Vada Pav

Vada Voom
One of my favorite things to experience when traveling internationally is the street food. In my opinion, it is the best way to learn about a different culture. And, honestly, while a 3-star Michelin restaurant can be amazing, sometimes the snack from the cart on the corner is the best meal you will have.

Except for the NYC hot dog cart, the US doesn’t really have much street food culture. The closest we come would be food trucks. But, in a place like India, street food is unavoidable. I experienced this firsthand when my then fiancé and I spent some time with a good friend and his family in Mumbai.

Not gonna lie, eating the street food made me nervous. But, here’s what I learned from that experience. It is darn near impossible to avoid GI issues when traveling in India—no matter how careful you are. It may be TMI, but you need to be aware. Just go prepared. Preferably with a prescription.

Trust me it’s worth it because the real flavors of India are found on the streets. Except for that life-changing Tandoori crab…but I digress…

Picking a favorite snack, a.k.a chaat is impossible. But, Vada Pav would definitely be in my top 10. Keep in mind, my sample size in India is small, and consists only of Mumbai and Goa. I haven’t had the chance to go everywhere and find more options….yet.

To be frank, there’s a reason you purchase these. It’s a lot of prep and cooking for something that is just a snack. But, while I am sure someone somewhere is making these in the Bay Area, I haven’t been able to find them. So, when I feel a craving coming on, there’s nothing left to do but roll up my sleeves and get to work!

Vada Pav Recipe
Adapted from Chaat by Maneet Chauhan
Yields 4 servings

Vada Pav (a.k.a. Bombay Burger) consists of a deep-fried potato dumpling placed inside a bread bun. Vada is usually accompanied by green and coconut chutneys and fried green chili peppers. Although Vada Pav originated as a street food in Mumbai, it is now served in food stalls and restaurants across India.

Ingredients
For the Vada
3 russet potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for deep-frying
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon hing (asafetida)
4 fresh curry leaves
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri or other red chili powder
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled with a spoon and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
1/2 cup lightly packed finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons chaat masala
Fresh lime juice
1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
1 teaspoon ground coriander

For the Chaat
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 flaky white buns, such as potato or brioche buns
Green Chutney (we recommend Indian Life)
Coconut Chutney, store-bought or homemade
Vada Pav Dry Garlic Chutney
Pan-fried serrano chiles (optional)

Directions
Cook the potatoes
In a saucepan, combine the potatoes and enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until tender (about 15 minutes).

Drain the potatoes, and once they are cool enough to handle, peel them using your fingers (the skin should slide right off). Place the potatoes in a bowl and mash them with a fork until they are still slightly chunky.

Toast the spices
In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until it glistens. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and sauté until they begin to hiss (about 2 minutes). Add the hing, curry leaves, turmeric, chili powder, ginger, and garlic. Sauté, stirring often, until the garlic is tender (about 4 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat. Season with salt and then transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Make the potato mixture
Add the potatoes, cilantro, and chaat masala to the spice mixture in the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated. Season the mixture with lime juice and salt to taste.

Form the patties
Form the potato mixture into four 2-inch balls and arrange them on a plate in a single layer. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside at room temperature.

Make the chickpea batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and enough water (begin with 1/4 cup) to form a paste resembling a thick cake batter. It should not be runny. Stir in the coriander and season with salt.

Fry the vada
Line a plate with paper towels to absorb the oil.

Pour 5 inches of oil into a deep heavy-bottomed pot and heat the oil to 350°F on an instant-read thermometer. Dredge the potato balls in the chickpea batter until they are well-coated. Shake to remove any excess.

Using a slotted spoon, gently lower a vada into the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides (about 4 to 6 minutes). Turn the patty with the spoon as it fries to ensure even cooking and browning. Transfer the vada to the paper towels to drain and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining vada.

Fry the serrano chiles
Fry the serene chiles (if using) in a pan with a little oil until they begin to blister (about 3 to 4 minutes),

Assemble the chaat
In a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Split the buns and place them in the pan, interior-side down. Fry the buns until they are a light golden brown (about 1 minute). Place one bun with the interior sides facing up, on each of the four plates. Slather both sides of the bun with green chutney, then spoon coconut chutney on top.

Place a vada on the bottom bun and top with fried chiles (if using). Serve with additional chutneys on the side.

Amy’s Tzatziki

Spin Cycle
My sister’s washing machine blew up a few weeks ago, which is never good. Besides the inconvenience of not being able to wash your clothes, she now has to deal with getting the repair person out, having them figure out what’s going on, and all the rest of the hassle. The good news is that she lives five minutes from me which is so much better than the laundromat. And, it is why we found ourselves having a throwback Sunday family dinner while she did a few loads of laundry.

Growing up, Sunday nights meant dinner at my grandmother’s house—which I loved and hated at the same time. I loved having dinner with my grandparents because the food was fantastic. But, I almost always was dragged kicking and screaming. I didn’t want to stop playing out in front of our house with my friends, not to mention having to shower and put on decent clothes.

