Gakar (Crispy wheat bread)

Yesterday while surfing the channels on television, I saw a program 'Khadyabhramanti' on E tv marathi. Mrs. Kalpana Zokarkar from Indore was singing in her sweet voice. In the same show she taught this recipe from Indore, a traditional one.

I just tried it in the evening and it tasted really nice. She used coarse wheat flour (जाडसर गव्हाचे पीठ ) I used regular wheat flour instead but it worked well.

Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 tsp ajwain

1/2 tsp roasted तीळ /sesame seeds
salt to taste
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp soda-bi-carb
2 tsp ghee/toop/clarified butter


For the dip
1/2 cup curd
2-3 green chillies (roasted directly on the gas stove and then cut)
salt and sugar(optional) to taste
oil, mustard seeds and asafoetida for the tempering

Method
Make a dough mixing all the ingredients using water. Don't make it too soft. Keep it covered for fifteen minutes.

Make small lemon sized portions out of it. Make a flat tikki by gently pressing between the palms. Make an impression with the thumb in the middle of the tikki( just like पेढा)
Heat ghee in the non-stick flat pan or tawa.
Arrange the tikkis on it.
Cover with lid and cook for 8-10 minutes on low flame.
Turn the sides and cook for 2-3 minutes more

For the dip, mix curd, salt and sugar. Add chilli pieces. Heat oil in an iron ladle or pali. Add the tempering and pour it on the curd mixture. Mix well and serve with hot tikkis.

All green paratha

It's raining heavily in Mumbai. Everywhere it's green. So I thought of going green in my kitchen too.

I used all greens from my fridge and pantry and made गरमागरम parathas for the dinner.

Ingredients I used

palak or spinach leaves

pudina or mint leaves
kothimbir or coriander leaves
kasoori methi or fresh fenugreek leaves

लसुणपात or garlic leaves

कांद्याची पात or spring onion leaves

ओव्याची पाने or owa/ajwain

बडीशेप or fennel seeds
green chillies

Method

All ingredients are used in small quantities and can be adjusted according to the availability.
All are finely chopped and mixed with wheat flour and salt to taste.
Knead a dough using water as required. I added 2 tsp of oil to make it soft.
Roll parathas of medium thickness and roast from both sides.
Serve with pickle or curd.

Paneer Paratha

Usually recipes, tricks n tips,trends are passed on from Mothers to Daughters or from older to younger generation. But  this time it was other way round, my daughter suggested me this recipe which was her innovation. As she has to do her grocery and  cook for herself too while doing her job, she often goes for a short-cut ( like paratha- a 2 in 1 recipe)to save her time and have ghar ka khana.. I remember she couldn't even do chapati/roti when she was in college but now she manages to do puranpoli !!! She's come a long way. I am proud of you my child!!!


Ingredients
100 gms paneer
1 tbl sp kasoori methi
2 green chilies finely chopped
2 tsp green chutney( coriander leaves, mint leaves, ginger)
salt to taste
1 tbl sp honey

Knead a dough with 1 cup wheat flour, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp oil (optional)

Method

• Defrost the frozen paneer halfway so it can be easily grated with a grater.
• Mix all the other ingredients and make lemon sized flat balls out of it.
• Knead the dough and make balls out of it each ball should be of half the size  of the paneer ball.
• Take two small balls  and roll two small puris out of it. Place a flattened paneer ball over one puri and keep another puri over it. Seal the border by pressing firmly or by folding the edges.
• Roll a paratha of medium thickness by using rice flour (for dredging) if required.
• Roast from both sides on a non-stick pan or griddle using few drops of clarified butter or ghee.
• Eat with curd or white butter.

Happy Holee......PuraNpoLee

होळी रे होळी पुरणाची पोळी .....

पुरण पोळी  /stuffed sweet flat bread

Ingredients

For the stuffing
To be cooked in pressure cooker
1 cup split  bengal gram/chana dal
2 cups water

To be ground in mixer
cooked chana dal
1/2 cup jaggery
1/2 cup sugar
1-2 cardamom

For the dough
3/4 cup wheat flour
1 tbl sp chickpea flour/besan
1 tsp oil
2 tsp water
1/2 tsp salt

Method

• Cook chana dal in pressure cooker. Let it cool completely.(Preferably cook on previous day).
• Grind along with jaggery and sugar in a mixer.
• Transfer the contents into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 3-2-2-1 minutes with 3 intervals, stirring at every interval. Add cardamom powder. Let it cool.
• Knead a tough dough of wheat flour and chickpea flour while adding little water at a time.
• Mix water,salt and oil in a bowl. Make the dough soft with the help of the oil mixture.
• Make 10 parts of the stuff and 10 parts of the dough.
• Roll each part of the dough in a small circle and try to accommodate the stuffing in it. Make a ball and press slightly in palms to flatten it.
• Roll and spread this flat ball with the help of rice flour in a circle.
• Roast it on a hot griddle on medium flame from both sides.
• Apply sajook toop/clarified butter
• Serve with fresh milk.

