Aloo Paratha

Aloo(potato) paratha is my husband's most favorite item till date. He never lost his interest towards this food. Having said that, I tried to make this paratha at home N times and never succeeded. Most of the time the potato stuffing comes out when I flatten out and in order to prevent it, i make paratha very thick and it becomes hard to chew :P . After many failure attempts, finally i learnt the art of making aloo paratha :)... In this post, you will find some tips for making a decent (though not perfect) aloo parathas .. Do try and leave your comments...

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Yields: 8 to 9 no.s of parathas

INGREDIENTS:

Wheat flour - 2 cups ( I used 200 ml cup)
Salt - as required
Oil - 2 teaspoon
Water - as required for kneading

STUFFING:
Potato - 2 nos(1 large and 1 medium sized)
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Oil - 4 teaspoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon
Ajwain/omam - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as required

METHOD:

1. Boil Potatoes and remove the skin and mash them well. The more the potatoes mashed, the more it blend with rotti and will not come out. Using a back of the spoon, mash the potatoes well .There should not be any big lumps.

2. Now in a pan, add 2 teaspoon of oil. Add mustard, cumin seeds and ajwain. Once it crackles add boiled and mashed potatoes. Add turmeric,red chilli powder and salt and mix well. Add another 2 teaspoon of oil. Sprinkle about 3 teaspoon of water. Not more than that. So that, all the contents will  mix well and come together. Mix for just a minute and switch off.

3. Take 2 cups of wheat flour. Add some salt and oil. Add water gradually(approx 1 cup) and knead well into a dough. The dough should not be too hard and also should not be very loose. Should be soft and spongy . Now take big lemon sized ball of dough.

3. Sprinkle generous amount of dry wheat flour and flatten it just little bit to a size of a small puri. Place a small lemon sized potato stuffing inside. Dont put too much potato stuffing inside. It will come out when you flatten . So keep just a small lemon size ball as shown in below pic.

4. Now cover up all the sides as shown below.

5. Now sprinkle generous amount of wheat flour. Turn the stuffed wheat ball to other side. Very gently, flatten the dough using roller pin. Do not give any pressure, as the stuffing would squeeze out. Flatten it, until you start to see the mashed potatoes inside the rotti(see pic below). In this process, use sufficient dry flour, as it will prevent the potatoes from sticking to the roller pin.

6. Heat a pan and cook the paratha on both sides adding sufficient oil.

7. You can spread some ghee on the paratha after cooking. It helps to keep it soft for long hours. Serve aloo paratha with any dal or curry of your choice. You can also serve aloo paratha with just curd and pickle ..Yummy :)

SEE ALSO: Avocado Paratha, Cabbage Paratha, Simple Kadhi

Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is a famous item for lunch box packing . Usually when we plan for a trip, we carry lemon rice as lunch as it wont get spoiled for hours !.. Try this easy lemon rice recipe for your next trip !

Preparation Time: Under 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Basmati Rice - 3/4 cup
Lemon juice -1.5 tablespoon
Salt -as required
Mustard -1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal -1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli -1 no.
Green chilli -1 no
Peanuts - as required
Cashews - 5 no.s
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - as required
Oil - 4 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. In a cooker, for 3/4 cup rice(not required to soak rice), add 1.5 cups of water and close the lid. Cook in one high whistle and then turn the flame to medium and cook for 5 whistles and switch off the stove. Let the pressure settle by itself. By cooking this way, you will get a grainy textured rice which is perfect for making lemon rice. Allow the rice to cool down.

2. In a pan dry roast peanuts and set aside.

3. In the same pan, add 2 teaspoon of oil. Roast cashews and set aside.

4. Now add another 2 teaspoon of oil in the same pan. Add mustard and once it crackles, add urad dal. Then add dry red chilli and finely chopped green chilli and fry for a minute. Keep the flame in low so it doesn't get burnt . Now switch off the stove and add turmeric powder and asafoetida powder and stir for a minute. Now add roasted peanuts and cashews and mix well.

5. Now add cooked rice. Also add lemon juice. Adjust salt and lemon juice level as per your taste. Mix the contents well .

6. Serve lemon rice with papad or any dry curry of your choice !.

SEE ALSO: Masala Onion Rice, Capsicum Rice, Potato Masala

Bottlegourd Masala

Bottlegourd/suraikkaai/Lauki masala !

