Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce Vegan MoFo day 13

Week Three of Vegan MoFo going strong. :) I hadn't planned it this way but my Snacks and Starters theme for this week has been leaning towards healthy so far. I made Kandundes on Monday and Baked Akki Rotti Bites on Tuesday. Today is Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce.

I remember the very first time I tasted Thai Rice Paper Rolls. It was at Red Bamboo, our favourite restaurant during the time we lived at NYC. It really *really* made an impression on me. Flash forward to many years later, I got to have them once again at Loving Hut in California. These guys had brilliantly named them Summer Rolls. Fresh with crispy, cool veggies...a perfect Summer snack or meal! Ever since then I refer to them as Summer Rolls because 'Thai Rice Paper Rolls' doesn't sound half as magical.

I have to say though that a large portion the magic was in the Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce that came with the Summer Rolls. Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce? It should be called Spicy Peanut *Licking* Sauce!! OMG heaven!! The ooey gooey goodness is so satisfying. *Slurp* I can just sit with a bowl full of it an and lick lick lick. No snack required. :D

Summer Rolls are very versatile and don't have any specific recipe. Just take your favourite raw vegetables, salad greens and herbs and slice them thin. Then wrap them in moistened Thai Rice Paper. You can add marinaded or baked tofu into the mix. Or crispy fruits like apples or pears. I can even picture a Summer Roll with watermelon in it! I think I'll be trying that next time.

You can toss a salad in Cashew Sour Cream and spoon that into the rolls. But remember that you must always have it with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce. Unless you're allergic to peanuts of course. In which case, just dip the rolls in Tamari and enjoy.

Here's what went into my simple Summer Rolls. They took all of 10 minutes to put together (including making the sauce). I usually add a larger variety of veggies, greens and herbs like basil and mint but this is all I had on hand today. But even with just two veggies the rolls were awesome!!

2 Thai Rice Paper Sheets (small, round ones) - I've found them in Bangalore at Nilgiris (Brigade Road), Food World Gourmet (MG Road) and Brown Tree (Church Street).
1 Carrot
1/2 head Romaine Lettuce

Slice the carrots into thin sticks and divide them into two bunches.
Wrap each bunch inside a few lettuce leaves and keep aside.
Dip a rice paper sheet in warm water and place on a plate.
Place a lettuce wrap in the middle of the rice paper.
Roll up the wrap half way, fold in the sides and continue rolling till you have a roll that's closed on all sides.
Repeat with the second rice paper sheet.
Chill in the freezer for a few minutes.
Remove and slice into bite sized pieces (I make each roll into 3 pieces).

Meanwhile prepare the Spicy Peanut Sauce. It's a sauce made of 100% processed ingredients. :oP

1 T Peanut Butter
Splash of Dark Soy Sauce (Tamari is a far superior choice but we don't get it here in India and I finished my stock from the US *sigh*)
Splash of Tabasco or Tamarind Paste
Pinch of Red Chilli Powder (add more if using Tamarind Paste instead of Tabasco)
Pinch of Sugar/Jaggery
2-3 T Warm Water

Mix everything and whisk well with fork.
Drizzle generously over the Summer Rolls.
Enjoy! :)

Update: 23rd June 2013

The ingredients for this recipe can now be purchased in India in the form of a recipe box from Global Graynz.



They have three kinds of boxes for this recipe, first with only the Rare Ingredients, second with All Packaged Ingredients and third with All Ingredients Including Fresh/Perishable Ones (pictured above).

Click on the Global Graynz button below to be taken to the Rare Ingredients recipe box.

Baked Akki Rotti Bites Vegan MoFo day 12

Akki Rottis are a staple breakfast or evening tiffin dish in Karnataka. They are made of a pasty dough of rice flour mixed with green chilli paste, salt, onions, cilantro and optionally grated vegetables. The paste is then made into balls, placed on special iron pans and tapped into thin crepes using fingers and palms. They are then drizzled with oil, covered and toasted on a medium flame to a crispy finish.

