Mysore Bonda

Urad dhal – 1 cup

Green chilli – 2

Fresh ginger – a small piece

Fresh coriander leaves – few

Curry leaves – few

Coconut cut into tiny pieces – 2 tablespoons

Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon

Jeeragam (Cumin) – 1/2 teaspoon

Salt – half teaspoon or as per taste

Oil – for deep frying

Soak urad dhal in water for two to three hours. Wash well and grind it to a soft paste using very little water. If you take little dough and put it in water, it should float on top of the water. This is the right consistency.

Chop ginger, chillies, coriander leaves and curry leaves and add it to the dough. Add pepper, jeera, coconut pieces and salt also. Mix everything well.

Heat oil in a kadai. Take a lemon size dough and shape it like a ball. Drop gently in the hot oil and deep fry till it becomes golden brown. Make sure the oil is in medium heat and not to be smoking hot.

Serve with plain coconut chutney.

Samosa

All Purpose Flour - 1 cup + 2 tbsp.

Ajwain - 1 tsp

Shortening - 1 tbsp.

Oil - 1 tbsp.

Salt

Potato - 4, steamed and mashed

Peas - ½ cup

Green Chilli - 2, minced

Ginger - 1 tsp, grated

Cilantro

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Mango Powder - 1 tsp

In a large bowl add in Flour, Ajwain, Shortening and required Salt. Adding little Water at a time knead the mixture into a soft Dough. Smear with Oil and rest the Dough for 20 min.

In another bowl add the mashed Potatoes along with Peas, Green Chilli, Ginger, Cilantro, Turmeric, Chilli, Garam Masala, Mango Powder and required Salt. Mix well and keep aside.

Prepare a paste of the Flour by mixing 2 tbsp. of Flour with little Water.

Make small balls with the Dough and spread into small circles. Using a knife slice the Dough circle into 2 semi circles. Fold the Dough into a cone and seal the sides with Flour paste. Fill the cone with the Potatoes mixture and close the Samosa sealing all open edges with Flour paste. Deep fry the prepared Samosas in Oil until golden. Serve with Tamarind and Green Chutney.

Namak Paara

½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour or maida)

½ cup whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp fine semolina flour (sooji)

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)

2 Tbsp oil

⅓ cup water, adjust as needed

Oil for frying

Mix the flour, semolina, salt, carom seeds, and oil together, using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add water as needed to create a firm yet smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and allow it to rest for at least ten minutes.

Knead the dough for another minute and divide it into two equal parts.

Form each portion into a flat ball. Roll them into 9-inch circles with the thickness of salted crackers.

Prick the rolled dough all over with a fork to prevent the paras from puffing during frying.

Cut each rolled dough into pieces about half an inch wide and 2 inches long. Note: you can cut them into any shape you prefer.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

The oil should be at least 1 ½ inches deep. To test if the oil is ready, drop a small piece of dough into the oil. It should sizzle and rise slowly.

Add just enough namak paras so they can be easily turned while frying. Fry them until both sides are light golden-brown.

Once the namak paras cool to room temperature, they should become crisp.

Spicy Namak Paara:

2 cup All Purpose Flour Maida

¼ cup fine semolina sooji

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper crushed, kali mirch

1 tsp chili flakes lal mirch

1 tsp cumin seeds jeera

1 Tbsp dried fenugreek leaves Kasuri Methi

4 Tbsp oil

¾ cup chilled water approx.

In a bowl, thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, sooji, salt, black pepper, red pepper, cumin seeds, and methi. Then add the oil and mix well.

Gradually add the chilled water, mixing with your fingers as you pour. Do not knead the dough. The dough should be soft. Cover and let it sit for at least fifteen minutes.

Knead the dough and divide it into two equal parts. Shape each part into a flat ball. Roll them into about 10-inch circles, ensuring they are not too thin.

Prick them with a fork all over the rolled dough, on both sides. This prevents the paras from puffing while frying.

Cut each rolled dough into pieces about 1/2-inch wide and 3 inches long. Note: you can cut them into any shape you desire.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

The frying pan should contain at least 1-1/2 inches of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put a small piece of dough in the oil. It should sizzle and rise slowly.

Ensure you add just enough paras so they can be easily turned while frying. Fry the paras until both sides are light golden brown. This should take about 8 minutes.

After the Spicy Namak Paras have cooled to room temperature, they should become crisp.