Naan

Naans are cooked in tandoors or clay ovens. I don't own either, so I cooked my naans on a tawa and grilled a few of them.

Grilled Naan

Ingredients:
APF/Maida - 3 cups + extra flour.
Yeast - 1 tsp.
Sugar - 1 tsp.
Salt - 1 tsp.
Warm milk - 1/2 cup
Warm water - 3/4 cup
Yogurt - 2 tbsp.
Oil

Method:
Dissolve yeast in warm water and add milk and sugar. Keep aside until it becomes frothy.
Add salt to the flour and mix well. Add yogurt, 2 tsp. of oil and yeast water amd mix well.
At this stage, the dough becomes sticky, so add little flour and knead it into a pliable dough.
Pour a little oil on the top of the dough and cover with cling wrap or a kitchen towel. Keep it in a warm place till the dough becomes double the size.
Punch the dough slowly and divide it into equal-sized balls.
Dust the rolling surface with a little flour and flatten the balls thicker than chapathi in oval or round shape.
Cook the naan on a tawa on both sides. Sprinkle and apply oil on the top of naan and cook.
Serve hot with any of your fav side dish. Don't serve cold.

Naan cooked on tawa

Read More

Cauliflower Paratha

Ingredients:
For stuffing:
Cauliflower - 1 (medium)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1.5 tsp. (grated)
Chopped coriander leaves - few
Salt (to taste)
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp.
Tandoori masala - 1/2 tsp. (optional)
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.

For paratha:
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt (to taste)
Water (as required to knead)




Shredded  Cauliflower

 Method:
Mix salt and wheat flour in a bowl. Add required water and knead into a smooth dough. Cover and keep aside.
Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets with tender stalks. Heat 4 cups of water. Add 1/2 tsp. of salt and dissolve. Drop the florets and let it sit for 5 minutes. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon. Pat dry the florets. Add this to the blender or food processor and shred them. Sprinkle salt and mix well. Keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take a fistful of shredded cauliflower and squeeze out the water. Continue the process with the remaining.
Pat dry the onion pieces and coriander leaves. Add this to the cauliflower. Add the powders and ginger and mix well.
Knead the dough again and divide them into equal portions of balls. Take one ball and dust with maida/APF and flatten into a 4-inch circle. Place 1 tbsp. (or according to your measurement) of cauliflower stuffing and bring the edges to the centre and seal it.
Again dust with APF/maida and flatten the ball into chapathi. Don't give too much pressure while rolling with rolling pin. While rolling, 2 to 3 holes may appear and it's not a problem.
Heat a tawa and cook the paratha in medium-low flame (the stuffing inside will get cooked). When you see the brown spots on both sides remove and place on a plate. While the paratha is cooking in the tawa, you can roll another paratha simultaneously. Continue this process with the remaining balls.
Enjoy with thick curd and your favorite pickle.

Sent off to "Flavours Of Punjab" event hosted by Pari and started by Nayna.

Read More

Aloo Muttar Paratha/Potato Green Peas Stuffed Flatbread

Ingredients:
For dough:
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt
Water (for kneading)

For filling:
Potatoes - 4 (medium)
Green peas - ¾ cup
Onions - 1 (finely chopped)
Green chilies - 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch (grated)
Ajwain - 2 pinches
Cumin powder - 2 pinches
Garam masala - a pinch
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves (without stalk)- 2 tbsp. (chopped)
Oil

Method:In a mixing bowl add flour and salt. Mix well.
By adding water, knead into a smooth dough.
Cover and keep aside.

For filling:
(I) Steam cook(ed) potatoes by cutting into halves in the microwave.
Peel the skin and grate the potatoes. Keep aside.
(Then I) Steam cook(ed) the peas also in the microwave.
Grind them into a paste.
Heat the oil and add the onions. Fry till tender.
Now add the peas paste and sauté till dry. Cool.
In a bowl add the grated potatoes, green peas, ginger, ajwain, garam masala, green chilies, cumin powder, salt, coriander leaves and mix well.
You will get a smooth potato dough ball.
Divide them into equal sized balls.
Again knead the wheat dough and divide it into equal sized balls.
Flatten the ball (dust them with plain flour) into a palm size disc with a rolling pin.
Place the filling and cover them with disc. Seal it.
Flatten them gently with the rolling pin rolling on the seal.
Heat the tawa and place the paratha.
Cook on both sides by brushing with oil.
Continue with the remaining balls.
Enjoy with salt or sugar mixed yogurt
We had the parathas with salt mixed beaten yogurt sprinkled with red chili powder and mango pickle.

Note:
Make sure no lumps in the potatoes and green peas.
I flattened the stuffed ball on the side of the sealing.
Green chilies can be replaced with red chili powder.
Adjust the spices according to your taste.
I got 13 parathas from this measurements.

Sent off to MLLA-21 (hosted by Superchef and started by Susan), Pari's Combo event & Srilekha's EFM-Parathas & Gravies/Curries.

