Paratha Love

Garlic Paratha

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 3 teaspoon ghee

• 6 cloves garlic

• 2 tablespoon coriander leaves

• 1 teaspoon salt

• water as required

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon red chili powder

• 2 tablespoon melted butter

How to make:

1. To prepare these delectable parathas, first peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Also, finely chop the coriander leaves.
2. Take a large bowl and add all purpose flour in it, along with ghee, salt, and sugar. Add water and knead a dough. Keep it aside for a few minutes.
3. Knead it again into a dough like that of chapati. After the dough is made, divide it into small or medium balls. Pat them flat and roll into thin layered discs.
4. Take another bowl and mix garlic, red chilli powder, and coriander leaves in it.
5. Now, put some garlic mixture on the rolled paratha dough. Fold it from all the sides and again make a ball, so that the mixture is well stuffed in it. Roll it into a medium circle again.
6. After that, put a tava on medium flame. Heat some butter over it. Place the paratha dough over it and cook well from both sides with more butter.
7. Repeat the procedure till all the parathas are well cooked.
8. Serve them hot with curd and pickle or any dish of your choice.

Aloo Paratha:

Ingredients:

• 7 mashed,boiled,peeled potato
• 1 handful chopped coriander leaves
• 4 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon chaat masala
• 4 finely chopped green chilli
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered black pepper
• 1 large finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon red chilli
• 1/2 tablespoon garam masala powder

How to make:

1. To make this paratha recipe, boil the potatoes and mash them in a large bowl. In the potatoes, add chopped onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt, garam masala powder, chaat masala and mix well so that no lumps remain. Ensure that you have finely chopped the onions or the filling will come out.
2. Put wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Add water gradually and knead into a soft dough. Make small-medium balls of the dough and roll them out into 3 to 4 inch circles. Add a spoonful of potato filling in the centre. Gradually press the rolling pin on all sides while making the parathas. Be very careful to apply pressure evenly. It is very important to insure that your potato mixture is mashed well and not lumpy or you will never be able to make perfect parathas.
3. Seal the dough and round it with the your fingers. Now roll them with a rolling pin into round parathas. Apply the pressure very evenly and gently on all sides.
4. Press very lightly so that the mixture does not come out. Heat a girdle and roast the parathas, cooking them on both the sides with a spoonful of butter. If you want to use less butter on the parathas, first roast them on both the sides on low flame and when they are slightly crispy, apply butter with brush on both the sides.
5. Serve piping hot with chilled yoghurt or pickle. You can also serve the aloo parathas with green chutney or coconut chutney or a light gravy. Ideally a light potato shorba goes best with aloo ka paratha. You can also make a quick onion-tomato-green chilli raita that tastes amazing with this paratha.

Small Dishes/ snacks

Off-beat snacks!!

Chickpea-cauliflower 

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup of mustard seeds 
2. 1½ cups of water
3. 1½ cups of rice vinegar
4. 2 tbsp of olive oil
5. ½ cup of sugar
6. 1 tbsp of salt
7. A pinch of salt
8. Freshly ground pepper
9. 2 cups of canned or boiled chickpeas
10. A spoonful or two of Sriracha sauce (depending on your heat preference) 
11. Cauliflower (half of a small head, cut into florets

Method:

• For pickled mustard seeds, combine the mustard seeds, water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook the mixture stirring often, for around 45 minutes, until the mustard seeds are plump and tender. Remove from heat and let cool, then transfer to a container and refrigerate. (They can be used right away, but they get even better after they have had a chance to sit in the fridge overnight). They keep for several months.

• For the chickpeas, preheat the oven at 450°. Toss chickpeas with oil, Sriracha, and salt until evenly coated. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice while baking. Remove from oven and let cool.

• For the roasted cauliflower, preheat oven to 450°. Toss cauliflower with oil, salt, pepper, and roast for around 30 minutes, or until cauliflower begins to brown and some of the thinner edges start to crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

• Combine cauliflower and chickpeas in a bowl or on a platter. Add a few spoonfuls of pickled mustard seeds, a squeeze of lemon, and a dollop or two of Greek yoghurt to each bowl, then gently toss to distribute.
  Crispy baked Beguni

Ingredients:

1. 2 pounds small to medium-size eggplant (about 6 depending on exact size)
2. 2 large eggs
3. 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
4. 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs (use Rice Chex crumbs for a gluten-free option)
5. 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
6. ½ tsp each salt and freshly ground pepper
7. Olive oil, for baking sheets

Method:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Thoroughly coat a baking sheet with oil. Set aside. (You may need to use two sheets). In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1 tablespoon of water. In another bowl (a pie plate works well), combine the crumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

• Cut the eggplants into thick rounds. (I like them to be between 1/2 and 3/4 inches thick so they have time to brown in the oven before softening). Dip the eggplant slices in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the dipped slices in the Parmesan mixture, pushing down gently to coat well. Transfer the coated slices to the baking sheet.

• Bake until golden brown on the bottom, about 17-20 minutes. (Peek underneath using a spatula; if they are not yet golden, give them a few more minutes and check again). Flip the slices and continue baking until lightly browned on other side but still slightly firm, about 10 minutes more. 

• All ovens vary, so do not hesitate to adjust a few minutes either way. You want the first side to be golden brown; then worry more about doneness and texture than getting the second side equally browned. (When pressed for time, I simply give the tops a quick broil rather than flipping and cooking for the additional 10 minutes).
• Remove from the oven, and serve as is or with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.

CAULIFLOWER DISHES

CAULIFLOWERS: A CALL FOR CAULIFLOWERS 

 The cauliflower is like an emblem of winter to many of us. This beautiful produce lasts in its truly fresh form for a much longer period of time than many other vegetables and is very versatile too. So let's maximize on that to celebrate our love for the winters of days past! It keeps your bones healthy, reduces high blood pressure , strengthens our immunity and also helps to reduce the risk of cancer