Chili Cheese Toast

Chili cheese toast is a beloved breakfast/ snack item in India. It’s really easy – you can make the cheese mixture ahead of time and keep it in the fridge to use at will. It’s better to use breads that are  a little denser as those wonderful holey, light and airy breads will have the cheese seeping right through when you toast them up. You can use any cheese – I use mozzarella or a Mexican blend but in India we use Amul cheese grated and that works fine too.

My favorite sauce to eat with cheese toasts with is Maggi Hot and Sweet Tomato Chili Sauce (can be found in any Indian grocery store) but regular ketchup or tabasco works really well too.

Chicken Kathi Rolls

There are many different kinds of Kathi rolls and ways I make them but these are the ones that we grew up eating in my mother’s kitchen in India . The chicken filling recipe is really easy and tastes better if you marinate it overnight or for a few hours at least. 

For the roti (wrap) part you can make your own (which I never do) or use any ready made medium sized tortillas or rotis.  You can choose to add the egg or skip it but let me tell you that my favorite kathis are always the ones where the egg on the roti is doubled!

This recipe has multiple steps to it but is actually quite easy. 

Gobhi Samosas ( Cauliflower)

Samosas have got to be the perkiest snacks one can have in the Indian snacks echelon. Nothing brightens ones day as much as a hot, crispy, spicy samosa with a hot cup of tea (esp. on a rainy day).

 Traditionally samosas are made with potatoes but on can stuff them with just about any filling. Here is a cauliflower version we make in my mother’s kitchen.

 

Mushroom Samosas

Samosas have got to be the perkiest snacks one can have in the Indian snacks echelon. Nothing brightens ones day as much as a hot, crispy, spicy samosa with a hot cup of tea (esp. on a rainy day).

 Traditionally samosas are made with potatoes but one can stuff them with just about any filling. Here is a mushroom version we make in my mother’s kitchen.

 

 

Mutton Cutlets

Mutton cutlets are a really popular dish in India. The meat can be substituted by anything from chicken to beef. Here is a super easy recipe for yummy cutlets from my mother’s kitchen.

 

Green Mint Chutney

I love mint chutney. You can eat it with virtually anything and it is so healthy. Here is a really yummy recipe for a really zesty chutney.

Munni Bua’s Gol Guppas with Khaccha Aam ka Pani (Raw Mango Water)

My Bua makes amazing golguppas which is one my favorite Indian street foods. Having been born in Kolkatta I was very spoiled by the very best golguppas, which were available on every street corner. There is nothing like standing in front of a golguppawala, holding a tiny bowl made out of dried leaves in your hands and having him dole out these fiery little missives, one by one, until you tell him to stop.

I like my golguppa pani (water) spicy and sour. If you would like to make it sweeter just add a few teaspoons of tamarind chutney to temper the flavors.

Here is my Bua’s recipe…
 
 

 

Aloo Tikki ( Indian Potato Cutlets)

Potatoes make for the ultimate comfort foods in many cultures. Aloo tikki is a very popular street food in India. It is our version of a potato pancake. There are many ways of eating tikki’s . You can have it plain with mint chutney, with channa or in chaat.

Here is the recipe for how we make tikkis in my moms kitchen.
 

 

Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji translates to bread eaten with cooked vegetables. This is a very popular Indian street food which is beyond delicious. There is nothing that spells home than a hot buttered pav slathered with some spicy bhaji. I like to top mine with finely chopped onions, lime juice and green chilies.
 
 

 
 

Hara Bhara Kabab (Spinach and Lentil Kababs)

Literally translated Hara Bhara Kabab means green stuffed kabab. This is a wonderful vegetarian version of the shammi kabab made with spinach and lentils, this makes for a really wholesome, healthy snack.