likings.
Nippatu or Karnatak's onion Cracker
Nippatu could very easily termed as Peyanji or onion pakora made healthy by baking. These addictive crackers are a speciality of Iyenger bakeries in Bangalore. If you have an oven make a batch and enjoy them just out of the oven. These are delicious in itself but when served with some tomato onion chutney these becomes addictive and the best part is they are guilt free.
Ingredients:
Flour: ½ cup Whole wheat flour: 1 cup Onions: 2 (medium) Green chillies: 2 Curd: 2 tbsp Olive oil: 4 tbsp Baking powder: 1/3 tsp Soda-bi-carb: a pinch Seasame seeds: 11/2 tsp Sugar: 1/3 tsp
Salt
Method:
Slice the onion very fine in half moon shape. Chop the chillies as fine as possible.
Mix flours, salt, sugar, baking powder, soda, sesame seeds, chillies and half of the chopped onions in a big bowl. Add the curd and oil. Mix and make a dough (if required add water. Do this very carefully by adding a spoonful everytime).
The dough would be thick. Knead for a couple of minutes. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 170 C and line a baking tray with greased foil.
Pinch small balls from the dough and place on the foil. Flatten with the back of a bowl. Poke a few holes with fork. You can also roll it out as a thin sheet and cut round disks with cookies cutters.
Bake for 30 minutes or till the sides turn light golden brown.
Recipe by Sayantani Mahapatra for Jhaalmuri Barsha
Authors Blog: http://www.ahomemakersdiary.com/
Jhaalmuri
Spread Creativity. Spread Happiness.
http://from-the-jhalmuri-corner.blogspot.in/
mail: thejhaalmurigang@gmail.com
mail: thejhaalmurigang@gmail.com
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