Anyway, when I got the call from my sister asking to use my washing machine, I immediately started planning for a Sunday dinner a la Gammy which meant some sort of roasted beast. I opted for a leg of lamb. Now, a leg of lamb isn’t cheap. And, normally it wouldn’t be my first choice. But, I had ulterior motives.

I knew that a leg of lamb would be too much for the number of people eating. But, I also knew that the leftovers would be great the next night wrapped in warm pita bread with tomatoes, sliced onions, and one of my favorite things in the whole world, tzatziki.

I love tzatziki and have been known to have just that with some fresh pita slices for dinner. You can buy pre-made tzatziki from the store and it will be tasty. But, it is so worth the minor effort it takes to make it fresh. Plus you have the opportunity to customize it to your liking. I go pretty heavy on the garlic. Thankfully, my husband likes it that way too. Otherwise, we would be sleeping in different bedrooms because of lingering garlic breath…

Amy’s Tzatziki recipe is good on so many things like lamb meatballs, kababs, and sandwiches. Use it as a veggie dip or chip dip. Any way you can think of to get some in your mouth will work. Bonus…because it’s made with yogurt, tzatziki is pretty good for you, too.

Amy’s Tzatziki Recipe
Yields 4 to 6 servings

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip or sauce made from simple ingredients that are both tangy and garlicky. It is made from yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, lemon, and sometimes fresh herbs. A full-fat Greek yogurt works well in this quick-to-prepare recipe. Read more…

Weeknight Focaccia

Stippling the dough for our Weeknight Focaccia recipe

A few weeks ago, I made focaccia for dinner on a Tuesday night. Normally, this would be impossible due to time constraints. But I found a Weeknight Focaccia recipe in my cookbook, Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between. This makes it not only possible but pretty easy. It does however require some planning.

Fresh focaccia is one of those things that I just can’t stop eating. And, when I found myself with way too many tomatoes, I figured this would be a good way to use them. I sliced them thin and, after brushing the focaccia with olive oil, I layered them on top with a sprinkle of fresh Italian herbs and some salt before baking. The results made for an amazing mid-week dinner that I paired with a giant salad.

I started the dough on Sunday evening and left it in my fridge until I was ready to use it Tuesday night. You could easily use the dough the next day but the longer stay in the fridge gives the dough a little more time to ferment which gives it more flavor. 48 hours is the max though.

For those who are not tomato fans, you could leave the focaccia plain and sprinkle it with flaky sea salt for crunch, or, my personal favorite, thinly slice some fresh leeks and toss them in a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper then layer them on top before baking. The smell of your kitchen alone would be worth it.

Weeknight Focaccia Recipe
Adapted from Savory Baking: Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between.
Yields one 13″ x 18″ sheet pan

This easy-to-prepare bread is chewy, a bit crispy, and wonderfully fluffy. It is great for splitting to make sandwiches and heavenly with a salad and a bowl of soup.

The Weeknight Focaccia dough mixes up fast. And, you can form it in a variety of shapes and sizes. Here we have chosen to use a sheet pan. And, note that the bread needs to rise in the fridge anywhere from overnight to 48 hours—you choose. The longer it rises the more flavorful the loaf. Read more…

Brie Toasts with Bacon Plum Jam

The Evolution of the Crawdad Lunch
In our family, we have a phenomenon known as the Crawdad Lunch. Crawdad Lunch does not, in fact, include any crawfish. Crawdad Lunch was born on the shores of Lake Tahoe when my nephews and my kids refused to come back to the beach to eat a sandwich because they couldn’t tear themselves away from fishing for crawdads off the pier.

An authentic Crawdad Lunch consists of salami, crackers (usually Ritz or Wheat Thins), and some sort of sliced cheese. On a good day, some fruit would have also been consumed. But, you know how that goes.

The Crawdad Lunch has evolved over the years. But, each and every kid still eats it to this day—parents too. The Ritz crackers will make the occasional appearance. But, lately, all the components have become more sophisticated. Though let’s be real, a lot of what goes into making the perfect crawdad lunch depends on what you have on hand.

Salami is still a staple. But, prosciutto, Coppa, or even a lovely little country pate will work. The sliced cheese has graduated from your basic Colby Jack to some tangy Irish Dubliner, a nutty Toma, or a creamy Brie. Bonus points if you get the snack-sized Brie. Fresh mozzarella is also a great choice. Fruit or veggies are no longer optional. I like the crunch of grapes or apples, but cold cucumber slices or carrots can bring the same satisfaction.

Lately, I have been adding some spreads to my crawdad lunch. Sometimes a little fig jam and other times a little pepper relish, or, my favorite, some pimiento cheese. Essentially, Crawdad Lunch is your own personal charcuterie board. And, I love me a good charcuterie board. Crawdad Lunch is just how I justify not sharing….

This recipe for Brie Toasts with Bacon Plum Jam is easily adapted for a Crawdad Lunch. You can slice some brie and put it on a slice of toasted baguette or a cracker. Or, for the truly unapologetic cheese lover, just dollop a little bit of the jam on the brie bites and shove it all in your mouth…heaven!

Brie Toasts with Bacon Plum Jam Recipe
Adapted from Taste of Home
Yields about 30 toasts Read more…