Preparation Time : Under 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Bottle gourd - 1 no
Onion - 1 cup chopped
Tomato - 2 medium sized
Green chilli - 1 no chopped
Coriander powder -1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder-3/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/2 teaspoon
Salt -as required
Whole Milk -1/2 cup
Fenugreek seeds/vendhayam - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon
Oil - 2 tablespoon

METHOD:

1. In a pan, add some oil. Add cumin seeds and once it crackle add fenugreek seeds. Then add onion and green chilli and fry till they change colour. You can add pinch of salt for onions to get saute well.

2. Now add chopped bottle gourd pieces, some turmeric and salt. Cook for few minutes, till the bottle gourd is semi cooked. No need to add any water. The bottle gourd itself will let out sufficient water.

3. Now add tomato,red chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well. Cook well until the bottle gourd is completely cooked and tomatoes are mushy. It may take 5 to 7 minutes. Keep stirring frequently to avoid burning.

4. Now add 1/2 cup of whole milk and mix well for 1-2  minutes. The milk would get mixed with bottle gourd and you would get a gravy like consistency. Switch off the stove. Sprinkle some asafoetida powder and serve hot !

5. Serve bottlegourd masala with rotti or rice !

SEE ALSO: Mango pachadi, Panch mela dal, Aloo matar(gravy)

Pasta Payasam/Kheer

Pasta payasam/kheer made with elbow pasta,milk and jaggery !

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: under 20 minutes
Serves: 2 persons

INGREDIENTS:

Elbow shaped pasta - 1/2 cup
Grated jaggery - 3/4 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Saffron thread- 3 no.s
Cardamom powder - as required
Salt- 1/4 teaspoon
Water - as required

METHOD:

1. Boil elbow pasta in sufficient water for 12 minutes. Each pasta cooking time is different. Read the  instructions on the packet before cooking. You can use any shape of pasta for this recipe. Smaller sized ones like elbow shaped, shell shaped are mostly preferred as they would blend well with milk and jaggery.

2. Filter the water , and take cooked pasta in a vessel. Now , in another vessel take 3/4 cup grated jaggery and add water just to cover the jaggery and allow it to boil, till the jaggery gets completely dissolved in water.

3. Now filter the jaggery water and pour it on the cooked pasta and heat the mixture briefly for 1 minute. Don't cook for so long, as the mixture would thicken very fast. Just boil for 1 minute is ok . Then turn off the stove.

4. Now in a pan, boil milk with 2 to 3 saffron threads.

5. Now pour the milk on the pasta, jaggery mixture and mix well. Boil all the contents briefly for a minute and switch off. Don't boil for long, as the milk would curdle.

6. Now in a small vessel, add some ghee and roast cashews and pour it over the payasam. Also add some cardamom powder and mix well. This payasam can be served warm or chill. Do not worry if the payasam is watery. Because, after sometime, it will thicken.

SEE ALSO: Poori payasam/kheer, Carrot halwa, Padar peni

Tofu Tomato Thokku

Tofu is made from soybean milk in similar way of making paneer from milk.  Soybean milk is coagulated and the resulting curd is pressed to form soft white blocks. Tofu has immense health benefits and it better to add it in our diet in any from. However, due to its bland taste , tofu is not a favorite item for many. I tried to shadow its bland taste with spices and  made a simple side dish for rotti or rice with tomato,onion !

Preparation Time: Under 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 1 person

INGREDIENTS:

Tofu - 100 gms
Tomato - 1 medium size
Onion - 1/2 cup chopped
Green chilli - 1 no
Salt - as required
Sambar powder - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- /12 teaspoon
Channa dal -1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder/Hing - as required
Water - as required

METHOD:

1. In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil and roast tofu cubes till they change golden brown color and set aside.
2. In the same pan, add some oil. Add mustard,cumin and channa dal. Then add chopped green chillis and chopped onion and fry for few minutes,till onion change color.
3. Now add tomato and salt and fry till the tomatoes turn mushy. Now add sambar powder and fry for a minute and add some water to your desired consistency and cover and cook till the mixture thickens like a gravy.
4. Now add the roasted tofu cubes and mix gently without breaking them and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle some hing and switch off the stove . Tofu tomato thokku is ready to be served !.

SEE ALSO: Broccoli stir fry, Capsicum besan fry, Chayote curry.