Gobi/Kobi paratha

cabbage flat bread

Ingredients
1 cup grated cabbage
1/2 cup grated onion
1 tsp grated ginger
salt to taste
2 tbl sp curd/lemon juice
2 tsp oil
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp coriander-cumin seed powder

2 cups  approx.wheat flour
rice flour for dredging


Method

• Mix grated cabbage,onion,ginger,salt,coriander leaves,oil,curd in a bowl or shallow plate/paraat.
• Add in all powders. Mix well. The mixture will become moist.
• To this moist mixture add wheat flour in parts and knead the dough using little water at a time.
• Make equal portions/balls (8-10). Roll each ball into a circle (use rice flour for dredging so the dough won't stick to the board/polpat. Thickness of the circle should be of medium.
• Roast it on the non-stick griddle (with a tsp of oil if necessary.)
• Serve hot with curd or tomato ketchup.

Note
You can replace cabbage with दुधी  (bottle gourd)/गाजर (कार्रोत)/लाल भोपला) pumpkin and make variations.

kothimbir paratha

flat bread with coriander leaves
an afternoon snack in today's tiffin ...

Ingredients
2 cups chopped coriander
2-3 green chilies( or as per taste)
1/2 inch ginger
4-5 garlic cloves
lemon juice/aamchur powder/curd as a souring agent
salt to taste
2 tsp oil
wheat flour as required

Method

• Wash coriander leaves,chilies,ginger in water.Chop the ingredients.
• Make a paste of coriander leaves, green chilies,ginger,garlic in a grinder without water.
• Transfer the paste in a bowl, add salt and lemon juice/curd. Mix well. Add oil.
• Mix in the wheat flour with spoon as required  and knead the dough. Use minimum water.
• Keep covered for 5 minutes.
• Make lemon sized  balls out of the dough. Roll each ball into a circle with the help of rolling pin and rolling board or on kitchen platform. (Do not roll it too thin.)
• Roast it on the griddle from both sides till brown spots appear on them.
• Apply oil/ghee while roasting.
• Serve hot with butter or give it in tiffin with tomato ketch up.
  
  

RataLyachya gharya

Sweet potato paratha
These are nothing but sweet parathas of sweet potato.Very easy to prepare.



Ingredients
1 cup grated sweet potato(boiled,peeled and grated)
1/2 cup grated jaggery or as per taste
salt to taste
1 tsp oil
wheat flour as required

Method

• Pressure cook the sweet potato. After it is cooled, peel the skin off. Grate it . You can also mash it but make sure that there are no lumps in it.
• Add the grated jaggery,salt ,oil and mix well.
• Mix the wheat flour in parts and knead the dough.Make 5-6 portions of the dough.
• Roll each potion into a roti.
• Roast it on griddle from both sides. Apply ghee on it when done.
• Serve with pickle/chuTNi

Note
There is no need to add water while kneading the dough. This makes the parathas last for 2-3 days.

Moog DaL Panki

moog DaL pancakes
 This is a wholesome and healthy break-fast dish. I used saalwali/chilkewali/skinned moog daL as it's  an healthier option. I soaked the DaL overnight as this is the winter but in summer 3-4 hours are sufficient.

Ingredients (makes 2-3)
1/2 cup moog daL( wash and soak in 1 cup water for minimum 3-4 hours)

To be ground in fine paste
soaked DaL
1 green chili
5-6 stalks of coriander leaves
2-3 garlic cloves
small ginger piece
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 tbl sp curd
salt and sugar to taste

Method

• Grind all the ingredients along with the soaked dal (do not drain ).
• Grease the non-stick pan and spread the batter to make a pancake. Cover with a lid.
• Turn on the other side when done. Add few drops of oil from sides if required.
• Serve hot with tomato ketch up.

Note
For change in taste, you can add chopped methi leaves in the batter.
For non- oily version, banana leaf can be used which will give you the 'steamed panki'.

Dosa

The basic batter for dosa


Ingredients
1 cup udad DaL
3 cups rice
1 tsp fenugreek seeds

Method

•  Wash & soak rice and udad DaL + fenugreek seeds  in  enough water for 5-6 hours. in separate containers.
• Grind udad daL finely and add soaked rice in parts to make a smooth batter.
• Transfer the contents into a vessel/container. Mix the batter well.
• Cover the container. keep aside for half an hour.
• Add salt as per taste.
• Dosa batter is ready.
• Heat the griddle/beedacha tawa. Pour a ladle of batter on it and spread it evenly. Cover it and let it cook on medium flame.
• Once done light brown,fold it and serve it with coconut chutney and sambaar.
  
