Laccha Paratha

Laccha or layered paratha is a very popular indian flatbread,often eaten with vegeterian and non vegeterian gravies.
I first started making these when I purchased the gas oven tandoor. I learnt the technique from Chef Sanjeev Kapoor , while watching a demo of the Gas Oven Tandoor. I promptly tried making it on regular tawa ,since I hadnt purchased the tandoor then....And the paratha was in instant hit at home, especially with my husband, who insisted I make them even for breakfast with tea!
The technique is very simple , but if followed correctly gives amazingly crisp,layered and khasta parathas!
This is my version of making them on tawa or girdle,which requires slightly more oil to roast,vis a vis when made in gas oven tandoor!

Ingredients:

1 Cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Oil
Water as required to knead the flour

1/2 Cup dry flour
2 tbsp Ghee or clarified butter
Oil for roasting the parathas

Knead a soft dough from wheat flour ,salt and 1 tsp oil. Ensure the dough is soft and generously kneaded. Keep aside for 10 - 15 mins.

Pinch small portion of the dough and roll out a 6-8 cm circle.
Apply ghee over it and sprinkle dry flour over it.

Now fold this like a fan or pleats as shown.

Then further roll it to resemble like a spiral.Use dry flour if needed.

 

Press it firmly and again roll it into a round paratha about 10 cm diameter,moderately thick.

Roast this on a medium hot tawa using some oil ,until crisp and brown on both sides.
Serve hot with a dollop of butter and gravy of your choice.

 

Rajgira Puris

As a part of upwaas snack indulgence, made these puris with rajgira flour ( its a flour made from the seeds of a plant ..Amaranthus). Initially I was quiet unsure of the binding of the flour and rolling out the pooris, since its a gluten free flour ..but it turned to be just fine. And I was lazy enough to make the aloo subji , so served them with the Peanut and Yogurt chutney..which was a lovely combo.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Rajgira Flour
Water as needed
1/2 tsp namak shamak
 Oil for deep frying.

Mix together rajgira flour and salt with 1 tsp oil in a bowl.
Slowly start adding water to knead a stiff dough.

Pinch small portions of the dough and roll in between greased plastic sheets.
Deep fry in hot oil till brown and crisp.

Serve hot with white butter and yogurt chutney.

Refer the link below for the chutney recipe
http://www.namakshamak.blogspot.in/2012/10/faarali-combo-sabudana-wada-with-sweet.html

 

How to make a perfect Roti?

I completely believe that making the perfect Roti's, Chapati , or Phulkas, is an art!! It isnt easy as much as our mothers make it seem! Its their years of experience and practice ,coupled with expertise that makes it seem such a casual task.
I was indeed under this very misconception , until I got married and decided to make a full course meal for my husband (just to please him and show him how "Sarva Gun Sampanna" or Allrounder I was)...
I managed with the subjis and the gravies and dal chawal....but when it came it making chapati's, I had to accept my defeat to the challenge!
Its not just about rolling the dough round...it just simply starts with getting the dough right...
And this I learnt later from my Mother In Law! ( In case you wondering what happened to my glorious first dinner, well , thankfully , my neighbour aunty came to my rescue...thank God!!)
Its true , that your mother is your first teacher, but when it comes to modern educated women , who normally are too busy to enter their home kitchens, their Mother In Law's become their first Cooking Teachers! I m sure most of you all shall agree with me!!

So finally , when I let the secret out , my mom in law wasnt surprised....
And , she pariently began with the basics....

Kneading the Dough:
She always said, if you get your dough right , half of your task is done.
So how much of water you add?? Ohh come on, we are not the British or English cooks ,who measure and weigh their ingredients.
We use our hands, our sense of touch!!
So start with your atta and add salt ( just very little , say 1/2 tsp per heaped cup) and drizzle some oil.

Now slowly add some water and start mixing the flour with all the ingredients. Keep kneading the flour with force to make it stick together.
Continue till you feel , now the dough is not sticky not too dry.
At this stage your dough might not be plain.
So now keep kneading the dough with all your force for about 1-2 mins till its smooth and plain.
You can use some oil if you want to.
Keep the dough covered for 10 mins before making rotis.


Neatly knead dough..this is pink due to ragi , but yours will be light brown is you have got your dough right!!

Things to remember:
If you are using a regular whole wheat atta, you might need a moderate amount of water
However, if you decide to go with a Multi Grain Atta ,(Like I have used today) you will need some more water , since the atta does absorb more water.
You can add flours like Ragi (Nachni) when kneading the flour to make yout rotis more nutritious!

I have used Ashirwad Multi Grain Atta with some Ragi flour for my rotis, but you can use regular whole wheat flour.(process remains the same)

Rolling the Roti's:
Pinch a small amount of the dough ,of the size of a small peda. Knead and make it plain.
Dip it in dry flour and start rolling using a rolling pin.

Do not apply too much pressure and try rolling out the edges ,rather than the center.
Keep rotating the roti when rolling for even thickness.


On the tawa ,ready to be a hot phulka!

