Street style frankie

Ingredients

 

4 chapatis or rotis (or whole wheat tortillas)

 

1 egg beaten with a little water, add 1 tbsp of finely minced cilantro leaves

 

2-3 tbsp of freshly chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

 

1 small onion, thinly sliced

 

2-3 small Thai green chilies, finely chopped (to taste)

 

1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

 

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely minced

 

½ tsp turmeric

 

1 tsp cumin powder

 

¼ tsp red chili powder, to taste

 

1 tsp chaat masala (easily available at any Indian grocery store)

 

juice of ½ lime

 

salt & pepper, to taste

 

2-3 tbsp oil (vegetable or canola)

   

FOR THE FILLING:

 

Vegetables: you can use an assortment of your favorite vegetables such as colorful bell peppers, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini,snow peas, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, tender young green beans (haricot vert), sweet corn, peas…

 

Paneer: 2 cups of paneer cubes, small dice

 

Chicken: 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite size pieces

 

Shrimp: 1 lb of small size shrimp (peeled, de-veined and tail removed)

How to make Mumbai Frankie

Vegetables: 

Trim and cut the vegetables into small bite size pieces (squash, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms) or into julienne strips (carrots or bell peppers). 

In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the snow peas, green beans and sugar snap peas for just 1 minute. Quickly remove and drop into an ice bath. 

This will set their lovely green color and stop the cooking process. Drain well, pat dry and set aside until needed. 

In a large wok on high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. When hot, add the onion and stir fry until just barely softened. Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies.

 Next, add all of the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). Add the vegetables in batches, adding the vegetables that take the longest to cook first.

 Stir fry until all the vegetables have been just slightly cooked but still crisp. Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside until needed. 

Paneer: 

In a large wok on high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. When hot, add the onion and stir fry until just barely softened. 

Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Next, add all of the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). 

Add the paneer cubes and toss. You can also add your favorite vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside until needed. 

Chicken: 

In a large wok on medium high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. 

When hot, add the onion and stir fry until just barely softened. Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Next, add all of the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). 

Add the chicken and toss. Stir fry for a few more minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through. You can also add your favorite vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes. 

Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside until needed. 

Shrimp: 

In a large wok on high heat, add 2 tbsp oil. When hot, add the onion and stir fry until just barely softened. 

Then add the garlic, ginger and green chilies. Next, add all of the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, red chili powder, chaat masala, salt and pepper). 

Add the shrimp and toss. Stir fry for a few more minutes until the shrimp is just barely cooked. 

Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. You can also add your favorite vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes. Add the lime juice and a little of the freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Mix well and set aside until needed. 

FRANKIE ASSEMBLY: 

In a large skillet on medium low heat, add ½ tbsp of oil and add the chapati (or paratha or tortilla). Liberally brush the egg wash onto the chapati and flip.

 Let cook for a few minutes and brush the egg wash on the other side, flip again and cook for 1-2 minutes. 

Remove the chapati to a clean cutting board and let cool slightly. Add a few table spoons of the filling and roll into a cigar shape. Gently reheat the filling if necessary. 

Repeat the process for the rest of the chapatis. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves and serve with your favorite chutneys and sauces. 

Brinjal curry with tamarind leaves

Ingredients: 
300g - tender brinjal (vankaya)
100g - tender tamarind leaves (or a little more) (chintha chiguru in telugu)
Salt
2 tbsp - oil 
2 - onions, medium, cut into small pieces
2 - green chillies, cut into small pieces
1 tsp - red chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric powder


Method

1. Cut brinjal into 1 to 1&1/2 inch cubes and keep them in salted water.
2. Heat oil, add onions, green chilli and garlic, fry till the onion turns pink & soft.
3. Add brinjal pieces, turmeric, red chilli powder and salt.
4. Fry for 2 min, sprinkle some water, cook with lid for 3 to 4 min or till the brinjal becomes tender.
5. Now add coarse paste of tender tamarind leaves and a little water.
6. Mix well and cook covered till raw smell of tamarind goes and both brinjal and paste blend well.
7. Remove from fire, serve with hot plain rice with a little desi ghee.

Tip: If necessary you can add some water to make a gravy as the curry should not be dry. Grind leaves in a blender and run for a sec to get coarse paste.

Aloo Patties

Ingredients:

- 5 boiled potatoes
- ¼ coconut
- 50gms kishmish
- 50gms cashew nuts
- Salt
- Black pepper powder
- Oil for frying

Method:

- Boil the potatoes and peel the skin if the potatoes.
- Mash it and add grated coconut, kishmish (raisins ) and cashew nuts, salt and black pepper powder in the mixture.
- Mix all the ingredients well.
- Take one drop of oil on both the palms and make small round balls of this mixture.
- Heat oil in a pan and once the oil get heated put these balls in the pan for frying.
- Fry it on medium flame so that it properly gets cooked from within.
- Remove the balls from the pan once they become golden brown in color.

The aloo patties are ready to eat.

Thotakura Bonda

Ingredients: 
125g - thotakura
250g - besan/gramflour
2 tbsp - rice flour
4-5 - green chillies,very finely chopped
1 - onion, medium, chopped fine
Salt
Oil for deep frying
2 pinches - baking soda
1/2 inch - ginger, chopped fine
2 tsp - chopped coriander leaves

Method

1. Clean and wash thotakura leaves and very tender stalks.
2. Chop them fine, keep aside.
3. Mix all the ingredients (except oil) and add greens, prepare a thick batter.
4. Drop lemon-sized balls into hot oil and fry on medium flame till light golden in colour.
5. Remove them on to a paper napkin to absorb excess oil.
6. Serve the bonda with any chutney/tomato sauce as evening snack/starter.