  
  Note
  If you want your dosa to be more crispy,soak 1/4 cup toor DaL in 1/2 cup water and grind along with udad DaL

Aaloo paratha

Ingredients
2 medium size Boiled potatoes (Peeled and grated)
1-2 green chillies
1/2 inch piece of ginger-1/2 inch piece
3-4 cloves of garlic
5-6 sticks of coriander leaves
salt to taste
wheat flour-2 cups(Add salt and 1 tsp oil and knead the  dough)

Method

•  Grind green chilies, ginger, garlic and coriander  to make a fine paste. Add salt to   taste .
• Grate the boiled potatoes and mix  in the above paste.
• This is our stuffing for the Paratha. Now make 6-7 small balls out of it.
• Make same number of portions (balls)of the kneaded dough. Convert each ball into a deep  bowl like structure so that you can fill the stuffing in it.
• Make sure the potato stuffing fits well in dough bowl and close it.
• Now gently roll the roti of this ball(filled with stuffing). Sprinkle rice flour if needed.
• Preheat the gridle/tava, put little oil and roast both the sides of paratha till it becomes golden brown.
• Serve hot with Curd,Pickle or Butter. It tastes Yummy!!!

Thepla

Methiche  theple
  (Indian bread stuffed with fenugreek leaves)
Thepla is basically a Gujarati dish and it tastes best when Gujjus make it......just like when it comes to Garaba, no one can match up with them. They are born with these skills. Though I got the Gujju recipe from our neighbor Maya, I get hesitant on adding the amount of oil she pours in ;) and I know that makes the BIG difference.  I believe that any dish tastes 'yummy' if you have an extra hand on oil or ghee. But I also believe 'MODERATION IS THE KEY'.

Ingredients
1 cup methi/fenugreek leaves
2 tsp ginger-garlic-green chili paste( 2 green chilies,1 inch ginger, 5-6 garlic cloves)

1 tsp Fresh lemon juice
2 tsp coriander seeds powder
1 tsp cumin seeds powder
1/2 turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
salt and sugar to taste
 3-4  tsp oil
1 cup wheat flour

Method

• Clean methi leaves in water. Drain water and pat dry the leaves. Chop the leaves.
• In a mixing bowl add all ingredients one by one. Mix in  the methi leaves and knead the dough by adding wheat flour in parts. Use water if required.(If oil is more than sufficient,less water is required and vice a versa.)
• Make 6-7 equal parts of the dough.
• Roll each part into a roti using a laTNe(rolling pin.)
• Roast it from both sides on the griddle. Use of oil while roasting is optional.
• Serve with yoghurt/curd/dahi or home made butter or pickle/loNache
  
  
  Note
  
  • I grind some methi leaves/fenugreek leaves while making chili garlic paste,it gives green color to the theplas.
  • If methi leaves are not tender then I take only leaves( without stems) and make bhaji out of it with the same ingredients and then knead a dough.
  • Palak(spinach )or coriander theplas are also made in the same way.(use blanched spinach instead of raw)
   

Dudhiche parathe

Dudhi or Bottle gourd is known to have benefits if included in the diet. Many of us don't like itas it has no taste of its own. We can still enjoy the nutrients in it if we eat it in other forms. ('Something is better than nothing', so I make it this way...)

 

Dudhi (bottle gourd)Paratha

    

Ingredients
1/2 cup grated dudhi/bottle gourd
1/2 cup finely cut or grated onion(optional)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
a pinch of owa/ajwain
1/4 tsp  crushed cumin seeds/ powder
1/2 tsp crushed coriander seeds/ powder
2 tsp oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
 salt and sugar to taste

1 cup wheat flour

To be ground in paste

2 green chilies
1/2 inch ginger

Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl  including paste except wheat flour.

Let it become moist. Then add wheat flour in parts and knead to make dough. Add water if required to make a medium soft dough.
Make  3-4 portions out of it. Roll it using rice flour so that it doesn't stick on rolling board(polpaat)Or you can also use plastic sheets for rolling.
Heat the griddle and roast the paratha on both sides. Apply ghee/butter when done.
serve hot with unsalted butter or fresh curd.

Note
For a change in taste replace dudhi with carrot or cabbage other procedure remains the same.

Kayrolya

(wheat flour banana pancakes)

We call it kayrolya.I have given the sweet version here as I love it. To make the kayrolya/pancakes little spicy, Mom used to add chopped green chilies and salt in the batter without the jaggery of course.They are so soft, just dissolve in your mouth.To make them crisp,just put for some more time on the griddle on low flame.

Ingredients

1 cup milk
4-5 tsp wheat flour
1 tsp rice flour
1/2 ripe banana(mashed)(optional)
jaggery/sugar as per taste
a pinch of salt

Method

• Mix in the wheat flour in milk. Mix well so no lumps remain in it. Add rice flour and stir well.
• Make a smooth paste and adjust the consistency by adding water if required.
• Add the grated jaggery and mix well to dissolve it completely in it. Add salt.
• Heat the non-stick pan and pour 2-3 tsp of mixture to make a  pancake. (spread if required)
• Cover with lid.Cook on medium flame with both sides golden brown.

Note

• For a change in taste add 1/2 mashed ripe banana in the batter. Adjust the amount of jaggery according to the taste as addition of mashed banana would make the batter slightly sweet.
• Better if you use whole milk otherwise add a tsp of ghee in the batter to make the pancake soft.
• I purposely avoided adding baking powder or soda bi carb to retain the nutrients in the dish.

Saat Dhanyachi Bhakaree