Vegetarian Fish Fingers

Here is a recipe from my random Army cookery classes conducted by senior ladies for newbies like me who were stuck at pakoras and potato wafers and could not make another snack to save their lives.
We were first fed these at the lady's house and then taught how to make them so that we were motivated to learn them and actually try them out.
This became a favourite over time and was made again and again for the frequent parties that we hosted for friends and family.

Ingredients:
1 glass diluted milk (3/4 milk and 1/4 water is ok)
1/2 glass of dry roasted suji (semolina made from wheat)
4 cloves garlic minced fine
1 cup of grated processed cheese
Salt and pepper to taste.
Oil to grease the tray and to deep fry

Method:
Heat milk in a pan, preferably in a karhai.
When it becomes quite hot but is not boiling yet, add the dry roasted suji slowly, mixing well to ensure there are no lumps.
Add the garlic, salt ,pepper and cheese too.
Keep stirring till you get a mass in the pan.
Put it into a greased plate or thali. smooth the surface with a small bowl or spatula so that there is an even layer about 3/4 inch thick all around.
Let it cool.
Cut into fingers. Remove from the plate.
Deep fry in hot oil till a beautiful pink.
Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve with tomato sauce and green chutney.

This quantity is enough to fill one large plate and serve 4-6.


Variation: If you want to make a healthier version, brush them with some oil and bake in an OTG till light pink/brown.

I promise everyone will ask you what went into these.



Sorry, no photo available. It was easier to remember the recipe and write it all down rather than actually make it. Send me the pictures of the end product and I will post their links here. :)

Home-made pizza

Home-made pizza

Hot Pizza from one's own kitchen can be just as tempting, tasty and satisfying as the ordered one.
It is quite simple to make and gives one the choice to add or not add things as per one's taste.

Ingredients:
Pizza base (bought from the market)

For pizza sauce:
Tomatoes- two large or three medium sized
Onion- one cut in small pieces
Capsicum- one cut in small pieces
Garlic- four large cloves or eight smaller ones peeled and crushed
Any oil or butter as per your choice a few tea spoons

For toppings:
One onion cut round and separated into rings
One capsicum (green, yellow, red as per availability and your choice) cut into rings after de-seeding
some fresh corn kernels, baby corn cut length wise or in roundels
Two mushrooms cut as per preference
Non vegetarians can use shredded cooked chicken, salami or whatever else is available or desired.

A large piece of processed cheese Amul/Verka/Mother dairy or whatever you can find easily.
Grate the cheese. About half a cup but you can vary this quantity as per your wish.

Method:
For Sauce:
Heat a pan and add two spoons of oil/butter in it. Add the onions and saute till transparent, add the garlic, small cut capsicum and stir for a minute or so.
Add the three tomatoes cut small. Add salt to taste. Stir  well and cover. Cook on low gas for a few minutes till tomatoes are cooked.
If you want a smooth sauce blend it in the mixer. I prefer the sauce to be chunky plus it is less work so I let it be as it is.
You may want to add a spoonful of tomato sauce to it to improve color and spread-ability. (No such word I know but you get the idea. No?)

Heat the oven at 160 degrees.
 (It depends on your oven and what works best it in. Generally, the oven should be medium hot. I made this in a round oven but an OTG works out better for pizza. Microwaves generally produce anemic looking pizzas.)

Grease a baking tray.
Put one pizza base on it. Brush it very lightly with olive oil/butter/refined oil.)
Spread the home made pizza sauce on it. The quantities mentioned above are enough for two medium sized pizza bases.
Arrange the rings of onions, capsicum, mushrooms, baby corn, and other ingredients as per your wish.
Sprinkle grated cheese on top.
Put the tray in the oven.
Bake for about fifteen minutes. Keep checking (from outside) to see that it does not get burnt.
Ideally the cheese should melt and ooze around and the base should look nicely toasted/brown where it is visible near the edges.

Remove from the oven.
Sprinkle oregano, chilli flakes or black pepper  if that is what you like.

Cut into wedges with a round pizza knife or whatever knife works best for you.
Eat while it is still hot.

Be proud of yourself for having done it all at home.
Experiment with the toppings and sauce as you gain confidence.

There are no rules here. Just do your own thing.

P.S: 1.If you can manage to get bread dough from a local bakery, use that as the pizza base. Cooking time will be more then.
2. If pizza base is not available, use bread slices as the base. It tastes great plus has the advantage that you can use Atta bread or brown bread.
Enjoy!

Another home style version