Spinach Paratha

A very healthy and tasty spinach/palak paratha or rotti !

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Spinach leaves - a bunch
Water - 1.5 cups
Salt- as required
Oil - 3 teaspoon
Ajwain seeds/ omam - 1 teaspoon
Green chilli - 2 no.s
Asafoetida powder - as required


METHOD:

1. Wash spinach leaves well. In a vessel add 1.5 cups of water and boil it. Add spinach leaves to that, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes without covering with lid .

2. Filter the water and keep it aside. Do not throw away for the water . You can use it later to knead the dough. Now grind the spinach leaves with green chilli in to puree without adding any water.

3. In a bowl, take wheat flour. Add salt, oil, ajwain seeds and asafoetida powder and mix well.

4. Now add spinach puree and the filtered water from step 2 and make a smooth dough.

5. Take a lemon sized ball of dough and flatten it using roller pin.

6. Apply ghee or oil above the flattened dough. Now cover it on both sides(top and bottom) as shown in below pic.

7. Now cover the left and right side to form a square shaped dough.

8. Apply some wheat flour and flatten them again using roller pin. Heat tawa and cook the paratha on both sides applying ghee/oil.

9. Serve withe plain yogurt/curd and pickle.

SEE ALSO: Aloo /potato paratha, Cabbage Paratha , Rice flour Adai

Shahi Paneer

Shahi Paneer is a rich and creamy gravy and makes an excellent side dish for rotti/chappathi. In this dish, Paneer/cottage cheese are added to a gravy made with almonds and cashews and onions. The nuts give a creamy texture and white colour.

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

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer cubes - 100 gms
Cashews -10 no.s
Almonds -10 no.s
Green chilli - 2 no.s
Cardamom - 2 no.s
Onion - 1 cup
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Plain yogurt - 1/2 cup
Saffron thread - 2 to 3 no.s
Salt - As required
Oil/Ghee - 3 table spoon
Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon
Cinnamon - as required
Cloves - 2 no.s
Bay Leaf- 1 no

METHOD:

1. In a pan, add 2 table spoon oil or ghee . Now add Almonds,cashews,onion,green chilli and cardamom.Fry for few minutes till onions turn translucent.

2. Grind them in to a smooth paste by adding little water.

3. Now in a pan, add another 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon and cloves. Now add the paste which you prepared in step 2. Also add required salt ,garam masala and turmeric powder.

4. Mix them all and add 1/2 cup of plaint yogurt and stir them for few minutes, till the oil start leaving the sides.

5. Now add 1 cup of water and saffron strands.

6. Bring them to boil. Now add paneer cubes. No need to roast paneer in prior for this recipe. Boil them for 2 minutes and switch off.

7. Shahi paneer is ready !.. Serve with rotti :)

SEE ALSO: Paneer Ghee Roast, Kadai Paneer, Chilli Paneer

Gobi Manchurian (gravy)

Gobi Manchurian is snack/side dish made using fried cauliflower florets soaked in tomato,soy sauce based gravy . It makes an excellent combination with fried rice or rotti . It can also be taken as a snack.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Cauliflower - 1 medium sized

Onion - 1 cup sliced thin lengthwise

Spring Onion - 2 tablespoon 

Green chilli - 1 no.s chopped finely

Garlic -2 pods chopped finely

Tomato Sauce - 2 table spoon

Soy sauce - 2 teaspoon

Chilli sauce- 1 table spoon

Pepper powder -1/2 teaspoon

Corn flour -2 teaspoon

Salt - as required

Oil - 2 tablespoon

FOR FRYING CAULIFLOWER:

Maida/All purpose flour -1/2 cup

Corn flour -1/4 cup

Kashmiri chilli powder -1 teaspoon

Salt - as required

Ginger garlic paste -1 teaspoon

Soy sauce - 1 teaspoon

Oil - for deep frying

METHOD:

1. In a large pan, boil some water. Once the water is completely boiled, add chopped florets and allow it to boil for 2 minutes and then filter the water from cauliflower.

2. In a bowl, add all purpose flour, maida,ginger garlic paste ,kashmiri chilli powder ,salt ,soy sauce. Add some water and make a smooth batter similar to the consistency of bajji/pakoda batter.

3. Now dip the cauliflower floret and deep fry them in oil. Place them on the tissue paper to remove excess oil.

4. In a pan, add some oil. Add green chilli and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Then add spring onion,onion and fry till they change colour.

5. Now add tomato sauce,chilli sauce,soy sauce, pepper powder and salt. Fry for a minute. Now take 2 teaspoon of corn flour and dissolve it in 1 cup of water. Add it to the pan and mix well.

