Sabudana/ Sago Vadas ( Fried dumplings)- veg snack

With the arrival of monsoons, you start racking your brains for some crunchy, mouth-watering, lip- smacking recipes! What better than things like chilas/ poodey, pakodey/ fritters, and the ever favourite of mine- Sabudana Vada!
So let's go and try churning some out! Its easy and fast!

Sabudana/ Sago Vadas:
Serves: 4
Type: Vegetarian Cooking
Actual cooking time: approx. 20 minutes
Pre Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients:
Sabudana/ Sago( preferably medium grain size)- 1.5 cups
Coarsely ground roasted peanuts- 1 cup ( you can have a variant of soaked instead of roasted)
 Boiled potatoes- 4 small ( mashed thoroughly)
 Fresh green coriander leaves- 2 tablespoons, finely chopped
Lemon juice- 1.5 tablespoons
Green chillies- 2 finely chopped
Cumin seeds- 1/2 teaspoon, roasted
Salt- as per taste
Oil- sufficient for frying
     
Method:
Wash and soak the sabudana in clean, warm water, for two hours. After two hours, strain off the excess water, pour some cold water on it and strain it once more.
  Now, add the lemon juice, mashed potatoes, green chillies, roasted cumin seeds,  peanuts, salt and coriander leaves.Mix all these ingredients thoroughly, preferably with a fork.
Make small balls and lightly flatten them between  the palms of your hands. Heat the oil and deep fry these vadas, till golden brown.  Drain off excess oil on paper napkin/ absorbent paper. Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

• Tips: Tastes best with green chilli sauce or dhaniya- pudina chutney.
• Lightly smear some oil on your palms, so the mixture does not stick to your hands.
• Use healthy oil like rice- bran, virgin olive or canola oil
• After frying, always throw away the oil and never reuse fried oil- which becomes unhealthy for the heart.

Spinach and Mushroom delight!

Getting bored of the daily daal, chaawal, roti, sabzi, I decided to churn out something different! Racked my brains and collected some veggies from the refrigerator, and baked this wonderful dish. It would go supremely well with plain steamed rice, but we had it last night with a crazy combo of veg. dimsums :))
Nevertheless it tasted wonderful, give it a try. You can change some vegz. and add others, if you want.

Spinach and Mushroom delight-

Preparation Time: 15 minutes approx.     Cooking time: 20 minutes  Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Potato layer-
Boiled and mashed potatoes- 4 (medium)
Green chillies- 2 (chopped)
Lemon juice- 2 teaspoon
Salt- as per taste
Mix all the above ingredients thoroughly.

Spinach layer-

Chopped Spinach- 4 teacups
Tender corn- 100 grams
Chopped onion- 1 large
Green coriander chopped- 4 tablespoons
Green chillies (chopped into very thin slices)- 2
Chopped Tomato- 1 large
Tomato purée- 1/2 cup
Light butter or cooking oil- 1 tablespoon
Salt- as per taste

Top layer-
Button mushrooms- 2 cups (200 grams) - thinly sliced
Cottage cheese- 200 grams (grated)
Tomatoes- 2 ( thick rings)
Fresh Cream (optional) - 1 teaspoon

Method-

 Heat the light butter in a pan or kadhaai, fry the onions in it for a couple of minutes on medium heat. Now add the green chillies and coriander and cook this for another minute.
  Mix the chopped tomatoes, stir for a few minutes and then add the spinach, tender corn and tomato purée. Sprinkle some salt and allow this to cook for some minutes.
 Meanwhile,take a greased baking dish and spread the potato layer, evenly in it. Now pour the spinach- preparation on it. Sprinkle some sliced mushrooms on the spinach layer, and then spread the grated cottage cheese on it. Again, place the left-over mushroom slices on the cheese, along with the tomato rings.
 Pre-heat the oven at 230 degree Centigrade (450 degree F) and then place the greased dish in it for approx. 20 minutes ( switch off earlier, if you find that the cheese is turning browner than you like).

Serve piping hot with steamed rice or garlic bread sticks!