EATING OUT IN PUNE - Patties and Puffs
On our way home, we stopped over for a "bite" at the Spicer College Bakery for a Doughnut, Lamington, Carrot Cake, Soy Milk and Veg Patties and picked up plenty of yummy confectionery too (Now if you live in a Godforsaken place like Wakad you better be well stocked up!).
The surprise were the vegetable patties - they were truly delicious - fresh, soft with a lip smacking filling - and evoked memories of all the patties I have relished in Pune - Santosh, Green, New Poona Bakeries for the veg patties and the old Naaz opposite West End in Camp (which has disappeared) for those matchless non-veg patties.
Here is a nostalgic piece on one of my all time favourites - the Hindustan Bakery Veg Patties. And there is a recipe for puffs too.
Happy Eating.
PATTIES AND PUFFS
Yummy Snacks for Brunch and Tea
By
VIKRAM KARVE
When I was a small boy, in the 1960s, and later in the 1970s, I sometimes lived at my grandfather’s place near Madiwale Colony on Tilak Road in Sadashiv Peth Pune.
Come Sunday morning and I was off to Hindustan Bakery on Bajirao Road to get a few packets of their famous patties for breakfast. You had to get there early otherwise the patties would be over and you had to go all the way to their branch in Shaniwar Peth to get the coveted delicacy which we all hungrily devoured for Sunday breakfast.
Sunday Breakfast meant Hindustan Bakery Vegetable Patties.
Hindustan Bakery Vegetable Patties are inimitable, superb to taste and matchless in quality – they taste divinely lip-smacking and are wholesome yet not heavy on the stomach, and I haven’t quite tasted a similar veg patty anywhere else.
Those days Veg Patties were available only on Sunday mornings. Now I think they make them everyday so they have lost their exclusivity. Of course, many other bakeries like Green Bakery near Shanipar who also made patties but there was nothing to beat the patties of Hindustan Bakery.
Like I said, these days the delicacy has lost its exclusivity since veg patties are available in plenty every day, and also the quality doesn’t seem as it was in the past, probably due to mass production.
CURRY PUFF
Well, I wish I could tell you how to make vegetable patties, instead I will give you the recipe of my favourite tea time snack – the curry puff – a non vegetarian version.
You’ll need Curry Powder (I use Ship Brand Madras Curry Powder which comes in its distinctive green coloured tin), a quarter kilo of boneless chicken cut is small pieces, four large boiled potatoes cut into small pieces, two finely chopped onions, a bit of boiled green peas and finely chopped carrots, maida [flour], two eggs, oil, salt, seasoning and spices.
Heat oil in a pan, add finely chopped onions and fry till translucent brownish, add the boneless chicken pieces and stir fry till the chicken is cooked.
Now add two large tablespoons of Curry Powder, the boiled vegetables [potatoes, peas, carrots], and salt to taste, stir till dry for about 4-5 minutes and keep aside the Curried Dry Chicken.
Make a smooth dough by kneading together the Maida [flour], Eggs, Oil, Seasoning [salt, pepper, chilli powder to taste] and Water. Let the dough stand for some time.
Now roll the dough and stuff in the curried dry chicken, making tikki or paan samosa or any other shapes of your choice [I prefer semi-circle karanjis] and shallow fry till crispy crusty golden brown.
Curry Puff is a hearty satiating wholesome tasty snack ideal with high tea or cocktails. Maybe for Sunday Brunch too…
Happy Cooking and Happy Eating…
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. He has written a foodie book Appetite For A Stroll and a book of fiction short stories which is being published soon and is busy writing his first novel. Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Creative Writing by Vikram Karve: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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