Read More

Bread Triangles

Ingredients:

Bread slices - 12

For the filling:
Potatoes - 4
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Garlic - 1 tsp. (grated)
Green chili paste - ¾ tsp.
Carrot - 1 (grated)
Coconut - 3 tbsp. (grated)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.
Lemon juice - 1 tsp.
Sesame seeds - as required
Oil
Salt
Butter

Method:
Dry roast the sesame seeds and keep aside.
Boil, peel and mash the potatoes.
Cut each bread slices into 4 triangles.
Heat oil and add the onions.
When the onions change color, add the ginger, garlic and chili paste.
Sauté till the raw smell fades.
Add the coconut and carrot. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the mashed potatoes and mix well.
Add salt, coriander leaves and mix.
After 2 minutes, remove heat and allow it to cool completely.
Now add the lemon juice and mix.
Take a bread piece and spread the potato mixture.
Sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds on top and press.
Continue spreading on 7 pieces of bread..
Heat a non-stick tawa and add the butter.
Place the bread pieces and toast on both sides by turning gently till they turn light golden color.
Continue with other bread pieces.

R.C.

Sent off to Priya's "CWS" event.

Read More

Oats Burger

You might have noticed, just from reading the recipes you get a feeling that it must be really good. You will be tempted to try it immediately and have it.

Well, I saw this oats burger recipe when I was raiding my own collection for something original and satisfying. I immediately felt the urge to try this and really, I must say, it came out superb and my family loved it and kept asking for more. Trust me, even kids will annoy the patience out of you to make something like this if they get that feeling I mentioned in the above lines…

Ingredients:
Patty
Oats - 1 cup + more for coating
Potatoes - 4 (boiled & grated)
Bottle gourd - 1 cup (grated & squeeze well)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Oregano - ½ tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Pepper powder - ½ tsp.
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp.
Capsicum - 1 (chopped)
I used half red and half yellow capsicum

For burger:
Burger buns - 4
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices - few
Thick curd - 6 tbsp.

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Fry till it changes to golden color.
2. Add 1 cup of oats and mix well . Cook for a minute.
3. Add lauki and capsicum and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add salt, oregano, red chilli powder and pepper. Mix well.
5. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Make balls and shape them into round patties.
8. Spread the oats in a plate.
9. Coat the patty with the oats on both sides (If oats doesn’t coat lightly dip the patty in water for a second and coat the oats by pressing it over the patty).
10. Keep in a fridge for 10 minute.
11. Shallow fry the patties in a non-stick pan with little oil.
12. Remove when it is brown and crispy.
13. Cut the buns into half and saute in a little oil or butter.
14. Spread the curd on the bases of the bun. Place the lettuce leaves. Place a hot patty on it and spread the curd. Arrange a slice of tomato and sprinkle little salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Sent off to Srilekha's "EFM-Oats Series" event.

Read More

Healthy Yum-Yums!

Whole Wheat Sandwiches

You may add any kind of stuffing for the sandwiches. My stuffings are lettuce, swiss cheese slice, sliced tomatoes, pickled sandwich cucumber, pickled sliced Jalapeños (in left side plate). Same stuffing with broccoli sprouts.

Fruit Kebabs

You may add any variety of seasonal fruit of your own choice. In the picture, the fruits are papaya, mango, golden apples, chikoo, strawberries, pineapples. Any flavored yogurt would do as a dipping sauce. In the picture, it's vanilla and cherry yogurt.

Whole wheat sandwich and Fruit kebab sent off to the 15-minute event.

Read More

Stuffed paratha (aloo, tofu, and gajar)

Stuffed paratha (aloo, tofu, and gajar)
Ingredients:
For dough:
Whole wheat flour – 2 cups
Salt as required
Water for mixing

For stuffing:
Potatoes – 3 medium sized (boiled and grated)
Tofu – 2 tablespoons (crumbled or grated)
Carrot – 2 tablespoons (grated)

Ginger - 1/2 tea spoon - grated
Chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
Cumin powder – ¼ teaspoon
Amchur powder – ¼ teaspoon
Chat masala – 2 pinches
Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon
Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2
Coriander leaves – 2 teaspoon (finely chopped no stems!)
Salt as required

Oil or butter for cooking paratha.

Method:
In a bowl, add wheat flour and salt. Mix well.
Add water, and form dough.
Cover and keep it aside.
Pat dry the tofu and crumble/grate.
In another bowl, add all the stuffing ingredients and mix well.
This stuffing mixture should be dry and soft.
Take lime sized dough and flatten it the diameter of 2 inches.

Stuff the required potato mix into the flat dough and wrap into a ball (whole stuffing should be dry).

Flatten again gently.

Fry on flat griddle. Apply oil or ghee on the both sides of the paratha.

Note: Squeeze out all the water from the tofu. Pat-dry and then crumble/grate.

Egg masala:
This recipe is referred to Malar Gandhi’s chicken tomato thokku. I made some changes in the ingredients according to our taste added egg, instead of chicken. We all loved the dish. Thanks Malar!

Heat the oil in a kadai.
To the oil, add saunf, 2 cloves and one cinnamon stick.
Then add, half cup of chopped onion piecesand fry till it becomes translucent.
Add a teaspoon of grated garlic and fry.
After 2 minutes, add tomato pieces, chopped from a big tomato.
Add salt.
Fry till the tomatoes become mushy.
Add a teaspoon of red chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder and mix well.
Add ¼ cup of water and mix well.
After 3 minutes, add 4 boiled eggs, 2 pinch garam masala and few curry leaves, mix the egg with the masala and remove from fire.
Serve with chapathi.

