All Things Fried

The monsoon air lures us to cheat on that diet, to bite into some lip smacking fried foods, accompanied by a cutting chai. Phorum Dalal scouted restaurants, hotels and asked food bloggers to surprise us with recipes, some with delicious twists, to complement Mumbai's much-awaited rains
Bhajia with a Thai twist
Food blogger Nikhil Merchant
Pic/Satyajit DesaiIngredients:
1 stalk lemongrass
2 green chillies
1 small onion (sliced)
4-5 cloves garlic
1" galangal
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves & stems
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
5 Tbsp coconut milk soaked with kaffir lime leaves
1 Tbsp soya sauce (Kikkoman brand)
2 tsp kaffir lime rind (chopped)
1 tsp brown sugarMethod:
Blend the soaked moong dal without water or very little water to a thick pasty consistency.
Dry roast the masala on a tawa till fragrant and pound to a coarse powder. You may give it a quick whizz in the mixer but do not blend to a complete powder.
For the Thai green curry paste, blend all the ingredients in a blender (adding more coconut milk if required to make it into a thick paste). This curry paste can be stored in the freezer for upto 6 months.
Spoon in the Thai curry paste to the blended moong dal, toss in the khada masala (adjust salt to taste).
Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel till hot Take a small spoon and drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil a little apart from each other. Fry till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve hot with Thai sweet sesame sauce.
Smoked Scarmorza en Carozza
Recipe by bonobo Chef Sandeep Sonwane
Photo Courtesy/BonoboIngredients:
90 gm smoked scamorza cheese
6 pcs white bread, sliced
4-5 pcs fresh basil leaves
100 gm cherry tomato puree
1 bulb garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to tasteMethod:
Divide the cheese into 3 pieces of 30gm each.
Trim the edges off the bread slices and place the cheese pieces between two slices and press to cover all around.
You may cover these in flour with beer, soda or egg.
For the marinara sauce, puree the cherry tomatoes and pass the puree through a fine sieve for a smooth consistency.
Saute the garlic in olive oil and add the puree and salt and pepper to taste.
Fry some whole basil leaves and set aside.
To serve, plate the marinara sauce in the serving dish in 3 circles and place the smoked scamorza parcels on top.
Add more marinara sauce above the parcels and top with a fried basil leaf on each parcel as garnish. Serve hot.
Beer battered onion rings and mushroom
Recipe by Woodside Inn Chef Subhash Shirke
Pic/Bipin KokateIngredients:
120 gm large mushrooms (cut into quarters)
150 gm large onion rings
250 ml beer
30 gm refined flour
1 Tbsp salt
A pinch of black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
80 ml refined oil
1 gm barbecue powder salt
5 gm lemon mayonnaise

Method:
Prepare the batter by combining beer, refined flour, salt, black pepper and chopped parsley. Mix thoroughly.
Dip the mushrooms and onion rings in the batter ensuring that they are coated well.
Deep fry the mushrooms and onion rings in well-heated oil till they turn golden.
Sprinkle barbecue powder salt on after frying, ensuring that all pieces are coated evenly.
Serve hot with lemon mayonnaise.
Chilli de norte
JW Marriott Chef Suresh Thampy
Pic/Nimesh DaveIngredients:
1.2 kg potatoes, peeled and halved
80 gm (1 cup) coarsely grated cheddar
200 ml thickened cream
2 Tbsp drained sliced jalapeno chillies and coarsely choppedMethod:
Place the potato in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.
Cover and bring to the boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium until the potato is tender.
Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Use an electric beater on low speed to beat the potato until creamy Add cheese, cream and chilly, and stir until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Onion bhajias
Recipe by Veda Chef Mujeeb Quereshi
Pic/Sunil TiwariIngredients:
1/2 tsp carom seeds
2 large onions, sliced
1/2 crust coriander
1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 tsp soda powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 kasoori methi
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Cold water
 Oil for fryingMethod:
Mix flour, soda powder, chilli powder, fennel seed, cumin seed, turmeric, and salt. Use crushed seeds.
Add sliced onions, chopped cilantro and kasoori methi to the above mixture.
Add cold water to make a thick batter. Coat the onions.
Deep fry the pakodas in hot oil at 350 degrees, fry on each side until golden brown.
Badi mirch ka pakora
Veda Chef Mujeeb Quereshi
Pic/Sunil TiwariIngredients:
12 big green chillies
1 large potatoes
1.tsp fried onion
1/2 tsp chat masala
1 tsp dry pomegranate
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 to taste salt
1 tsp mango powder
12 roasted gram flour
1/2 tsp teaspoon red chilly powder
1/2 tsp teaspoon carom seeds
1/2 tsp soda powder
Oil for fryingMethod:
Mix boiled potato with chat masala, fried onions, dry pomegranate seeds, dry mango powder and salt.
Stuff big green chillies with the potato mixture.
Combine gram flour, chilli powder, turmeric powder, carom seeds, soda powder salt and water (as required) in a bowl to form a thick batter.
Heat oil in a wok at 350 degree.
Dip green chillies into the above prepared batter.
Deep fry in the hot oil.
Serve hot with tamarind sauce.
Crispy homemade chicken nuggets with cheese
Woodside Inn Chef Subhash Shirke
Pic/Bipin KokateIngredients:
180 gm minced chicken
50 gm mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp salt
A pinch of pepper
1 Tbsp fresh oregano
30 gm fresh basil
Corn flakes (as coating)
Bread crumbs (as coating)
80 ml refined oil
5 gm hot garlic dip (in a dip bowl)Method:
Combine chicken mince with salt, pepper, fresh oregano and basil and stuff it with mozzarella cheese Make balls out of the mince.
Coat the balls with breadcrumbs and cornflakes.
Deep fry the balls in well heated refined oil.
Serve hot with hot garlic dip.