One of Thanksgiving’s staple sides is the omnipresent mashed potatoes. We make ours with red potatoes with a healthy dose of roasted garlic and heavy cream. It works well with our main dish, the Cornish Hen Murg Mussallam (recipe on saltasneeded.com), adding a nice backdrop to the spicy Lamb mince stuffing in it.
But one of the side effects of an elaborate holiday dinner are leftovers , and finding different ways to serve them . Today I share with you my recipe of a lunch I served using leftover mashed potatoes over the weekend, to a family that insisted I share it with my readers.
These fried dumplings are a common street food found in the western part of India and are called BATATA VADAS. They are usually served as a sandwich in a soft dinner roll like bread called Pav, with a generous spread of a spicy red garlic chutney.
The Spicy Pesto is very versatile and can be served as a dip or spread and stores well in an air tight container, in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Ingredients
DUMPLINGS
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes ( makes 16-18 Dumplings)
2 Serrano peppers finely chopped
10 Curry leaves
Juice of 1/2 lemon.
Oil for Frying
Salt as needed
FRYING BATTER
1 cup Chickpea flour (Besan)
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Paprika
Salt as needed
Mix all ingredients for the dumplings . Take small portions and shape them into balls and keep aside.
Add enough water to the Batter ingredients to make a semi-thick paste. It should be thick enough so it coats the potato balls well.
Heat the oil on high till smoking. Dip the potato balls individually in the batter and gently drop them into the oil. Reduce heat to medium and fry stirring gently, till they turn a golden brown color. Drain on paper towel.
PESTO SAUCE
1 cup chopped Cilantro
4 Serrano Peppers
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
4 pods garlic
1/4 cup Extra Virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Blend the first 4 ingredients in a food processor while slowly pouring in the EVOO. Taste before adding salt. Store in an air tight container.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
As an appetizer on its own with a little chili oil drizzle and the pesto as a dipping sauce.
Cut open a dinner roll, spread some of the pesto on both sides and place a dumpling in between and serve as a sandwich.
HAPPY COOKING!