South Indian Dahi Vada
These spicy Indian “donuts” make a great appetizer or snack. They are served with spiced yogurt.
1/2 cup split black lentils – uraad dal
1/2 cup green lentils – moong dal
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
1 medium green chile, finely diced
1 cup Oil for frying
1/4 cup Milk
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper – to taste
1 cup Yogurt – plain
6 small Curry leaves – finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger root – crushed
Clean dal, wash and soak in water for 4 hours. Blend in blender at medium speed using minimum water to keep paste moving freely. Add salt, cumin, and chilies.
Then start heating the oil, it needs to be quite hot. Drop large spoonfuls of batter into your hand. Form in traditional “donut” shape. Fry till golden brown. Drop fried Vadas in water. Let it soak 3 to 4 minutes or until ready to serve. Beat yogurt with milk. Add pepper, curry leaves, and ginger according to taste.
Some people add mint or mango chutney to this as well. If you prefer it sweeter add a bit of Stevia. Squeeze out water from the vada and pour spiced yogurt over the top.
Garnish with cilantro leaves and some shredded carrot.
Makes about 12 dumplings and about 1 1/2 cups if sauce.
- Jack
Mexican Appetizers
1 pkg. lg. size flour tortillas
(Recipe makes enough to cover 6 shells)
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. mild chunky salsa
1/4 c. chopped green onion
1/2 tsp. garlic salt or powder
equivalent
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 c. finely chopped black olives (optional)
Remove tortillas from refrigerator. Combine cream cheese, salsa, green onion, garlic salt and chili powder. (Add black olives if desired.) Spread thin layer of mixture on tortilla. Tightly roll up tortilla. Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate. To serve, cut into 1 inch slices and set out with extra salsa for dipping.
- Star
Bagel Chips
1 cinnamon-raisin bagel
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bagel in thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick. Set slices on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Serves/Makes : 1-2
Experiment with other flavors of bagels.
- JennTinySam
Antojitos Appetizers
4 (12 inch) flour tortillas
3 ounces shredded white Cheddar cheese
3 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tomato, diced
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/8 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup black beans, drained
2 tablespoons hot salsa
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease two 12 cup muffin pans. Cut each tortilla into 6 smaller round pieces. Insert the pieces into the muffin tin cups. Arrange the white Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, Cheddar cheese, tomato, red bell pepper, green onions, black beans, hot salsa and chili powder in the cups as desired. Bake in the preheated oven 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheeses are lightly browned and bubbly.
- JennTinySam
Fried Cheese Sticks
4 oz mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese)
1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated
1 whole egg, beaten
2 c olive oil1-Cut the string cheeses in half
2-Dip into the beaten egg and then coat with parmesan cheese
3-Fry in oil until browned
You can also use the same method substituting mushrooms, zucchini slices etc.
- Mom2Sam Tiny
