Recipes with Julie Van Rosendaal: Stampede-style snacks at home

It's Stampede time again, which means the air around the grounds will be perfumed with the aroma of not only corn dogs and mini donuts, but colossal onion poutine and Froot Loop covered funnel cakes, Asian shrimp chip nachos, arepas, spicy pickle lemonade, quesabirria ramen and masala taters on a stick. 

This year's more questionable foods — including a $100 jalapeño cheddar hot dog soaked for five days in 2010 Lokoya Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon (which retails for $580 a bottle) — may not get many takers, but fried foods will always be one of the midway's biggest draws.

If you find yourself not on the midway but in need of Stampede-style snacks, here are some of this year's menu to make at home.… No need for a deep fryer. 

And if you're wondering how to dispose of your cooking oil, let it cool completely and pour into a compostable bag, tie it up and pop into the compost bin.

Vada Pav

Vada pav is a popular Mumbai snack — fried potato dumplings in a soft bun with three contrasting chutneys. They're simple to make and absolutely delicious.

I took direction from a few places, most notably Manali Singh (@cookwithmanali) on Instagram. I made the coriander chutney in a way I normally do, and used my favourite bottled tamarind chutney. Feel free to use any chutneys you like!

Ingredients

Green Coriander Chutney:

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro (divided)
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped 
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
• A bit of grated ginger
• ¼ tsp. cumin
• Salt
• 2-3 tbsp. lime or lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp. olive or other vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp. golden or sultana raisins (optional)

Garlic Coconut Chutney:

• Olive or vegetable oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• Salt

Vada:

• 4 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 4-6 pieces
• Salt
• Vegetable oil or ghee, for cooking
• 2 tsp. mustard seed
• 1 tsp. cumin seed
• A few fresh or dried curry leaves (optional)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2-3 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. cumin

Vada batter:

• 1 cup besan/chickpea flour
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ cup water
• Small soft buns or dinner rolls
• Bottled tamarind chutney, for serving

To make the green coriander chutney, chop and set aside about 1/3 cup of the cilantro stems for the potato filling, and blitz the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor until well-blended — it won't be smooth.

Taste and adjust the salt and lime juice, if needed, and add a bit of extra oil or water if it seems too dry. 

To make the garlic coconut chutney, warm a generous drizzle of oil in a medium skillet, add the garlic and coconut and cook until both are golden and fragrant.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chili powder and salt. If you like, blend it in a spice mill or mortar and pestle once it has cooled.

To make the potato filling, cover the potatoes with water in a medium saucepan, add a big pinch of salt, bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender. Drain well.

Heat a generous drizzle of oil (or a chunk of ghee) in a large skillet and add the mustard and cumin seed and curry leaves; cook for a minute or two, until they are fragrant and start to pop.

Add the garlic and reserved chopped cilantro stems and cook for another minute, then add the drained potatoes, chili powder, turmeric, cumin and a big pinch of salt and stir, mashing the potatoes with a potato masher or a fork, until the mixture is well combined and the potatoes are chunky or smooth, depending on your preference. Set aside to cool.

• Bookmark cbc.ca/juliesrecipes to keep up with all of Julie Van Rosendaal's dishes.

To make the batter, whisk together the chickpea flour, turmeric, baking soda and salt. Whisk in the water. The mixture should have the texture of heavy cream.

Heat a couple inches of oil in a shallow pot until it's hot, but not smoking. If you have a thermometer, aim for 350-375 F, or a scrap of bread or a wooden spoon should sizzle if dipped in.

Roll the potato mixture into pieces a bit bigger than a golf ball. Aim for a size suitable for the size of your buns (though you could put two into one bun), making sure the mixture is holding together.

Dip in the besan mixture to coat, then carefully drop into the hot oil and cook, turning as it turns golden, until deep golden all over.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining potato mixture and besan batter. If you have any batter left over, drizzle it into the oil and add the crispy bits to your pav for added crunch.

To assemble each vada pav, toast your buns cut-side-down in a hot skillet if you like (butter them first, or add oil to the skillet) and spread the bottom with coriander chutney.

Add one or two potato fritters and top with some coconut chutney and tamarind chutney, and then the top of the bun.

Serves: 4-6. 

Froot Loops + Condensed Cereal Milk Funnel Cakes

Although the classic way to serve a funnel cake is warm, doused in icing sugar, this year they're drizzling them with condensed cereal milk and topping them with Froot Loops. 

At the Stampede, they'll come with strawberries and whipped cream, too. You could use funnel cakes as a base for anything from ice cream to fresh fruit.

If you don't have a funnel, pour the batter into a squeeze bottle (with a not-too-fine tip) and squeeze it directly into the hot oil.

Ingredients

Condensed Cereal Milk:

• 1 cup milk (any kind)
• ½ cup (approximately) Froot Loops
• ¾ cup sugar

Funnel Cakes:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1¼ cups milk (dairy or non)
• 1 large egg
• Canola oil, for cooking
• Icing sugar, for dusting
• Froot Loops, for topping 

To make the condensed cereal milk, combine the milk and Froot Loops in a bowl and let sit for at least half an hour. Drain into a medium saucepan, add the sugar, and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until it reduces slightly. Cool completely.

This can be made up to a week ahead and refrigerated.

To make the funnel cakes: In a medium bowl (if you have one, use a large measuring cup or bowl with a spout), whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

LISTEN | Julie Van Rosendaal talks about Stampede dishes:

Add the milk and egg and whisk until perfectly smooth. It should have the consistency of crêpe batter or heavy cream — if it's too thick to run through a funnel, thin it with a little milk or water.

Heat about an inch of oil in a deep, heavy skillet or shallow pot until it's hot but not smoking. A scrap of bread should sizzle if you dip it in.

Get a funnel and put your finger over the end. Pour in some batter (not quite ¼ cup) and take your finger off, letting the batter pour out as you move the funnel in a squiggly motion over the oil.

Let the batter cook for a minute, or until it's golden, and flip with tongs to cook on the other side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil.

Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm, topped with a generous drizzle of condensed cereal milk and a handful of Froot Loops.

Makes: About 8, depending on their size.

Deep-fried Dad's Cookies

Deep-fried Dad's cookies are on the midway menu this year, rolled in cinnamon sugar straight out of the fryer.

You could use any cookie here, from Oreos to maple sandwich cookies to Biscoff … or even chunks of Mars bar or (very cold) Nanaimo bars. Double the batter, if you need to.

Ingredients

Batter:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2/3 cup milk (dairy or non)
• 1 large egg
• Canola or other neutral vegetable oil, for cooking
• Dad's cookies (or substitute Oreos, maple sandwich cookies or any other cookie of your choice)
• Icing sugar or cinnamon sugar, for dusting

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk and egg and whisk until smooth. It should have the consistency of pancake batter. Add a bit more milk, if you need to.

Heat about an inch of oil in a shallow pot over medium-high heat until it's hot, but not smoking. If you have a thermometer, aim for about 350-375 F, or a scrap of bread or a wooden spoon should sizzle when dipped in.

Working one at a time, dip a cookie into the batter to coat completely, then carefully drop into the hot oil.

Cook a few at a time, turning as they turn deep golden, and transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. While they're still warm, roll them in cinnamon sugar to coat, or shake powdered sugar overtop.

Serve warm.

Serves: About 4.