Been there, done that, stayed for dinner

Every now and again I crave the food swaddled most deeply within my memories. They aren’t always meals I’ve eaten multiple times. Sometimes they’re the ones closely tethered to people, emotions and of course, to taste. They are edible memories preserved through senses and relationships.

A sherbet fountain from my parent’s sweet shop, my late father-in-law’s Sunday morning bhajiya, the caramel buttercream in my wedding cake and the takeaway pizza I devoured in my hospital bed after my son was born.

One deep inhale and I’m right back there; A little girl picking candy from a shelf, a daughter-in-law (to be) trying to make a good impression, a beaming bride and a terrified new mother.

Memories of Masala Chips

Masala chips for supper were somewhat of a tradition in our family when I was growing up. Once every two or three months, my dad would pick up a bag of red potatoes to make these for us all. He would lock up the shop and come upstairs to take over the kitchen with the clattering of multiple pots and pans.

My brother would drown his chips in ketchup and I would prefer mine on the dry side. Dad has always had a penchant for hot food so he would add chillies and my mum chose to eat them as they came. In their own way, these Masala Chips represent paternal love and the warmth of knowing I have a father who has always shown up, no matter how tired.

What are the best potatoes for making Masala Chips?

Any floury variety of potato is ideal for making masala chips. In the UK, both King Edward and Maris Piper are excellent choices. I used King Edward potatoes for this recipe.

Do I have to peel the potatoes?

Not at all. If you like skin-on chips, don’t peel the potatoes.

How should I cut my potatoes?

Use a sharp knife or a chip slicer to cut the potatoes. I love the rustic feel of hand-cut chips (this is how I grew up eating them). The chips can be as thick or as thin as you like, just make sure they are all roughly similar in thickness so they cook evenly. Thin chips will take less time to cook compared to thick-cut chips. Adjust the cooking time to suit the cut of your chips. Mine were neither thick, nor thin so the timings mentioned in my recipe are an average.

Why do you soak the potatoes in cold water?

Once cut, the potatoes need to be kept in a bowl of cold water. We do this for two reasons:

1. The water helps to remove excess starch from the surface of the potatoes (so they don’t stick together during the cooking process).

2. To stop the potatoes from oxidising (turning brown). The cold water keeps them crisp and fresh until you’re ready to cook. You can slice the potatoes a few hours ahead of when they’re needed and keep them in a bowl of cold water (refrigerated).

Masala Chips & Vegan Avocado Mayo: Is it vegan?

My easy from-scratch recipe is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Masala Chips & Vegan Avocado Mayo: Is it gluten free?

No. However, this recipe can be made gluten free by simply leaving out the asafoetida in the sauce, or by using a wheat-free compounded asafoetida instead. This recipe is also free from soy. Ensure the vegan mayo you use is free from any applicable allergens before using.

Can I use frozen chips/French fries to make masala chips?

Absolutely. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make Masala Chips at home, bake or air fry frozen chips/fries according to the package instructions. Make the sauce according to the recipe and toss with the cooked chips for an easy frying-free version of these Masala Chips.

Ingredients you’ll need to make Masala Chips & Vegan Avocado Mayo

• Floury variety of potato, such as King Edward or Maris Piper (UK)
• Oil
• Tomato passata (sieved tomatoes from a jar, can or carton)
• Lemon juice
• Asafoetida
• Chilli powder
• Black salt or chaat masala
• Ground cumin
• Ground coriander
• Garlic powder
• Sugar
• Fresh coriander
• Spring onions
• Lime wedges
• Large, ripe avocados (I used Hass)
• Vegan mayo of your choice
• Lime juice
• Black pepper
• Salt

Print

Masala Chips & Vegan Avocado Mayo

The ultimate recipe for Masala Chips & Vegan Avocado Mayo. Made from homemade chips and the perfect blend of Indian-style masalas. Serve them with my smooth and creamy avocado mayo for a vegan take on this street food favourite.

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword avocado, chips, french fries, fries, masala, vegan

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the chips

• 1 kg floury potatoes such as King Edward
• 2 L oil for deep frying (I used rapeseed but you can use sunflower, vegetable or any with a high smoke point)

For the masala sauce

• 400 g tomato passata (you can also use a can of chopped tomatoes, blended)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp asafoetida
• 1 tsp chilli powder or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• Chopped coriander to garnish
• Spring onions to garnish
• Lime wedges to serve

For the avocado mayo

• 2 large ripe avocados
• 3 tbsp vegan mayo
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions

To make the avocado mayo

• Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to add a splash of water if the blender is struggling to process the ingredients. Add no more than 2 tbsp water.

