Chocolate Chili Anar ( Gluten Free Recipe )

#BurstAPataka ??
Nooooo. The air pollution has already hot stratospheric levels and is choking the life out of our poor lungs.

#BeAPataka ???
Easier said than done. Being the mommy of a ever curious five year old, I need to ensure anything and everything inflammatory is kept out of sight and hearing. Pataka or otherwise......

#EatAPataka ??
Aah ....now we are talking sense. Like really !! And chilli flavored treats are just the thing that I have in mind.
For the uninformed, Capsaicin in chillis not only speeds up the metabolism but also ensures that a smaller portion makes us feel full. Even from my experience, the latter holds good especially when it comes to desserts. Doesn't that sound like a blessing in disguise ?But the real reason I love a hint of chilli in my dessert is that it kind of intensifies the flavor.

The Chocolate Chilli Anar is a wonderful twist to our very own "Gujjiya" or "Karanji", which is must have Diwali delight. The all purpose flour is swapped with a gluten free flour and the coconut stuffing is infused with a heady mix of dark chocolate and bhut jolokia chili. Moreover, it is baked instead of being dunked in hot oil which ensures that we stick to the 'healthy snacks' resolution. The conical 'anar' shape is just perfect for the ongoing Diwali festivities.

Thank you Plattershare for this wonderful opportunity !!

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -


For the outer layer -

• 1 1/2 cup Jiwa Gluten Free flour
• 2 tsp ghee
• 1/6 tsp salt or as per taste
• water for kneading into a tight dough

For the stuffing -

• 1 freshly grated coconut 
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 dried Bhut Jolokia chilli
• 1 tsp ghee
• 2 pinch salt
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Preparation -

For making the stuffing -

Pour the ghee a saucepan.

Add the bhut jolokia to the ghee and wait till the ghee is sufficiently hot. Do not let it smoke else the chili's heat will cause burning sensation in eyes, nose and throat.

Add the coconut and keep stirring lightly till it turns light brown.

Remove the chili and add the choco chips to the pan. Keep the flame to a minimum.

Once the chocolate has melted, add brown sugar and salt. Mix everything together.

Remove from flame and keep aside till bearable to touch.

Pinch out small portions of the stuffing and shape into conical mounds.


For the outer layer - 

Take the flour, ghee and salt in a mixing bowl. Rub everything together till it is mixed evenly.

Add water little by little and make a tight dough. Let it rest for 30 mins.

Take small portions of the dough and roll it out . Cut out ribbons with the help of a knife.

Make small round discs with the remaining dough.

Final assembly - 

Place a mound of the stuffing on each disc. Take the ribbons and wrap it around the mound to give it the look of an anar.

Repeat the process for making more such 'anar's.

Baking - Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Place the 'anar's on a baking tray and pop it into the oven.

Let them bake for  12-14 mins or till done.

Remove from the oven and let them cool down.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Omelette with Betel Leaf Pesto

IMP - Omelette with Betel Leaf Pesto is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com. 

After almost a decade, I am visiting my native in Western Odisha during the scorching summer. While I always time my visits to coincide with the pleasant weather prevalent during the months of October-November, circumstances dictated my travel plans this time. It is strangely comforting to be back in the midst of an oppressive heat wave that makes its presence felt even as early as daybreak and extends well into the late hours of the night. A train journey to this part of Odisha presents a stark contrast with the Coastal regions of the state which still has some greenery to boast. A landscape of yellowed, wilted, scorched and burnt vegetation stretches out for as long as one cares to look. Everything stands still and if at all the winds blow, they are hot enough to scald the skin.

