Spinach cutlet

Last month I got a very big bunch of red spinach in a deal from the nearby stores. Red spinach is similar to the Indian amaranth (thandu keerai). After making a stir fry the first day, I wanted to try something different and here we got a cutlet.

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1/2 bunch
(any greens is good for this recipe)
fennel -1/2 tsp
boiled potato - 2
red onion - 1
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
salt - as per taste
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
curry masala powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
besan flour- 1/4 cup
maida / AP flour - 2 tbsp
water - 1/4 cup
bread crumb - 1 cup
oil - 2 tbsp per batch.

Method:
Rinse and clean the spinach. Chop it finely.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide wok and add 1/2 tsp fennel seeds.
As fennel gets mild red, add the chopped onion, followed by ginger garlic paste.
Then add the spinach and stir fry for 2 minutes(semi cook).
Let it cool.
Mash the cooked potatoes by hand and add to the spinach.
Then add the salt, red chilly powder, garam masala powder, turmeric. Mix well.
If needed add besan flour little by little to get a soft dough consistency.

Prepare the bread crumbs and set aside on a wide plate. (I make my own breadcrumbs by powdering some bread and leaving them in hot oven / @ 200 F for 10 minutes).
Mix Ap flour with water and keep it in a wide dish.

Heat a pan / tawa with 2 tbsp oil.
Make lemon size ball with the prepared spinach dough, slightly flatten it.
Dip in Ap paste, then in breadcrumb , bring it to oval shape.
Shallow fry both sides in medium heat.

Serving suggestion:

Serve as snack or side dish.
Spinach cutlet with tomato sauce is a good combo.

Green gram salad / chaat

Here is another spicy snack for all of us who crave for a spicy snack in the evening and still want to reduce a few inches:)

Other names: Green gram salad / pachai payaru sundal / moong chaat.

Ingredients:

dry green gram - 1 cup
oil - 1 tsp
hing - a pinch
curry leaf - few
mustard - 1 tsp
cucumber - 1
onion - 1
carrot - 1
tomato - 1
lemon - 1/8 of a fruit
coconut slices - few
salt - to taste.

To grind:

coconut - 2 tbsp
cumin - 1/2 tsp
green chilly - 3

Method:

Soak the green gram for 5 hours and cook till tender (Add water just to immerse the green gram. Bring 1 whistle in a pressure cooker, reduce flame and cook in low flame for 5 minutes). (or) Sprout the soaked green gram overnight and cook in stove top for 10 minutes, till done.
Drain the water, take out the cooked green gram and add required salt.keep aside.
Grind the items given to a coarse mixture. Mix with the cooked green gram.
Heat oil in a small skillet. Let the mustard crackle, add the curry leaf, asafoetida (hing). Squeeze the lemon and pour the tempering over the green gram. Carefully mix.

Before serving finely chop the onion, cucumber, tomato, grated carrot, coconut and add to the green gram. Top with finely chopped cilantro.

Green gram salad is ready!

Serving suggestion:

Serve as snack.
Makes 6 servings.