Frankie

This is a Mumbai street-food version of a wrap. I've enjoyed frankies many times at the Tibbs stall @ Shivaji Park, Dadar, Mumbai as a kid/teenager. I thought of making a healthier version at home for my daughter.

Here's how I made it:

Filling - I made a potato-paneer filling. For this, I grated 1 boiled potato and about 1/2 cup paneer. Heated 2 tsp oil, sauted some cumin seeds, then added the grated potato and paneer. Seasoned it generously with salt, red chilli pwd, cumin pwd, coriander pwd, chaat masala, pinch of sugar and lemon juice.

Chutney - I had some green cilantro chutney leftover.

Salad - This was my addition to the regular frankies that I have eaten. I used some chopped lettuce, cukes, tomato, red onion & carrots.

I used store bought whole wheat tortillas, home-made rotis will certainly work too. BTW, the frankies at Shivaji Park use APF rotis I think, so this was another change I made to make them healthier.

Here's a picture of all the ingredients, waiting to come together.

 

To assemble the frankie, heat the tortillas per package instructions. Smear with some green chutney. Evenly pile the potato-paneer mix, top with desired veggies.

Roll into a tight roll as shown in the first picture.

This Frankie goes to the Kids Street Food event at Spicing Your Life.

...and also to the Fast Food not Fat Food event at Priya's Now Serving.

Quinoa Upma

This Quinoa upma makes for a healthy, delicious breakfast or llight meal dish. The basic recipe is from the Moosewood restaurant's cookbook. Here's how I make it:

1 c. Quinoa - rinsed in cool water using a fine mesh strainer & drained

1 tbsp oil

1/2 cup diced onions

1 tsp ginger paste

1 chopped green chilli (more or less depending on heat level desired)

1/2 tsp turmeric pwd

1 tsp cumin pwd

1 tsp coriander pwd

1/4 tsp red chilli pwd or to taste

3/4 - 1 tsp salt per taste

2 c. water

1/4 c. frozen green peas

1/4 c. red beans or any other per preference

Heat the oil and saute the onions on medium high heat for 5 mins. Add the ginger paste, chopped green chillies & quinoa. Stir for a minute. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriader & red chilli pwds. Stir for another minute. Add the water & salt. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook for anout 10 mins. Then add the peas and beans. Cover and cook another 10 mins. until water is absorbed.

Fluff with a fork before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

Updating this post to send it to the CWF - WG - Quinoa event at Priya's Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes.

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a popular street food in Mumbai, my hometown. To me, it represents the quintessential nature of the city - a mishmash of different veggies (u can literally throw in any) with an end product that has something for every kind of palate.

Here's how I make it:

1 tbsp Amul butter or vegetable oil

1 big onion - chopped

1 big green bell pepper - chopped

4 juicy tomatoes - chopped (u can substitute with tomato puree too)

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

3 - 4 big potatoes - peeled and chopped

1 cup cauliflower flowerets

1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix

Salt & sugar to taste

1 - 2 tsp red chilli pwd

2 - 3 tbsp pav bhaji masala (I use Everest brand)

Heat the butter/oil in a pressure pan. Add chopped onions and fry till lightly browned. Add the bell pepper and fry another 3 - 4 mins. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, fry 1 min. Add the tomatoes. Fry well for 5 mins. Add the potaotes, cauliflower, peas and carrots along with the masalas and seasonings. I usually add about half the given quantities at this stage. Add about 2 cups of water, close the pressure pan and cook for 2 - 3 whistles. When the lid can be opened and the bhaji has slightly cooled, reheat it gently while mashing all the veggies together with a potato masher. This bhaji is typically eaten well - mashed. Check & adjust the seasonings at this stage.

Serve hot garnished with chopped onions and cilantro, with a lemon wedge on the side. And ofcourse with well butterred and roasted pav.

(All the veggies mentioned above can be rough chopped. I just throw them in my food processor one after another.)

(Though this bhaji is easiest made in a pressure pan, u can make it in a regular pot too. Just use boiled potatoes, cauliflower, peas and carrots in this case.)

(This will serve 4 - 5 adults.)

This Pav Bhaji is off to the RCI - Mumbai event at Kitchen Chronicles.

This event was started by Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine.