Dear Rinki
How are you today? How was the movie? I wish we too could have seen it especially Riz wanted to see Batman so much but to travel to Kolkata just now isn’t possible. We shall have to wait for it to come on DVD. On Thursday we were invited for a dinner party. It was an enjoyable evening out after a long time. The rains have played havoc with our social lives! The food was great. With drinks there was a delicious chicken pakoda (fritters) and fish fries, but for the vegetarian option sadly there was just some potato crisps out of a bag. It’s surprising how many Bengali’s are stumped with the idea of putting up vegetarian options when they have company. So I was inspired to share out my recipe for an easy vegetarian starter which goes great with drinks or tea and also wonderfully well with a steamy hot novel on a rainy afternoon.
Spicy Potato Cheese and Carrot nibbles
Ingredients (enough to make thirty bite size nibbles)
Boiled and peeled potatoes 5 large
Bread crumbs/ fresh bread crumbled 1/2 cup
Cheddar Cheese grated 1/2 cup
Carrot Grated 2
Onion finely diced 2
Ginger and garlic finely minced 1 tsp each
Fresh Coriander leaves/mint chopped lots!
Sesame seeds 1 tablespoon
Tomato ketchup to taste
Green Chilies deseeded and finely chopped 2-3
Chili powder (optional)
Mint Powder (optional)
Salt to Taste
Oil to fry
Method
Take all ingredients in a bowl, mix them well, squashing together with your fingers to form smooth dough like mix….if the mix is watery add more bread crumbs, adjust salt and seasoning accordingly.Form into tiny bite sized balls and deep fry in oil till golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel and serve hot with tangy sesame chutney (recipe follows).
There is no hard and fast rule to this recipe, please feel free to add or remove ingredients according to taste or dietary constrictions.The nibbles can be prepared before hand and kept in the fridge covered with a cloth till it’s time to fry.Crushed roasted peanuts can also be added to the potato mix to add taste and texture. 2 tablespoons of granulated soya meal which has been soaked in water and squeezed, can also be added to get a different taste. Mince chicken/meat may be prepared in exactly same method for non-vegetarian option, an egg maybe added to bind the meat.
Tangy Sesame Chutney
Ingredients
Sesame seeds 1 -2 tablespoons
Garlic chopped 4-5 cloves
Red chili flakes according to taste
Chives (dry /fresh) 1 tsp
Tomato Ketchup
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tsp
Method
In oil fry the garlic with chili flakes, add the sesame, when a nutty yummy aroma permeates your senses and the sesame and garlic have turned golden brown turn off the heat and add the chives. Remove into serving bowl immediately to stop further browning, add tomato ketchup and mix. There you have it, tangy sesame garlic chutney in a minute.
Did you go through my post on Rizi’s birthday cake…We really missed you; you manage kids so well, having you around would have subtracted my stress levels enormously. I wish you would post your cocktail eggs with tamarind dip recipe, I remember making it years ago after I had it for the first time at your place in Delhi. I remember it was such a hit with everyone. I have forgotten the details of the chutney. Do share soon so I can make it next time we have company.
P.S. Am reading William Dalrymple’s The White Mughals. What an amazingly researched book and how it bursts so many misconceptions we have about our own history. I didn’t know that the Portuguese came to Goa before the Mughals, did you? I’m enthralled… The book although a narration of real events reads better than any pot boiler… If you haven’t read it try and get hold of it.
Say hello to Niloy, and looking forward to hearing all about his birthday celebration.
Catch you soon
Didi
The Curry Cousins 