Roasting the perfect Phulka Roti's:

Heat the tawa 5 mins before you begin rolling roti's,on a low flame.It ensures your tawa is hot enough to start roasting.
Now make the flame medium and place the rolled roti over the tawa and let it roast till small bubbles form.

Flip your roti when you see these tiny bubbles underneath

Now flip the roti on the tawa (this side might me very light brown,and half cooked , but dont worry , it shall be cooked when you place it on flame or you can re-roast it again after this side cooks completely)
The above step is necessary to make the rotis inflate.

Once this side is roasted well, place the half cooked side on direct flame. Let the roti inflate.

Glorious inflated roti on gas

Transfer in caserole and apply ghee is desired.

If you do not desire to cook the roti on direct flame, you can now roast the half cooked side on the tawa , using a roll of clean cloth to press the roti from above.
This will also ensure your roti inflates on tawa!

Hot hot phulka roti's just for you!!

Dal Makhani with Paratha

 

One of the main features of Punjabi cuisine is its diverse range of dishes.  Since Punjab is know for its rich milk a number of dishes in Punjab contain milk products like butter, ghee, curd and the paneer etc. Certain dishes which are exclusive to Punjab are the rotis, naans, parathas, choles and ofcourse the Sarson ka saag. The main masala in a Punjabi dish consists of Onions, Ginger and Garlic. Tandoor cuisine is a Punjabi speciality especially for non-vegetarian dishes.

Dal Makhani is the staple food of the Punjab region.The primary ingredients in dal makhani are Whole urad and rajma, rather than masoor. Dal makhani is now universally recognized as a quintessentially Indian dish and variations of the fare are served in a wide variety of eateries and restaurants internationally. The traditional preparation of dal makhani involves a series of time-consuming procedures, which can take up to 24 hours to complete. However, with the availability of modern cooking equipment, including Pressure cooker the preparation time of the dish has reduced significantly.

The Paratha is an important part of a traditional Indian breakfast.

A paratha (especially a stuffed one) can be eaten simply with a blob of butter spread on top, with chutney, with pickles and yogurt, or with meat or vegetable curries. The paratha can be round, heptagonal, square or triangular. They can be stuffed with a variety of stuffings like potatoes, paneer or even kheema.

Ingredients:

For the Dal Makhani: 

1/2 cup      Rajma

1/2 cup      Whole Urad

1/2 cup      Whole Masoor

1                Onion

1                Tomato

1 tsp          Ginger Garlic Paste

1 tsp          Red Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp       Haldi Powder

1 tsp          Namak Shamak

1 tsp          Coriander Powder

1/2 tsp       Jeera Powder

1 1/2 tsp    Garam Masala

1/2 cup      Milk Cream

1 tsp          Kasoori Methi

 3 tsp         Oil

For the Paratha:

1 cup        Maida

2 cups       Wheat Flour

1 tsp         Namak Shamak

Method:

For the Dal Makhani: 

Soak the Rajma, Whole Urad and the Masoor for atleast 12 hr to 18 hrs.

In a Pressure Pan, heat the oil and add the ginger garlic paste and saute. Put in the onion and the tomato and saute till it leaves oil. Now add the chilli powder, haldi powder, dhania powder, jeera powder, salt and the garam masala. Toss in the rajma, urad and the masoor. Pour 2 cups of water and put on the lid of the pressure pan. Take atleast 5 to 6 whistles while on medium flame.

When cooked, stir in the milk cream and mix. Heat a little and then add the kasoori methi. Cook for 2 to 3 mins.

Garnish with a little cream.

Serve hot accompanied with parathas.

For the Paratha:

Knead the dough using water.

Take a small peda and roll into a thick chapati. Now smear a little ghee on it and dust it lightly with a little atta. Fold into a semi circle. Smear a little ghee on the semi circle, dust with flour and fold into a triangle. Now roll it into triangular shape.

Grill the paratha on a tawa using ghee.

Broccoli Peas Paratha

Finally some fresh broccoli!!!!

Sounds strange but my kid just loves broccoli. Generally kids are pretty fussy about eating anything green.

Broccoli is high in vitamin C, as well as fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties. Peas are high in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. And the combination of these two -  a full fledged immunity booster...

Well, in short this paratha  is a fully loaded multi vitamin shot.... and what more it tastes really good. Specially with Aam ka Achar.

Ingredients:

1 Cup        Broccoli

1/2 Cup     Peas

1 1/2 Cup  Boiled Potatoes (mashed)

1/2 Cup     Paneer (optional)

2 tsp          Finely chopped green chillies

1/2 tsp       Chaat masala

1/2 tsp       Jeera powder

1/2 tsp       Dhania powder

1/2 tsp       Namak Shamak

1/2 cup      Coriander leaves

2 cups       Whole Wheat Atta

Ghee for roasting

 

Method:

Boil the peas and the broccoli in a little salt water for 5 to 10 mins. When cooked drain and reserve the water. 

Use the water to knead the whole wheat atta. Make a dough and keep covered.

In a bowl, take the boiled potatoes, green chillies, the cooked broccoli and peas. Add the salt, jeera powder, dhania powder, chaat masala and the coriander leaves. Add the grated paneer (optional) and mix.