My mom makes the thinnest, tastiest Akki Rottis in existence and I looove eating them, dipped in Peanut Mylk Yogurt and Kothmiri Thokku (pickle made of cilantro that's been cooked in a spicy tamarind paste). She also makes super delicious Rottis out of other flours like Ragi (Finger Millet) and Jowar (Sorghum).



I make Rottis but not as often as mom does because firstly, they take a lot of time and effort to tap out onto the pans and secondly, they need to be generously drizzled with oil while they're being roasted. Besides, hubby (who didn't eat them while growing up, like I did) considers them to be more of a snack because he doesn't find them filling enough for a meal.

That's why I used the same ingredients to make bite sized snacks which take way less effort and nearly zero oil. My Baked Akki Rotti Bites contain a lot more vegetables with only a teeny amount of flour, just to hold things together.

They can be made with any combination of healthy, gluten free flours - Chickpea, Bajra, Ragi, Rice, Jowar, Teff, Quinoa... it's totally up to you. I don't recommend Wheat Flour because the gluten content will change the taste and texture. I've used a combination of Rice and Sorghum flours in my recipe.

And most grate-able veggies can be used - Carrot, Beetroot, Radish, Turnip, Zucchini, Jicama... I used whatever I had on hand. There's just one beet in there, but you know how beets are, the colour just seeps into everything. Not that I'm complaining, I think beets make everything pretty (including pee *sniggers*).

You'll be happy to know that these goodies require no pre-planning and barely take 20 minutes to make. I used the grill option in my microwave but they can also be baked in a regular oven. They are perfect as a starter to a meal and look beautiful when simply served on a bed of lettuce. The spices and the moist centre ensure that no additional dips are required. And thanks to the toasty onions, roasted sesame seeds and the lightly crunchy edges, they really hit the spot when you're craving for a deep fried, rainy evening kind of snack. What a super way to trick yourself into eating healthy! :D

Baked Akki Rotti Bites

4 Carrots - grated
1 Radish - grated
1 Beet - grated
1 Onion - finely chopped
3 Green Chillies - crushed well
1 T Cilantro - finely chopped
1 T Rice Flour
1 T Jowar (Sorghum) Flour
2 T Sesame Seeds
1/4 t Cumin Seeds
1/8 t Asafoetida
1/8 t Turmeric Powder
Salt
Oil for greasing

Preheat microwave to 250 C.
Grease a non-stick or foil lined baking tray.
Mix all ingredients without using any water.
Take a spoonful for the mixture and form a rough ball.
It will be crumbly, don't worry.
Flatten tightly between your palms, till it holds its shape.
Gently place on the baking sheet.
Repeat until you've filled the baking tray with the patties.
Optionally dab a teeny bit of oil on top of the patties (not necessary though).
Grill at 250 C for 5 minutes.
Flip them over.
Continue grilling for 2 more minutes.
Cool slightly.
Serve hot.
Enjoy! :)

Kandu Unde Vegan MoFo day 11

Two weeks down, two more to go. Yeah baby! Vegan MoFo seems to be going too fast and too slow, all at the same time. I know that sounds nutty, but as everyone knows, MoFo is all about turning people into kooks (cook/kook get it?). hehehe There's no other event which can be SO MUCH fun for me and at the same time drive me up the wall!!

With or without yooouuuuu,
With or wiiiTHOUt you oh oh,
I can't liiiivee,
With ooor withouuuut youuuu,
Oh Vegan MohhhFohhh

While you curse me and say, "now I'm going to have that song stuck in my head all day!", let me pacify you with today's yummy appetizer recipe. :D

Kandu Undes (translation: Pigeon Pea Balls) are South Indian, lentil based, steamed dumplings made mainly in Karnataka during Ganesha Chaturthi. Traditionally they don't contain veggies but I like adding some in mine. When these are made on the day of the festival, onions are not added since onions are considered non-spiritual and cannot be used in foods which are prepared as offerings to Ganesha (or any other Hindu Gods/Goddesses). So I like making them on other days because they taste much yummier with onions in them. :)