To make the sauce for the masala chips

• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan. Add the asafoetida, chilli powder, garlic powder, ground cumin and ground coriander. Sauté for a moment and then stir in the tomatoes, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Cover and simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To make the chips

• Peel the potatoes and slice into chip-sized batons, as large or as small as you like. Mine were about 2cm in width. Place the sliced potatoes in a large bowl of cold water to remove excess starch and stop the potatoes turning brown.
• When you’re ready to fry, place the uncooked chips on a clean, dry tea towel and pat well to absorb all the water. Ensure you do this thoroughly as they need to be dry or the oil will spit and crackle.
• In a deep pan, heat the oil to 160°C/320°F. The chips should bubble gently in the oil. Deep fry the chips in small batches until softened, about 70% cooked and still pale in colour (this should take about 4 minutes per batch). Remove from the oil with a perforated spoon to drain away excess oil. Place the chips on a plate.
• Increase the temperature of the oil to 200°C/400°F. The chips should sizzle much more than the first frying. Fry the chips in small batches until golden all over (this should take about 4-5 minutes per batch). Place on a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
• Place the chips in a bowl and add the masala chip sauce. Toss gently, taking care not to break the chips. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander and spring onions. Serve with the avocado mayo.

Video

Notes

If using frozen chips or French fries, cook according to the package instructions (in the oven or in an airfyer) and toss in the prepared masala chips sauce.

Pin it for later!

If you like these, you’ll love my recipe for Paneer Tikka

Love Sanjana

The post Masala Chips & Vegan Avocado Mayo appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

The batter is puffy, light and packed with spices reminiscent of bhajia – a super popular Indian starter. Like fish tacos, the bite-sized vegetables are coated and fried until golden and crispy. It’s best to do this right before serving so they’re hot and delicious for your vegan tacos.Packed with lime, garlic and yoghurt, the creamy sauce is perfectly balanced to douse any heat from the fried green chillies. It’s so tempting to eat it right from the blender with a spoon or maybe some tortilla chips. A crunchy salad of radish, red onion, lime and a few spices tops these tacos off beautifully. The contrast of the hearty fried veggies and fresh salad, lettuce, fruity pineapple chutney and crunchy toasted cashews is so dreamy. Even non-vegans will feel like they’ve eaten a filling meal.

The pineapple chutney is a lovely way to round off the sharp flavours in the dish. It’s quick, easy and perfect not only with these tacos, but also with Jalebi Paratha. Don’t be alarmed by the long list of ingedients here. Most of the prep is super simple and just assembling or blending. The only actual cooking is of the cauliflower and broccoli. The chutney can even be made up to a week in advance. Just store it in the fridge.So this year, take some time to sit around the table with your family and friends and enjoy a meal that was made for sharing.  This one certainly was. Vegan Masala Cauliflower and Broccoli Tacos With Avocado and Coriander Sauce

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

500g mixed cauliflower and broccoli, broken into small florets
10 small green chillies, pierced (these will be fried too)
12 mini corn or wheat flour tortillas
Shredded lettuce, to serve
Toasted cashew nuts, to serve
Oil for deep frying

For the Batter:

100g chickpea flour
100g plain flour
2 tsp coarse semolina
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
240ml ice-cold sparkling water
1 tsp finely-chopped ginger

For the Avocado and Coriander Sauce:

2 large ripe avocados
2 tbsp non-dairy plain yoghurt or regular plain yoghurt if you’re not vegan
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 medium clove garlic
¼ tsp salt
Juice of 1 lime

For the Radish and Red Onion Salad:

1 medium red onion, sliced finely
200g radishes, sliced finely
Handful chopped coriander
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp toasted nigella (kalonji seeds)

For the Pineapple Chutney:

500g pineapple (fresh, canned or frozen)
1 large onion, chopped finely
100g sugar
Juice of 2 limes
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly-ground mace
1 star anise
1 tsp nigella (kalonji seeds)

Method

1. To make the avocado and coriander sauce, blend all the ingredients together until super-smooth and creamy. Set aside.

2. To make the pineapple chutney, coarsely-blend the pineapple. Place into a large, non-stick pan with the sugar, lime juice, salt and onion. Cook on a medium heat, stirring frequently until thick and all the water has evaporated. This can take up to 40 minutes. Finally, add the mace, kalonji and star anise. Fill into a sterilized jar and set aside.