Make small ball of the dough. Make a small vati of the dough and fill it with the filling and close it.

Roll out the parathas lightly.

Heat a tawa and roast the parathas on medium heat using a little ghee.

These taste good with curd or Aam ka achaar.

Jhatpat Dal Paratha

Got up in the morning wondering "what for breakfast?"

Made poha yesterday, upma the day before and everyone wanted something home cooked, so I guess paratha was the only filling option.

I had cooked dal for dal tadka but no one was excited about simple dal and chawal. So I decided to use the humble tuvar dal to make parathas which were quite filling and loaded with proteins. You can use moong dal or channa dal or urad dal or simply mixed dals. This can be a very easy breakfast to make when You are on the run, just keep aside some of the cooked dal in the fridge and the next day you have a nutritious breakfast.

Kids love this paratha. Just spread some khatta meetha chunda or some cheese spread on it and make a roll. Tastes good even when cold, so it can be ideal for kiddies tiffins.

Ingredients:

1 cup         Tuvar Dal

1               Onion

2               Green Chillies

6 to 7        Garlic Cloves

1/2 cup     Coriander leaves

3 cups       Wheat Atta

1 tsp         Dhania Powder

1/2 tsp      Jeera Powder

1 tsp         Red Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp      Haldi Powder

1 tsp         Namak Shamak

Method:

Cook the Tuvar dal in 1 and 1/2 cup of water in a pressure cooker till done.

Chop the garlic, onions and coriander leaves finely.

In a big vessel take the tuvar dal, add the haldi powder, jeera powder, dhania powder, red chilli powder, onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt and the Wheat Atta. Knead the dough well. You can add a tsp of oil to the dough to make it a little soft.

Now roll into small parathas and roast on a tawa applying a little ghee.

Serve hot with dahi.

Corn and Spinach Parathas with Chokha and Chilli Garlic Chutney

There's no better meal than a crisp,flaky,hot paratha with curd and pickle!! Monsoon brings in the temptations for hot bhajia's or wadas. But as they say , variety is the spice of life! And what better variety than a healthier and yummier meals , that are hot and crispy like bhajias , spicy like wadas and not very oily.
And currently, for me ,monsoon has become synonymous with corn , as much as they had been for bhajias.
So thats how ,I took my cullinary romance with Corn , further ! By incorporating them in a staple meal ...Parathas! And to increase the nurtitional quotient, the very versatile spinach stepped in.
Now , since the american sweet corns are obviously sweet , I paired it up with a fiery hot chilli garlic chutney , and replaced dahi with Chokha ( yah yah,...Litti walla Chokha) And believe me , the end result is worth all the hard work needed to put everything togerther.
So make sure you definitely try this one!!

I have divided this recipe into three parts( Paratha/Chokha/Chutney)

Corn and Spinach Parathas
Ingredients:
1 Cup Sweet Corn kernels ,coarsely ground
1 Cup Chopped Spinach
1 Medium Potato,boiled and mashed
1 small Onion finely chopped
2 Green Chillies finely chopped
1/2 Lemon juice
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Chilly Powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Namak Shamak
1 Tbsp Grated Processed Cheese
1 tsp oil+ 2-3 tbsp for roasting parathas

1 Cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Namak Shamak


Knead a stiff dough ,mixing Wheat flour with ghee and salt and keep covered aside.

Heat oil in a pan , and add cumin seeds. Once they splitter ,add green chillies and onion and roast till translucent. Add the ground kernels and cook till the mixture gets dry. Now add spinach and mix.
Add turmeric,chilly powder,coriander powder,salt and lemon juice and saute till the mixture dries up.
Add potato and mix , till the mixture sticks together in a lumph.
Cool the mixture and add the grated cheese and mix.

Roll the wheat dough into a small roti and fill some corn mixture and cover it with the dough.
Now roll up the stuffed dough into parathas and roast them on a tawa on medium flame , with oil , till crisp.
 Serve with a cube of Butter! And chokha with chilli garlic chutney

Chokha:( there are various versions of chokha's,this pne's from a marathi recipe show , but with my twist)

Ingredients:

1 medium Onion cut into chunks
1 medium boiled potato cut into 2 pieces
2-3 green chillies
1/2 cup Curd
1/2 tsp Namak Shamak
1/4 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
For tempering:
11/2 tsp Oil
1 tsp Fennel Seeds(Saunf)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 chopped green chilly


In a metal skewer, string the onions,potatoes and chillies and roast on the gas flame for 5 mins, from all sides.
Remove from the skewer and lightly mash or chop them.

Add curd ,salt,sugar and mix.
Heat oil and add all the tempering.
Pour it over the onion curd mixture and mix well.
Garnish with chopped coriander

Chilli Garlic Chutney:

Ingredients:
8-10 Dry Red Chillied soaked in water for 2 hrs
5-7 cloves of Garlic
1 tsp Tomato ketchup
1/2 tsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Namak Shamak
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Oil

Put all the ingredients ,except oil in a blender and grind to a smooth paste.
Heat oil and add the chilly mixture and saute for 2-3 mins.
Cool and serve.

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