6. Allow it to boil for 2 minutes, till it turn translucent and also the mixture thickens.

7. Now add fried cauliflower florets and mix gently and switch off.

8. Garnish with spring onions. Gobi manchurian is ready. Serve with fried rice or as evening snack ! 

Peanut Chutney

Easy Peanut chutney."Chutney" is a sauce popular in India which is usually used as side dish with Indian main dish such as dosai or even rotti . There are many variations of chutneys available. This time I have given a simple peanut chutney recipe. This is an very easy one and I very often make it at home. For my other chutney recipes click here.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Serves - 2 to 3 people

INGREDIENTS:

Roasted Peanuts - 3/4 cup
Dessicated coconut powder - 2 table spoon(optional)
Green chilli -1 no
Dray red chilli - 2 no
Tamarind - small gooseberry sized
Ginger - 1/2 inch sized
Salt - As required

SEASONING:
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - as required

METHOD:

1. Soak coconut powder in water for 15 minutes. Dry roast peanuts in a pan till they change colour. Prepare all ingredients.

2. In a mixer, first grind peanuts,ginger,tamarind and chillies. Then to that add the soaked coconut powder along with water. Grind them all to a smooth paste by adding required water. Your chutney is ready. Next is seasoning part.

3. In a separate pan, add some oil. Add mustard and once it splutters, add urad dal and pour this on the chutney . Sprinkle some asafoetida powder.

4. Serve with dosai /idly / rotti .

NOTES:

1. Coconut powder is purely optional. You can avoid it if you dont want.

2. If you dont like adding tamarind, instead of tamarind, in the end you can add few drops of lime juice for tanginess.

3. If you are prone to get heart burns due to peanuts, add a pinch of jaggery when you grind. It greatly reduces heart burns caused due to peanuts.

cauliflower kurma

Easy cauliflower curry that goes well as side dish with rice or rotti !

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Cauliflower - 1 no.
Onion -  1 cup chopped finely.
Tomato - 2 medium sized chopped finely.
Green chilli - 1 no. chopped finely
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon(Optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Cashews - 7- 10 no.s
Coconut powder - 2 tablespoon

SPICES:
Cardamom - 2 no.s
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch sized
Cloves - 2 no.s
Bay leaf - 1 no
Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Star anise - small sized
Oil - 2 tablespoon

METHOD:

1. Cut cauliflower florets. In a large vessel boil water with salt. Add chopped cauliflower in the boiling water and allow it to rest it for 10 -15 minutes. It removes worms and pesticides from the cauliflower .Then filter the water out. This process is called "blanching".

2. Grind coconut and cashews with little water in to a fine paste.

3. In a pan, add some oil. Then add items mentioned in the "Spices" section.

4. Now add onion and green chilli and fry till they get translucent.

5. Now add tomato. Add turmeric and garam masala powder and cook till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Now allow the contents to cool and grind them to a fine paste.

6. In a pan, add some more oil. Then add the tomato onion paste which you prepared in step 5. Also add cashew coconut paste which you prepared in step 2 . Also add blanched cauliflower florets and salt. Now add some water to your desired consistency. Allow the contents to boil for 2  minutes. Then switch off the stove. Garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Serve cauliflower kurma with rotti or rice !

SEE ALSO: Green mung dal gravy, Navratan kurma, Channa masala. 

Onion Pakoda

Am not much of a fonder of fried items. Due to my 6 year old  son's constant nagging for pakoda, I tried this onion pakoda.. It is absolutely mouth watering with hot tea on a cold weather ! ... And very easy to make snack when compared to its counterparts like bhajiis or bondas !.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Yields : 7-9 pieces

INGREDIENTS:

Onions - 1 1/4 cup thinly sliced
Besan/Chickpea flour/kadalai maavu - 1 cup
Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Ajwain seeds/omam - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as required
Water - 1/4 cup
Asafoetida powder - as required
Oil - For deep frying

METHOD:

1. Slice onions thin, lengthwise as shown in pic.

2. In a large bowl, taken besan. Add salt,red chilli powder,garam masala,ajwain seeds.Sprinkle some asafoetida powder.

3. Add sliced onions to the besan and mix the contents well.

4. Keep it covered and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes. Because, the onions would let out some water. After 30 minutes, open it. You can see that mixture would be little wet. Now, add some water and mix well to a thick paste. Do not add more water. The batter should be thick in consistency.

5. Now heat oil in a pan, and once it is hot, take some spoonful and deep fry them in oil, till they turn golden brown.

6. Tasty Onion Pakoda is ready !. Have it with hot tea !

SEE ALSO: Masala Vadai, Tape Murukku, Maida biscuits(Spicy)