3. To make the radish and red onion salad, toss all the ingredients together and set aside.

4. To make the fried cauliflower and broccoli, place the vegetables in a microwave-safe plate with a splash of water and cook on high power for 3 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

5. To make the batter, mix together all the ingredients and whisk until you get a not-too-thick batter. If it’s too thick, add a little more sparkling water.

6. Heat around 4 inches of oil in a tall pan or wok. Let it reach 180 degrees C. Place all of the vegetables and the chillies in the batter and mix until coated. One by one, tap off any excess batter and carefully drop into the hot oil. Fry the vegetables in small batches until they’re golden. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

7. Warm up your tortillas, pile all of the fillings into bowls and plates and serve everything separate at the table for everyone to build their own tacos.Love Sanjana

The post Vegan Cauliflower and Broccoli Bhajiya Tacos appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Don’t give me that look – I know what you’re thinking.

This weekend has been rush, rush, rush. I was panicking all day yesterday wondering what on earth I was going to present to you. I annoyed other people into helping me think of something, which has never really happened before. Shall I let you in on how this whole blogging shebang works for me?

I wake up on Monday mornings, droopy-eyed and full of bitterness about how quickly the weekend flew by, why it’s so damn cold and why I’m wearing two coats (yeah I know, what the hell, right?) Around lunchtime I start to wonder what could possibly sweeten up my mood.

Thinking about food usually does it for me. I couldn’t tell you why – although my belly, bingo wings and thunder thighs probably could. Figuring out what to eat by ingredient is much too complex for me, so I usually work out what would hit the spot by cuisine.

I do a hi-tech international Matrix-styleè brain scan of what I’d like to shovel in to my mouth as quickly as possible. Let me give you an example of the kind of thought process that takes place:

Chinese: Meh
French: No
Italian: Hmm
Japanese: Maybe
Thai: Ouhh…
Indian: Nah
Mexican: Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner!

I promise you this is going somewhere – sort of.

Next, I think of all the possible dishes I could create to fill this particular craving using my favourite ingredients and influences from that part of the world. I usually end up getting so carried away with this that I end up blogging about one of the dishes I cooked up in a fantasy I had earlier in the week.

I’m not the kind of girl to ignore my belly when it speaks to me, just so you know.

I’ve always wanted to make a spicy chilli with dark chocolate, inspired by Mexican ‘mole’ sauce. In my recipe, I used chocolate to give the chilli an intense, slightly bitter flavour to counteract the savoury notes already muddling in the pot. The result? A rich, hearty bowlful of goodness, topped off with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle of cheese and some fresh avocado.

Hand me the tortilla chips, por favor?

Now, if you’re Mexican or a whiz at cooking Mexican food, I apologise for this in advance. I’m not going to call this dish Mexican because it almost certainly breaks all the rules of Mexican cooking.

However, I’m not going to apologise for saying it’s delicious. (“It’s delicious”) – Because it is, and because I can say whatever I like here in my safe haven. Ha.

Black Bean and Chocolate Chilli
(serves 4-6)

Ingredients

160g dried black beans, cooked (I did mine in the pressure cooker)
80g dried pinto beans, cooked (I did mine in the pressure cooker)
80g dried soya mince, soaked in hot water then squeezed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
300g passata
2 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
2 tbsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander seed powder
5 hot green chillies, minced
125g 70% cacao dark chocolate, chopped
3 tsp sugar
4 tbsp lime juice
100g sharp cheddar cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
Handful of chopped coriander
Salt to taste
Around 1 litre hot water

To serve
Sour cream
Chopped avocado
Chopped coriander

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan or dutch oven. Add the onions and allow to brown. Add the garlic, chillies, cumin powder, coriander powder, tomato puree, passata, sugar, oregano, chocolate and cheese, and bring to a boil.

2. Add the reconstituted soya mince, cooked beans and enough water to cover by about an inch. Put the lid on, turn the heat down to low and simmer for around 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove the lid and adjust the consistency of the chilli if necessary. Add more water if it’s thick, or continue to simmer with the lid off if too watery.

4. Add a handful of chopped coriander and season with salt. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

5. Serve in bowls and top with sour cream, avocado and coriander. You can have this with tortilla chips, flour or corn tortillas, spicy rice or seasoned potato wedges.

Have you ever cooked a savoury dish with chocolate? If not, go and make this – pronto!

The post Black Bean and Chocolate Chilli appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.