Iftar Recipes
Iftar is the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset. It’s a significant part of the Islamic fasting ritual during the month of Ramadan, where Muslims break their fast together with family and friends.
Onion samosa Recipe
Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
Water, as needed
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil for sautéing
For frying:
Oil for deep frying
Instructions:
Prepare the dough:
In a large mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, salt, and ghee (or oil).
Mix well until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Slowly add water, little by little, and knead into a firm dough.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the filling:
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add chopped onions and green chilies, sauté until the onions turn translucent.
Add garam masala, chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and let the filling cool down.
Assemble the samosas:
Divide the dough into small lemon-sized balls.
Roll out each ball into a thin oval or round shape, about 6 inches in diameter.
Cut each rolled-out dough into halves to make semi-circles.
Take one semi-circle, brush water along the straight edge, and fold it into a cone shape, pressing the edges to seal.
Fill the cone with 1-2 tablespoons of the onion filling, making sure not to overfill.
Brush water along the edges of the cone and seal it tightly to form a triangular shape. Press the edges firmly to seal.
Fry the samosas:
Heat oil for deep frying in a pan over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, gently slide in the prepared samosas, a few at a time.
Fry until they turn golden brown and crispy, flipping occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Once done, remove the samosas using a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on paper towels.
Serve:
Onion samosas are best served hot with mint chutney or tamarind chutney.
Enjoy your delicious homemade onion samosas!
Bread pakoda Recipe
Ingredients:
Sliced bread (white or brown)
Chickpea flour (besan) – 1 cup
Rice flour – 2 tablespoons
Salt – to taste
Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
Ajwain (carom seeds) – 1/2 teaspoon
Baking soda – a pinch
Water – as needed
Potatoes – 2 medium-sized (boiled and mashed)
Green chilies – 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger – 1-inch piece (grated)
Coriander leaves – a handful (finely chopped)
Chaat masala – for sprinkling
Oil – for frying
Instructions:
In a mixing bowl, combine chickpea flour, rice flour, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ajwain, and a pinch of baking soda. Mix well.
Gradually add water to the dry ingredients to make a smooth, lump-free batter. The consistency should be thick enough to coat the bread slices but still pourable. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix the boiled and mashed potatoes with chopped green chilies, grated ginger, and chopped coriander leaves. Season with salt and mix well.
Take a slice of bread and spread a generous amount of the potato mixture on one side. Place another slice of bread on top to make a sandwich.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadhai over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, dip the bread sandwich into the prepared chickpea flour batter, ensuring it’s coated on all sides.
Carefully lower the coated bread sandwich into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy on both sides, flipping halfway through. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes per side.
Once cooked, remove the bread pakoras from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
Sprinkle chaat masala over the hot bread pakoras for extra flavor.
Serve hot with mint chutney, tamarind chutney, or ketchup.
Enjoy your delicious homemade bread pakoras.
Onion pakoda Recipe
Ingredients:
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 cup gram flour (besan)
2-3 green chilies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
Salt to taste
A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Oil for frying
Instructions:
In a mixing bowl, add the thinly sliced onions, chopped green chilies, cumin seeds, carom seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, chopped coriander leaves, and salt to taste.
Mix all the ingredients well and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes.
This allows the onions to release some moisture.
Gradually add gram flour (besan) to the onion mixture, a little at a time, and mix well.
The gram flour should coat the onions evenly, forming a thick batter-like consistency.
If needed, you can sprinkle a little water to bind the mixture together, but be careful not to make it too watery.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai on medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, take small portions of the onion mixture with your fingers or a spoon and drop them gently into the hot oil.
Be cautious to not overcrowd the pan, as it can lower the oil temperature and result in soggy pakodas.
Fry the pakodas in batches, flipping them occasionally, until they turn golden brown and crispy on all sides.
It usually takes about 5-7 minutes for each batch.
Once done, remove the pakodas from the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
Serve the onion pakodas hot with your favorite chutney or sauce.
They make a delicious snack or appetizer, perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea or coffee.
Enjoy your homemade onion pakodas.
