Baked Pita Chips

After making Falafel sandwich, I had three leftover pitas. I wasn't going to use them any time in near future. Their "best by" date was fast approaching. So I decided make baked pita chips.

Baked Pita Chips
Ingredients
3 pita breads, cut into triangles or rectangles
Cooking spray
salt to taste

Method
1. Preheat oven 350F
2. Cut pita breads into desired bite sized shapes.
3. Spray baking tray with cooking spray.
4. Arrange pita chips in a single layer.
5. Spray more oil spray over the chips.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes.
7. Stir and try to flip as many as possible.
8. Bake for another 15 minutes.
9. Check for doneness. If not crispy, bake for 5 - 10 minutes, keeping a close watch.
10. Sprinkle salt on top.

Note-
1. I use kitchen shears to cup the pita.
2. Do not over crowd the pita chips on the baking tray. Make sure that they are in a single layer.




Print Page

Baked Falafel

I try not to deep fry too frequently in my kitchen. I generally shallow fry Falafels using Appe pan, but last week,  I thought of baking them on my mini muffin pan.

Baked Falafel
Ingredients
2 cups chickpeas/kabooli chana, soaked overnight

Grind with
1 cup onions, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1/2 cup Italian Parsley or cilantro

Stir in
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 zucchini, grated

You will also need,
Cooking Spray such as Pam

Method
1. Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain completely. Grind with onion, Italian parsley or cilantro, turmeric powder and salt. Add just a little water (about 1/4 cup) as needed for grinding.
2. Stir in white sesame seeds, baking powder and baking soda. Stir well.
3. Preheat oven to 350F
4. Spray cooking spray such as Pam over mini muffin pans. Spoon in the falafel batter. Spray oil over top of the batter.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Increase oven temp to 400F. Bake more for 15 minutes.
6. Take the muffin tray out. Nudge the falafels with a butter knife if needed.
7. Serve with hummus or tzatziki sauce and/or pita bread with salad.

Note -
1. Traditionally,  these falafels are deep fried.
2. This recipe gave me about 30 mini muffin sized falafels.
3. You may add green chilies or chili powder to adjust heat per your liking.

Print Page

Tzatziki Sauce

I am celebrating two star performers from my backyard kitchen garden - cucumber and dill.

This spring, I planted Armenian Cucumber. I don't think I have had this vegetable before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't see any fruit for the longest time, although tiny yellow flowers bloomed every day. One day while picking some mint, I happen to check at the back side of this cucumber plant and I was astonished to see this huge Armenian Cucumber.  [See the picture below]

Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
1 cucumber, peeled & grated
1 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 clove garlic, peeled & mashed/grated
Salt to taste
A pinch of sugar
A generous pinch of black pepper powder, freshly ground

Garnish
2-3 sprigs of fresh dill, roughly chopped

Method
1. In a mini-food processor, whip Greek yogurt with salt, garlic, sugar and black pepper powder.
2. Pour in a mixing bowl.
3. Squeeze water out of the grated cucumber.
4. Add to the yogurt mixture.
5. Garnish with fresh dill.

Note -
1. I sometimes also add grated zucchini to the above mixture.
2. Add grated cucumber to the yogurt mixture, right before serving otherwise it will make the sauce too watery.

Look who's hiding in there - Armenian Cucumber

Print Page