MOMBASA MIX | CHANA MIX | ZANZIBAR MIX
Mombasa Mix is popular as street food in Mombasa. Nowadays it is much easier to find it at fat food restaurants. It is basically a brown chickpea potato curry cooked in coconut milk. It is then served with deep fried lentil fritters, coconut chutney and some chevdo. Chevdo is popular snack made of potatoes, lentil and flat rice with spices.
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKPEA POTATO CURRY:
- 2 cups cooked brown chickpeas
- 2 -3 medium potatoes boiled
- ½ cup raw mango grated
- 1 cup thick coconut milk
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chilli paste or 2-3 chopped chillis
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 3 cups water
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 -1½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil
FOR THE COCONUT CHUTNEY:
- ½ cup raw mango grated or chopped
- 1 cup fresh coconut grated
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 3 - 4 green chillis
- 1/2 inch ginger peeled
- ¼ cup coriander fresh optional
FOR THE VATIDAR BHAJIA:
- 1 cup chora dal
- ½ cup chana dal
- 1 cup fenugreek or amaranth leaves chopped fresh
- ½ cup raw mango grated
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chilli paste or 2 chillis finely chopped
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- Oil for deep frying
FOR SERVING:
- 3 - 4 cups chevdo/chivda
Instructions
PREPARATION OF VATIDAR BHAJIA
- Soak the dals separately overnight or for 8 hours.
- Wash the dals and drain out the water.
- Grind the dals coarsely in a food processor. I prefer using the chopper as then it does not require water.
- Add chilli, ginger, chopped onion, cumin seeds, chopped greens, salt and grated mango.
- Mix well. Do not leave this mixture as it will turn watery. Immediately make the bhajias or fritters.
- If the mixture appears too dry, add about 2- 3 tbsps of water. Usually its not required.
- Heat oil in a deep pan or wok over medium heat.
- Drop a small piece of batter in the oil. If it comes up immediately, the oil is ready.
- Take a tablespoon of batter and using your fingers pat it into a round flattish shape. Drop into the hot oil. Repeat till you have about 6 to 8 bhajias in the oil. Lower the heat and start turning the bhajias, starting with the one you dropped in first.
- Fry till they are crispy and golden brown. Remove and put on a kitchen towel or colander to drain out the excess oil.
- Before frying the next batch, make sure the oil is hot.
PREPARATION OF CHICKPEA POTATO CURRY
- If you are using dry chickpeas, you need 1 cup. Soak it overnight in warm water.
- Next day drain out the water and wash the chickpeas.
- Put the chickpeas in a pressure cooker. Add water till it just covers the chickpeas. Add 1 tsp salt. Close the lid and let it cook over medium heat for about 3 - 4 whistles. Alternately you can used canned chickpeas.
- Cut the boiled potatoes into chunks.
- Grind the grated mango into a paste or use it grated, your choice.
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic paste and stir fry it for 30 seconds or so.
- Add ginger and green chillis. Stir fry for a few seconds.
- Add the turmeric powder and chilli powder.
- Immediately add the cooked chickpeas.
- Add salt, potatoes, mango paste, coconut milk and the water.
- Let the mixture simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Garnish with some fresh coriander, chop.ped
PREPARATION OF COCONUT CHUTNEY
- Put the grated raw mango, salt, coconut, water and green chillis into a blender jug. Also add coriander if you are using any.
- Liquidize the mixture.
- Take the chutney out into a serving bowl.
HOW TO SERVE MOMBASA MIX:
- Spoon the hot chickpea gravy into a wide bowl.
- Add 2 - 3 bhajias to it.
- Add chutney and top it with chevdo.
- Serve.
Notes
- Adjust the chillis and other spices according to your taste.
- I prefer to used the tinned coconut milk or cream for this recipe as it makes the gravy a bit thicker.
- Mash a few potato pieces for a thick gravy.
- Can also serve red chilli chutney with Mombasa Mix.