Tag Archives: appetizer

Dhokri or Dhokla – Steamed Savoury Cake

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Dhokri is my comfort food… I ate a lot of it whilst growing up and could count on there being a plateful of dhokri at any given event.  Apart from being a delicious mouthful Dhokri does make for the perfect finger food.  The lemony yellow snack would shine away as if peeking out from behind a cloud – heavy with rain. The tangy sponginess accompanied by the snappy crunch of the sesame seeds, laced with the herby aroma of the cilantro will have you salivating unapologetically.

Dhokri is a slightly spicy and tangy savory snack mostly made in Gujarati homes.  It has the texture of a light sponge cake.  The bulk of the recipe is made with chickpea flour and the dough is tied with either buttermilk or yogurt, along with several spices and left to ferment overnight.  It’s then steamed in trays, cooled, cut and garnished with fresh cilantro, sesame and black mustard seeds.  It does seem kind of daunting at first, but believe me once you get the hang of it, it’s ‘putsy peasy’. Continue reading →

Gulgoolas – Fritters Stuffed with Cherries and Dark Chocolate

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Gulgullas stuffed with cherries and chocolate

Gulgullas stuffed with cherries and chocolate

Summer is zooming by and I’m struggling to hold onto it’s tail strings. Ramadan is almost over and a single Ramadan celebratory food post has not appeared on Fortheloveofghee.  A friend suggested a Ramadan  post at the beginning of the month, which I was all for… well… in my head anyway!

So with out further ado and less than a week before Eid, heres a recipe you can indulge on in the next few days.  My recipe for gulgoolas, a fried sweet fritter, is eaten at the beginning of the meal after breaking fast with a glass of milk and fresh dates.

Gulgoolas are usually made sans the Cherries and Dark Chocolate, but I just couldn’t help myself…what?? with all the fresh cherries practically being thrown at me at the grocery store and my kids eternal craving for chocolate… I just had to succumb to what the season was offering… Continue reading →

Spicy Cilantro Turkey Sliders – Turkey Chapli Kebaab

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I’m already drooling thinking about making these again for the Super Bowl.  They are healthy, full of flavor and a party favorite.  I first came up with this recipe last year for a Super Bowl party, and have made them many times since.  They were definitely a hit and are a must have for your party too.

During my earlier years in the United States after I was married, living in New Jersey, our really close friends would host a Super bowl party every year.  One year the girls had the bright idea of playing tag football with the boys before the big game.  Well, Continue reading →

Chana Chat-Patti – Tangy Chickpea or Garbanzo Bean Appetizer

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With the Super Bowl coming around in less than a month I have that perfect finger food for your party that will score a touch down or two.  It’s my Chana Chat-Patti!  Round of applause please…. Okay jokes apart, this appetizer is quickly becoming a favorite amongst my friends and family.  And I bet they’ll be fans indefinitely if they know how fast it is to make.

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“Mum! Where’s my chana?”.  And like a dutiful mum, wink, wink, I whip up the Chana Chaat in a jiffy. This is one of my very few, I might add, Super Mum moments.  Well… besides making a dive to catch a one year old jumping off the dining table by the edge of their diaper with only my pinky.  I could go on but before I continue, I’d like to clarify something before I totally confuse you.  The Chana my kids ask for is the Chana Chaat.  They eat it with hot steamy rice dolloped with ghee.  It’s such a comforting meal and tastes absolutely delicious.

However, I do use it as a component for the appetizer in the picture above.  I call it Chana Chat-Patti because of the tang, the crunch and the spice.  Perfect for an afternoon snack with a hot cup of Chaa.  Or with Super Bowl coming around it makes for the perfect finger food. Continue reading →