Pakhala seems to be the only source of respite for most folks as the roads wear a completely deserted look during midday. But today's post is not about Pakhala. This one has been in the drafting stage for sometime as I had been tied up with a couple of things in the past weeks. A very daring and experimental recipe that involves making a pesto out of betel leaves, this is part of my efforts to add a touch of gourmet to everyday food. Getting the flavors of the pesto right is the toughest part of this recipe. One might just need to tweak the proportions of the pesto ingredients to adapt it to their taste-buds.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

For the pesto -

• 1/2 of 1 tender betel leaf
• a handful of coriander leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp lime juice ( or tamarind paste )
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Other ingredients -

• 2 eggs
• a few cherry tomatoes
• 2-3 betel leaves
• 2 pinch salt
• a few drops of oil

Preparation - Grind all the ingredients for the pesto into a coarse paste. Taste and modify the proportions of the coriander, sugar and lime to balance the acrid taste of the betel leaf.

 Cooking - Break the eggs into a bowl. Add a little salt and beat gently.

Heat a non stick frying pan . Smear with a few drops of oil.

Toss a few cherry tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt over them. Cook for 2-3 mins and then remove.

Pour the egg onto the same pan and spread it into an even layer. Cook on both without browning.

Remove and keep aside.

Spread a layer of the pesto on one half of the omelette and fold.

Serve on betel leaves along with the cherry tomatoes.

Easy Chicken Tortillas

Hummph !!! Those capricious hunger pangs have a way of sneaking up at the most unexpected hours. Apart from making a regular call every afternoon, they have been getting more and more frequent as I find myself getting involved in more and more physical activities. Exercise and smart eating choices have helped me reduce weight, boost metabolism and feel more energetic than I did even in my early twenties. But of course, the obvious side effect has also manifested itself !

An active lifestyle often calls for smaller and more frequent meals. And tortillas stuffed with a good dose of protein and fibre is a smart anytime snack/meal. The protein can come from sources like grilled fish, chicken or even paneer. Vegans can opt for chickpeas or tofu. Lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, a variety of peppers, cabbage and onions add the fiber and make it even more filling.

This is one such whole wheat tortilla recipe in which I have used grilled chicken and a few veggies. But it is the addition of a gourmet sauce which takes this recipe to another level of deliciousness. The Sprig range of gourmet sauces are something that one can try if you like a touch of magic to your everyday dishes. Read on -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

For the tortillas -

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/3 tsp salt
• warm water

For the stuffing -

• 1 cup of bite sized chicken pieces
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• freshly ground pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp Sprig Alphonso Mango and Jalapeno Pepper sauce
• 2 cups colored peppers
• 7-8 lettuce leaves
• 1/3 cup tomato slices
• 1/3 cup cucumber slices

Preparation - Take a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, salt and olive oil. Mix in. Then add just enough water to make a smooth dough.

Smear with a few drops of olive oil. Let it rest for 15 mins.

Knead it again for 5 mins. Then divide into 8-9 balls . Roll out each ball into a circle on a lightly floured working surface.

Marinate the chicken with salt, lime juice, minced garlic and pepper for 30 mins. 

Cooking - Heat a oven to 200 C. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and spread the marinated chicken pieces. Roast for 12-14 mins or till tender.  Sprinkle the Mango and Jalapeno sauce. Toss lightly and put the tray back in the oven for another minute or two.

In a large bowl, add all the veggies. Toss in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a skillet . Rub in a few drops of oil on the surface. Add the tortillas one by one and cook on each side for about a minute on medium flame. Once small brown dots appear on the surface, they are done.

Layer the stuffing on one half of each tortilla. Sprinkle a little more Mango and Jalapeno sauce if you like it hot. Fold over. 

Grab one and get going !!!

Avocado Mayo and Sun-dried Tomatoes Dip

It is the 'Holiday season' and we all love having friends over for long chats. However when those conversations spill well beyond the meal hours and hunger pangs start to gnaw, we feel obliged to offer some fillers or finger foods. While frying a batch of french fries or cheesy nuggets may seem like the easier option, it sounds rather run-of-the-mill and not a very healthy choice too.

