Satpura Paratha (Flaky Griddle Bread)

This is a flaky, layered griddle bread that can be rolled in a
couple of ways to attain the layers.
Here it is served with home made yogurt.
It also tastes very good with some mango or mango jam.
Great for a weekend breakfast.

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour (atta)+ few tbsps for rolling
about a cup of water
salt and black pepper to taste
Ghee/ butter/canola oil about 1/4 cup or more as required.

Add salt and pepper to the flour and mix well.
Add 2 tbsps of the ghee and mix well.Now knead the
dough using the water till firm.
Keep aside for 15 minutes and then again knead a little till smooth.

Divide into about 15 pcs and make balls.
Dip in dry flour and roll into a small disc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apply ghee all over.Then make strip markings with a knife.

 

 

 

 

Roll one strip as shown in picture.

Now keep the rolled portion over the next strip and roll together.
Continue to keep the rolled portion on the next strip and roll together till all strips
are used.

This is how it will look once all the strips have been rolled.
Flatten a little and dip in dry flour.

 

Gently roll into a disc.

Heat a griddle and grease with little ghee.
On a medium flame cook the paratha till brown spots appear.
Smear some ghee on the uncooked side before flipping over.
Cook till golden.

Once its cooked, carefully take it out on the rolling board and smash it on the
board so that the layers separate.

Serve with side of your choice.
This tastes best eaten hot off the griddle.

There is another way of rolling this.
Aftre greasing the disc,make a hole in the centre.


    
                                          

Now gradually start rolling the dough back from the centre towards the outer edge,
using your fingers.

Once it is completely rolled, cut one side so that you have a long strip.

Roll into a circular  ball.

Now flatten a little and dip in dry flour and gently roll into a disc and cook as above.

 

Parathas: Assorted Stuffed Griddle Breads

As mentioned in my post on Aloo Parathas, there are innumerable kinds
of home made breads in India.
Rotis,Parathas,Pooris,Lolis and the list goes on.

Parathas are made with different kinds of flours, stuffings, spices.
They are normally eaten with a side of pickle/yougurt/lassi (yogurt drink).
They are very good to carry for a picnic or dry lunch.

To continue my post on assorted breads, i would like to write about the
different fillings used commonly to stuff griddle breads beside potatoes.

For the dough, the seasonings and the method of preparation follow
the recipe of Aloo Parathas.
You can add a little finely chopped onion to the stuffing if preferred.

To use a cauliflower filling, grate cauliflower and squeeze tightly in a
cheesecloth to remove the excess water. Add salt, jeera powder (ground cumin),
chopped green chillies, chopped cilantro and some amchur (dried mango powder)
and mix well. You can grate the cauliflower using a chopper.

Similarly you can use white radish.Grate, squeeze excess water, add seasonings
and use.

For paneer filling, grate paneer, add seasonings and use.

For moon dal (yellow moong split beans),soak 1 cup dal in 2 cups water
for about 4 hours. Add 1 tsp haldi (turmeric) to 2 cups boiling water and
then add the dal.Boil for about 7/8 minutes,till tender but not mushy.
Strain and make sure that all water has been drained before adding the seasonings.

For a spinach paratha or a methi(fenugreek leaves) paratha the chopped spinach
or the salt treated methi (refer to my post on fenugreek masala where i mention
how to remove the bitterness from the leaves) ,is added to the flour while kneading
the dough.

These are all savoury fillings.
You can make a sweet filling by using just grated jaggery.
That is best had in winter months along with roasted papad.

There are various combinations you can make using your favourite recipes.


 

Aloo Parathas ( griddle bread stuffed with potatoes)

There are innumerable kinds of home made breads in India.
Rotis,Parathas,Pooris,Lolis and the list goes on.
They are made with different kinds of flours, stuffings, spices.
They are normally eaten with a side of pickle/yougurt/lassi (yogurt drink).
One of the most popular stuffed ones is the aloo paratha and here's the recipe for that.
The trick is in making sure that you roll it evenly and it is not thick at the edges
and thin in the middle or vice versa.
Served here with home made yogurt and chilli and carrot pickle:)

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour (atta)+ few tbsps for rolling
about a cup of water
5 medium potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed
salt to taste
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
1 tsp ground cumin (jeera)
1 tsp chaat masala (optional)
1 serrano chilli finely chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
few tbsps of ghee (clarified butter)/ butter or canola oil.