Capsicum Kootu/dal

Tasty capsicum kootu with capsicum, tuvar dal and spices !

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Capsicum - 3 no.s
Onion - 1 cup chopped
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Tuvar dal -1/2 cup
Tamarind water -4 tablespoon(marble sized tamarind )
Turmeric powder -1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Salt- as required
Oil - 3 teaspoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal -1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Cook tuvar dal with 1 cup water in pressure cooker. The dal should be cooked well . Cut capsicum,onion and tomato finely. Dissolve marble sized tamarind in 4 tablespoon of water.

2. Now in a pan, add oil. Add mustard,urad dal and fennel seeds. Then add onions and capsicums . Add turmeric powder and salt . Fry them for few minutes .

3. Now add tomato, red chilli powder and mix well. Fry for few minutes, till the tomatoes turn mushy.

4. Now add tamarind water. Allow it to boil for sometimes, till the raw smell is gone.By this time, capsicum would have cooked well and it is soft.

5. Now add cooked dal and add some water to your desired consistency. Allow it to boil for 3 to 4 minutes and switch off the stove. Sprinkle some asafoetida powder.

6. Capsicum kootu is ready . Serve with rice or rotti !

SEE ALSO: Capsicum babycorn masala, Cabbage kootu, Baingan bharta 

Papad ki Sabzi

Papad ki sabzi - a traditional dish from rajastan that can be made in a short time using roasted papads,plain yogurt and spices !

Preparation Time: Under 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

Roasted papad - 4 no.s
Plain yogurt - 1 cup
Water -1 cup
Onions -1/2 cup chopped
Green chilli - 1 no
Ginger - 1 inch sized
Garlic - 3 pods
Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Kashmiri chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as required
Oil - 4 teaspoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - as required

METHOD:

1. In a pan, add oil . Add mustard and cumin seeds and some asafoetida powder .Once they crackle, add onions and sprinkle some salt. Saute until they change color.

2. Now make paste of ginger,garlic and green chilli. Now add that paste to pan and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes, till the raw smell is gone.

3. Now keep the flame low and add turmeric powder,red chilli powder, coriander powder and kashmiri chilli powder. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes , till the raw smell is gone.

4. Now add a cup of water and a cup of plain yogurt.Mix well and keep the flame in medium and keep stirring continuously, till the mixture thickens. You need to continue stirring it, else the yogurt may curdle.

5. Now switch off the stove. In the meantime, in microwave oven, roast urad dal papad. Break them into pieces and add to the gravy . Also add required salt. Remember the papad already has some salt. So add salt accordingly. Mix gently.

6. Papad ki sabzi is ready . Serve with rotti !.

NOTES:

1. You can also add pepper papad or jeer papad instead of plain urad dal papad.

2. In the end, if you prefer you can add 1/2 tsp of garam masala and some kasturi methi leaves(dry fenugreek leaves). Nevertheless, the sabzi taste good !.

SEE ALSO: Rajastani kadhi, Bhendi besara, Brinjal kadhi

Soybean Curry

Soybeans are important source of protein. It improves the metabolic activity , rich in antioxidants , boost digestive health, improves bone health, improves blood circulation. I have made a simple soybean curry with minimal ingredients and very easy to make. It goes well with rotti.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Dry whole soybean - 1 cup

Water - 1.75 cup
Oil - 3 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder-3/4 teaspoon
Garam masala -1 teaspoon
Garlic - 4 pods
Salt - as required
Dry fenugreek leaves(Kasturi methi) - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - as required

METHOD:

1. Soak soybean overnight. It gets bigger in size.

2. Now in a pressure cooker, add soybeans and add 1.5 cups of water. Cover the lid. Cook in high flame for 2 whistles. Now, turn the flame to sim and cook for another 15 minutes and switch off the stove. Let the pressure settle by itself. Do not filter the water in the soybean.

3. Now in a pan add oil. Add cumin seeds and once they crackle add chopped garlic.

4. Now add turmeric powder,red chilli powder and garam masala in the oil.

5. Now add cooked soybean along with the water. Also add required salt. If you feel the mixture is too thick, add some water. Allow it to boil well for 5 to 6 minutes still the mixture thickens to your desired consistency.

6. Now switch off the stove and add dry kasturi methi leaves.

7. Soybean curry is ready. Serve with rotti.

SEE ALSO: Green moongdal gravy, Peas butter masala, Methi matar malai