Kandu Unde aka Kandunde

1 C Toor Dal (split pigeon peas)
1 C Channa Dal (split chickpeas)
1/2 C Moong Dal (split mung beans)
1/4 C Urad Dal (split black gram)

10-12 Spicy Green Chillies
1 inch Fresh Ginger
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
Salt

3 Onions - finely chopped
1 Carrot - finely chopped
5-7 Green Beans - finely chopped
2 T Cilantro - finely chopped
1 T Curry Leaves - finely chopped

In a small bowl soak Urad Dal for 5-6 hours.
In a larger bowl soak Toor Dal, Channa Dal and Moong Dal together for 5-6 hours.
Drain all the dals well.
Grind the urad dal along with the green chillies, ginger, asafoetida and salt into a thick, smooth paste.
Add the other dals and grind to a coarse mixture without adding any water (it shouldn't become smooth).
Mix the chopped veggies and herbs and form a sticky yet shape-able dough.

Heat water in a steamer.
Grease the steamer tray(s) lightly with oil.
Form 1 inch balls of the dough and place them in the tray(s), about 1/2 inch apart.
Steam for 5 minutes.
Let them sit in the steamer for 2-3 more minutes.

Place the steamed balls in a bowl and drizzle with peanut yogurt.
Serve hot.

Or, they can also be soaked in any vegan yogurt that has been spiced with chilli powder, salt and asafoetida for a few hours, chilled and served.

Enjoy! :)

Mid-MoFo Flashback and Roundup Vegan MoFo day 10

Previously on Veganosaurus at Vegan MoFo...

Avo-Orange Chocolate Mousse started out Desserts Week with all the joy and hope of Vegan MoFo in her eyes. Bursting with smug chocolatey goodness, she knew in her heart this would be the year when all blog posts would fall into place beautifully.

Her siblings, who were also raw/mostly raw like her, followed suit...

Fig and Cinnamon Ice cream was well loved by all, causing a fair share of drool with her cinnamon-y curves.

Hazelnut Mocha Cheezecake was the king of the party with his wow factor and his sexy mocha-ness.

The Cashew Barfi Truffles came next. Quintuplets of three cocoa boys and two saffron girls with their gooey cardamom-y sweetness. The highly intense saffron burst of the girls elicited a lot of gasps.

The smooth and elegant Banana Walnut Cinnamon Vanilla Crème was a soothing end to Week One with her gentle, healthy touch.

Desserts aren't an easy act to follow but the Soup and Salad family of Week Two were confident they could live up to the bar that had been set. Or so they thought...

It started well enough when Carrot Hesarubele Kosumbari kicked the week off with her vivacious, happy colours and South Indian personality.

And Nalli Kai Salad piqued everyone's curiosity with her exotic aura and tangy undertones.

Spinach Coconut Mylk Soup attracted interest with his muted, down to earth iron richness and easy going nature.

Masala Mandakki aka Churmuri made all the girls giggle and blush with his spicy, street side drawl. "Hey baby. Yeeeahhhh, that's what I'm talking about." *whistles*

But alas *dun dun dun* Friday's Soup failed to make an appearance owing to the recipe creator slacking off and hoping that no one would notice.

In her defence, Ms Veganosaurus was very tired and stuck in bed. She had to depend on sweet Mr Veganosaurus to cook for her. He made a delicious Peas Pulao but since that wasn't a part of the theme, the Soup and Salad family graciously thanked and refused Peas Pulao's offer to appear on Friday's blog post.

The audience of course was very forgiving, since it was after all not a Dessert post that had been denied them.

Meanwhile, in MoFo-land...

Psychedelic chutneys at Vegan on the Prowl.

Innovative Pizzas at Vegan Richa.

Traditional and Contemporary Indian recipes from Tongue Ticklers.


Peanut Mylky delicacies from An Unrefined Vegan.


Meeting cool vegans and a whole variety of delicious themes at Veganville.

Some more cool vegans and yummy goodness at Fellowship of the Vegetable (awesomest blog name eva!).