Time to switch to some gourmet snacking with real vegetable chips and a nice home made dip. These amazing vegetable chips from Terra are not just visually striking and much more healthier, they taste just out of this world when paired with a gourmet dip. I made this one in less that 5 minutes and let it sit in the fridge for half an hour for the flavors to come together. While the buttery texture of avocado is enough to give a nice texture to this dip, I added a dash of vegan mayo to enhance the creaminess. The tang of sun-dried tomatoes gets an added zing from a generous splash of apple cider vinegar. Garlic gives it the right note of pungency while the touch of heat from the Mexican Pasilla chile is enough to tickle the taste bud. The sweetness of honey rounds it off.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 5 mins ( plus 30 mins standby )

Ingredients -

• 1 avocado
• 2-3 sun dried tomatoes
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp vegan mayo
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/3 tsp Sprig Mexican Chile Pasilla 
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp chopped cilantro

Preparation - Halve the avocado and remove the stone. Scoop out the flesh into a small blender cup. Add all the remaining ingredients to the same jar. Buzz into a smooth mixture.

Let it chill for sometime in the refrigerator for the flavors to blend in.

Serve with vegetable chips or even better with crudites.

I totally recommend serving this dip with some Blue Terra Chips as it serves as the perfect foil to the starchy crispness of these exotic blue potatoes. 

Creamy Spinach Granita with Sticky Potato Chips

IMP - This i an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on Oriyarasoi. 

Ok...The main course is done and dusted ( Pan Seared Spinach and Potato Cigars in case you have forgotten about it ). Now it's time  to magically transform the same set of ingredients into something delectably sweet and asking for minimal effort. Should I try to bake some muffins ? Pie ? Mousse ? Naah. Has been done to death.

Since it is already summer in most parts of the country and the temperatures are soaring, I am going to go something chilled. So, why not make it a granita loaded with the goodness of Popeye's superfood ! Let's go one step further and make it a creamy one. Done. And I am gonna make it super easy and quick ( just in terms of the preparation time, not the freezing time. I don't fancy the liquid nitrogen stuff ).

Click here to READ more about the amazing benefits of this superfood aka 'Spinach' !!!

Back to the recipe. Read on -

Preparation Time - 3 hours 15 mins ( With 3 hours being the standby time)

Ingredients -

For the granita -

• 1/2 cup spinach puree ( just blanch, strain and puree with 2-3 tsp water )
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp sour cream ( add a little more if you like it creamier or reduce it if cal conscious )
• 4 tsp brown sugar ( adjust as per taste )
• pinch of salt
• 2 pinch chili flakes for seasoning

For the Sticky Potato fries -

• 1 medium sized potato
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2-3 tsp water 
• a pinch of salt
• 2-3 tsp brown sugar

Preparation - Blanch the spinach. Throw into the mixer jar. Whizz till smooth. Throw in some water, sour cream and brown sugar. Buzz it again till mixed thoroughly.

Pour it into a large cake tray (use a freezer safe one) such that it makes a layer about 4-5 cm thick. Nothing more. Mind you.

Pop it into the freezer. Take out after 30 mins and scrape the sides and along the length using a fork. Pop it back into the fridge and repeat the process every 30 mins for the next 3-4 hours. The creamy spinach granita is ready. Now sprinkle the chili flakes over it and mix in.

(Absolutely no cheating else you end up with a solid frozen mass or small chunks of ice instead of a slurry of ice particles. Once it is ready, it can be served anytime between immediately and the next 12 hours. After that, the ice just starts to stick together. )

For the sticky fries, let prepare some sticky sauce. Mix sour cream, water, brown sugar, salt and olive oil in a saucepan. Boil on low heat it it bubbles and foams up. Keep aside till cool.

Peel and slice the potato into a bowl containing salt water. Strain and throw the slices into boiling water. Let it cook for 2 mins. Remove and dry on kitchen towel. Brush lightly with oil and spread on a baking tray. Bake at 400 F for 15 mins max. Remove from oven and let it cool for half an hour.

Drizzle the sauce on the potato chips ( or just toss the chips along with the sauce) and serve alongside the Creamy Spinach Granita.