Spring Rolls - vegetarian

Spring Rolls are mainly used as appetizers in almost every culture. In our culture it is one of the Iftar time delicacies enjoyed along with other items during Ramadan. It can contain a variety of fillings prepared using either meat or fresh vegetables but cooked beforehand and stuffed into spring roll wrappers. Spring Rolls can be steamed, shallow fried or even deep fried. The wrappers - also known as spring roll pastries - are readily available in the supermarkets hence only fillings need to be prepared at home. Here is a quick and easy recipe for crispy vegetable Spring Rolls. Let us start: 

Shallow fried Spring Rolls - homemade

Ingredients - group 1 (for filling) 

Oil: 2 tablespoons

Curry leaves: 4 to 5 Nos. 

Onion: 4 Nos. (finely chopped)

Tomato: 2 Nos. (finely chopped) 

Potatoes: 3 Nos. (chopped)

Cabbage: 2 cups. (chopped)

Bell pepper (capsicum): 1 No. (chopped) 

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tablespoon

Turmeric powder: ¼ tablespoon

Pepper powder: ½ tablespoon

Garam masala powder: ½ tablespoon

Vegetable stock: 1 cube (optional) 

Salt: to taste

Ingredients - group 2 

Spring roll sheets (store bought) 

Maida paste: ½ cup (for binding) 

Ingredients – group 3

Oil: for shallow frying  

Method:  Step by step method for easy cooking

Step 1: Take a frying pan, add oil and heat it.  Add curry leaves, then add finely chopped onions and sauté until it gets golden brown. Then add tomato and continue sautéing for 2 more minutes. Now add finely chopped potatoes and cook till the potatoes are 75% done. Then add rest of the ingredients of group 1 and continue sautéing 10 to 15 minutes to get a yummy masala filling and keep it aside.

Step 2: Now take store bought spring roll sheets, place the masala filling on it in a line near the one corner on the sheet.  Then fold two opposite tips of the sheet over the filling, and then roll to from one corner to the other corner of the sheet.  Apply a little Maida paste to the last corner to stick the last edge firmly. Now the Spring Roll is ready for frying.

Step 3: Shallow fry the finished rolls till they get desired color.  Serve with tomato ketchup, green chutney or any condiments you like. Bon appétit!

This recipe is also published at:

www.coastaldigest.com

Tehri or Aloo Pulao

Tehri is a popular rice dish cooked with the chunks of potatoes.  It is a famous item in the North Indian daily menu and cooked in every household.  Sometimes this delicious rice preparation is also called Aloo Pulao.  There are various ways to prepare this dish, some add seasonal vegetables, carrot chunks, green peas, etc. which makes the dish yummy and colorful too.  Here is a basic recipe; but you can make variations to adjust to your taste buds. 

Tehri (Aloo Pulao) with Raita
Photo: Seema Iqbal 

Ingredients:
1.  Basmati rice: ½ kg. soaked for 30 minutes 

2.  Oil: 3 to 4 tablespoon

3.  Cardamom: 3 Nos. whole

4.  Cloves: 3 Nos. whole

5.  Black peppercorns: 10 Nos.

6.  Cinnamon stick: 1 inch piece

7.  Cumin seeds whole: ¾ tablespoon (optional)

8.  Onion: 2 No. medium size, chopped

9.  Ginger-garlic paste: ¾ tablespoon

10.  Green Chilli: 2 - 3 Nos. chopped

11.  Curry leaves: 10 to 12 Nos.

12.  Red chilli powder: ¾ tablespoon

13.  Turmeric powder: ¼ tablespoon

14.  Salt: to taste

15.  Potatoes: 3 Nos. medium size, cut into chunks

16.  Tomatoes: 2 Nos. chopped

17.  Water: almost double the quantity of rice

18.  Coriander leaves: 1 cup, chopped

Tehri served in Platter
Photo: Seema Iqbal

Step by step method for easy cooking:

Step 1:

Wash and soak rice in water for 20 – 30 minutes.  Keep rest of the ingredients ready and handy.

Step 2:

In a rice pot, heat oil, add whole Garam Masala (ingredient No. 3 to 6), add cumin seeds (optional) and sauté for a minute.  Then add onion and fry until golden brown.  Now add ginger-garlic paste, green chilli, curry leaves, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt (approximately 1 tablespoonful) and sauté them together for a minute.  Now add one cup of water and when it boils add potato chunks and tomatoes and cook until potatoes are 90% done.

Step 3:

Now add rest of the water and bring to boiling point.  Add rice to the boiling water and slow down the flame after two minutes.  Add coriander leaves, mix only once and cover the rice pot.  Let it cook on low flame, which might take approximately 10 - 12 minutes.

Home-cooked Tehri and cucumber raita
Photo: Seema Iqbal

The Tehri or Aloo Pulao is now ready to serve!  Transfer the preparation to serving plate, garnish and serve with any Raita.  Indian pickle is also a good accompaniment for this delicious dish.

Important and useful tips:

1. Using chunks of carrot and some green peas would add to taste and color.

2. You may also add a 2 cubes of Maggi Chicken Stock for excellent result, but if have doubt in finding Halal product you better avoid it.

3. You may also serve cucumber raita, Indian pickle or any gravy as accompaniment.


The recipe of this rice preparation is also published at: 

     1.  www.homemade-chinese-soups.com