Super happy, adorable dishes and the yumminess that's served in them at Kittee Kake - Cake Maker to the Stars.


Awesome desserts and more from someone who claims that desserts are not her thing (teehee), From Kirsten's Kitchen to Yours.

And finally cute bunnies and unexplored ingredients from A-Z at Flicking the Vs.

Next time on the drama series Veganosaurus at Vegan MoFo...

The Main Dishes are all lined up and ready for Week Four with Mashed Potato Sweet Potato Bake at the head.

But even though it's Sunday evening, the Snacks and Starters ideas for Week Three have not even begun to pop into Ms Veganosaurus' head yet. *gasp*

Will Vegan MoFo Week Three successfully take place on the blog that's loved by all? Or will you be met with disappointing tumbleweeds when you eagerly arrive here on Monday night? Will Mr Veganosaurus survive the crazed killer that Ms Veganosaurus is to become? How many fistfuls of hair will be lost by the end of the week?

Your narrator couldn't answer any of those questions now because she doesn't want to spoil the suspense (and also because she really has no clue).

To find out, come back here Weekdays (or Week-nights, depending on your timezone) and enjoy the drama of Veganosaurus at Vegan MoFo.

Until then, have a wonderful Sunday! :)

Masala Mandakki Vegan MoFo day 9

Isn't it awesome when you think you're indulging in a mid morning snack, except the snack just happens to be really healthy? Today's recipe is a salad that's under the guise of a snack. We have a huge variety of street cart foods in India and most of them are vegan. Masala Mandakki aka Churmuri happens to be one of them.

It's a salad made of some basic fresh veggies and Masalas (spices) tossed together with Mandakki (puffed rice). Since the puffed rice plays a key role in the dish, it's called Masala/Masalé Mandakki. It's very common to find it being sold on food carts outside schools, in public parks or even on streets with a lot of pedestrian traffic. The food cart guy tosses it together in a big steel mixing bowl right in front of you. It's usually served in a sheet of newspaper that's been rolled up into a cone and lined with a banana leaf to protect the food (at least most of it) from touching the paper directly. Masala Mandakki has to be eaten as soon as it's made because if left to sit around, the puffed rice gets soggy.

Masala Mandakki carts are more common in South India, especially in our state of Karnataka, than they are elsewhere. They are different from Chaat carts which sell things like Bhel Puri, Masala Puri, Paani Puri, Samosa Chaat etc...

Firstly there is no cooking or heating done on the Masala Mandakki carts. Secondly, each dish has a higher quantity of fresh vegetables (carrot, onion, tomato, cilantro..). Thirdly, the number of deep fried elements involved is lower.

I wanted to go out today and grab some pictures of my favourite Masala Mandakki cart but I wasn't able to get out because I've been feeling kind of zombie-fied all day. Maybe at some point in the future I'll do a special blog post about them and all the other goodies that they make, like Tikki Puri, Tomato Masala, Nippat Masala, Mango-Pineapple Masala etc...

For now, I thought I'd share the recipe for the version I make at home whenever I don't feel like going out. I hadn't planned on this being today's MoFo post but late this morning I had a craving for Masala Mandakki and the moment I made it, I realized it goes with this week's theme and since it's one of my favourite salads to begin with, it just made total sense to make it my recipe for today.

Masala Mandakki aka Masalé Mandakki aka Churmuri

Note: If you can't get your hands on puffed rice, then you can use any rice crispies style cereal, in which case, eliminate the sugar from the recipe.

1 C Puffed Rice
1 Tomato - chopped
1 Onion - chopped fine
1 Carrot - grated
1 T Fresh Cilantro - chopped
2 Green Chillies - crushed
1/8 tsp Sugar
1/8 tsp Sambar Powder or Red Chilli Powder
1/4 tsp Tamarind Paste
Lime Juice
Salt

In a big bowl mix everything, except the puffed rice (use your hand and fingers to mix for best results).
Add the puffed rice and mix quickly.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy! :)