Capsicum and tofu kurma.
This recipe is from Asha’s bell-pepper kurma. Made some changes by adding tofu and using the onions directly without grinding. I cooked this for dinner tonight. Shallow fry the tofu and add this to the masala. Thanks Asha! We loved this dish!

Read More

Zucchini Apple Bread

Zucchini is a member of the cucumber and melon family. The word zucchini comes from the Italian word ‘zucchino’meaning , small squash and from the French term for zucchini is ‘courgette’. Zucchini squash is the favored jewel of the summer squashes .The term squash comes from the Indian skutasquash meaning "green thing eaten green." Christopher Columbus originally brought seeds to the Mediterranean region and Africa. The vegetable is usually in green, yellow, light green and has a similar shape like cucumber. Farmers produce them as round or bottle-shaped fruits.
Zucchini contains fewer calories, 5% fiber, thiamin, vitaminB1, vitaminB6, Vitamin C, Folate, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum & potassium.
I am not a big fan of zucchini. But I had to eat it in some way. In the net I found several zucchini bread recipes. I got this recipe from my favorite site, www.joyofbaking.com. It also had apple, little sugar and oil instead of butter.

Ingredients:
Raw Zucchini – 1 cup (shredded)
Walnuts or pecans – ½ cup (I used walnuts)
Raw apple – ½ cup (peeled and grated)
All-purpose flour – 1 ½ cups
Baking soda- 1 teaspoon
Baking powder – ¼ teaspoon
Salt- ¼ teaspoon
Ground cinnamon – ½ teaspoon
Ground nutmeg – ¼ teaspoon
Canola oil – ½ cup
Granulated white sugar – 1 cup
Large eggs – 2 (room temperature)
Pure vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
Shredded coconut – 1/2 cup (sweetened or unsweetened)

Method:
Preheat the oven 350° F ( C = (F -32 ) * 5 /9 ≈ 177° C) and placing the rack in the center of the oven.
Use cooking spray on the loaf pan. Just keep it somewhere safe.
Toast the walnuts until lightly browned.
Chop them finely when they’re cooled.
Here begins the preparation. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
In another bowl, throw in the oil, sugar, eggs & vanilla extract & whisk until the mixture goes precisely.
Then toss in the shredded zucchini and apple, beat again.
After that add the flour mixture, beat again until well.
Pour in the walnuts & coconut into the mixture & fold them.
Scuff the mixture from the bowl into the loaf pan.
Bake it properly till it rises in the same temperature for at least an hour.
Take it out and let it cool.
Enjoy it with snack time with whipped cream as a companion.

This goes to the event 'Bread Mania'.

Read More

Pudina Roti

Another variation of roti using mint leaves.

Ingredients:
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Salt as required

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, ghee, salt and mix them well.
Chop half cup of mint leaves and include this to the flour mix.
Again mix well.
Add required water and knead into a dough.
Cover and keep it aside for 20 minutes.
While the dough is cooling off, fry the other half of mint leaves till it becomes dry. (no moisture in leaves)
Cool and crush this and keep this aside.

Pick up key lime size dough and flatten it as thin as possible.
Fold it in a zig-zag fashion.


Pack into a strip.
Roll tightly into a spiral shape and seal the edge.

Again flatten into circle.
Sprinkle the crushed mint leaves over the roti.
Roll the rolling pin over roti a couple of times so that the crushed mint leaves stay together with roti.
Lay the roti on a hot tawa in a medium flame.
Cook both sides of roti.
Serve hot with any side-dish if desired.

Read More

Vendhaya Keerai Chapathi

Ingredients:

Fenugreek leaves - from one bunch ( chopped)
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Gram flour - 1/2 cup ( besan)
Red chilli powder -1 tsp
Salt
Curd -2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2tsp
Ghee - 2tbs
Oil

Method:

Seive the wheat flour and gram flour.
Add salt , red chilly powder,cumin powder and yogurt to the flour.
Add the chopped fenugreek leaves and mix with the flour.
Add required water and knead into a dough.
Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Divide them into equal sized key lime sized balls.
Roll out into desired thickness.
Heat the flat pan and lay the paratha and cook it in little oil (by sprinkling)
Remove and apply little ghee on the paratha and serve it with pickle or whatever you wish.

Read More

Plain paratha

Ingredients:
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt - as required for your taste
Water - Needed quantity to knead


Method:
Mix flour, salt and water.
Knead into a soft dough.
Take key lime size of dough.
Roll into about 5 inch wide disc. Sprinkle dry flour while rolling to prevent from sticking.
Fold the disc into half.
Again fold to quarter.
Sprinkle dry flour and roll over the four folded dough.
Roll till it reaches desired thickness.
In the heated pan, lay the rolled dough.
Sprinkle little oil on the surface. Keep the burner on medium flame.
When one side is done, flip and sprinkle oil.
Remove when both sides are done.

Read More