My friend Ayona Dutta and I joke that we have so much in common because our birthdays are only a day apart. Truth be told, Ayona is a talented, intelligent, caring, and giving woman- not to mention an accomplished musical instructor. The dinner she held at her home last week exemplified all of her talents. On a typical Thursday evening, guests were treated to a feast of East meets West flavors. Ayona and her husband Deb, who recently relocated to the US from India with the embassy are naturally gracious hosts who managed to make over 25 guests from the US, various places in India, Spain, Germany, and the Philippines feel as if they were long lost relatives.
Ayona began the dinner with appetizers so filling and delicious that they would have been sufficient on their own. The star of the line-up, in my opinion, were fried sweet and sour flavored vegetable fritters which Ayona calls Vegetable Chop (see recipe below). She also offered spring rolls, crudites, chutneys, raitas, and salads with fresh juices including my favorite... mango.
After an hour or so of mingling, we were treated to a buffet including homemade poori, Indian bread, vegetable stew, chicken stew, shrimp, spinach paneer, and vegetable curries.
Dessert included fresh fruit, a chocolate ice-cream trifle, and a traditional semolina cake.
Ayona and Deb took so much time making sure that their guests had enough to eat and get to know each other, that it would have been impossible not to make a new friend. We all had so much fun, that many of the guests are already planning dinner parties of their own...an excuse to get us all together again. Tonight one of the guests (who happens to be an Indian fashion designer) has invited us to see her latest creations and dine in her home!
Hosts Ayona and Deb Dutta with Ayona's Chocolate Ice cream Trifle
VEGETABLE CHOP (20 fritters)
These savory fritters are sometimes called Pakoras. Ayona kindly shared her delicious recipe which combines sweet and sour flavors with the crunch of peanuts. This is a recipe enjoyed by young and old alike. Beetroot and gram flour can be found in Indian markets.
INGREDIENTS - beetroot -100 gm , carrot - 150 gm - potatoes- 200 gm , peanuts - 20 gm , raisins- 25 gms, gramflour- 1 cup , green chillies - a few ( as per taste ) , bread crumbs - 1 cup ,salt - to taste, vegetable oil for frying, ketchup for serving
METHOD
1) Peel ,cut and boil chunks of beetroot,carrot and potato .
2) Mash them and mix with salt ,peanuts,raisins and chillies
3) Make into oblong balls by cupping them into a shape inside both the palms
4) Make a batter by mixing gramflour and 1 1/2 to 2 cups water until a smooth batter is formed
5) Dip balls into batter and roll into the bread crumbs
5) Heat 2- inches of vegetable oil in a large wide skillet and fry until golden.
6) serve hot with tomato ketchup.
Fish Stew (Left)
Pooris
(Right)
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