This makes about 14/15 parathas.


Method:

Add little salt and 1 tbsp oil to the flour.Knead with 3/4 cup water and gradually add few
more tbsps if required.Knead till smooth.Add a tbsp of oil and knead for a couple of minutes.Keep aside for about 10/15 minutes.

Now add salt,cumin, chilli, cilantro, chaat masala and red chilli to the potatoes and mix well.
If you are missing any of these ingredients it's okay as long as you season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Divide the dough and the potato mix into equal number of balls.

Dip a ball of dough lightly in the flour and roll into a small circle.

Lightly grease it.

                                    

Now place one ball of the potato mix in this circle and encase it gently.

Lightly dust with flour and gently roll into a thin even disc.

Keep turning the disc a little while rolling.
Heat a griddle and lightly grease it.Gently put the rolled disc on the griddle and let it cook
till brown spots appear.Grease the top of the paratha before flipping over.
Use a spatula to gently turn over.
It will puff up in about a minute.
Be careful not to poke as hot air escapes.

 

 

 

Cook till brown spots appear on both sides.

Similarly cook all the parathas.
Serve hot with sides of your choice.
Makes an excellent meal for breakfast/ lunch/ dinner.
Also very good for travel/picnics/packed lunches.
I prefer using ghee for parathas as it lends an extra flavor.

 

Fried Fish with a Thai Twist

Ingredients:

1 lb Sole or Tilapia
salt to taste
2 tbsps thai red curry paste (or as per taste)
1/2 can of coconut milk
3-4 tbsps rice flour or semolina
1/2 cup oil for frying

Salt the fish and leave aside for 20/25 minutes.
Make a marinade of the red curry paste, the coconut milk and salt.
Coat the fish very well with this marinade and leave in the fridge for
a minimum of 30 minutes or upto two hours.

Now take the rice flour or semolina in a dish and add a little salt and mix well.
Dip each fillet in this and coat well on both sides.

Heat oil in a pan and pan fry the fish on a medium flame till crisp and golden.

Serve hot with chilli sauce of your preference.
I served it with homemade Kimchi.

 

 

 
 

Vegetarian MaPo Tofu

My version of vegetarian Mapo tofu using braised gluten in place of meat.

Ingredients:

10 oz can of Mun Cha'i Ya (braised gluten)
2 tbsps of soya sauce
2 tbsps of cornstarch
1 cup of vegetarian stock
14 oz  tofu (soft or firm depending on one's preference)
2 tbsps chopped chives or green garlic or scallions
4  tsps of chili bean paste
1 tsp vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce
4 tbsps of canola oil
ground szechuan pepper as per taste
salt as per taste
Couple of tbsps water

Open the can of Mun cha'i ya and rinse well in a colander under running water.
Chop it fine in a chopper till it resembles ground meat.
Add 1 tbsp of corn starch and 1 tbsp soy sauce and mix
well and marinate for about 20/25 minutes.

In the meanwhile ,cube the tofu and  spray with oil.
Bake for about 20 minutes at 350. This step ensures that the tofu does not crumble.

Now heat the oil in a wok and fry the ground mix on a medium flame
for a few minutes till the color changes to a dark brown. Add the greens,
the chili bean paste and the oyster sauce at this time and mix well.

Now add the tofu and the stock and cook for a couple of minutes.

Mix together the 1 tbsp corn starch,1 tsp soy sauce and a couple of tbsps of water.
Gradually add this slurry to the pan and mix gently on a slow flame.
Once well mixed,check the seasonings and add salt accordingly.
Add the szechuan pepper as per taste.

Serve hot with Jasmine rice or Coconut rice.

Keemay Ji Tikkyoon (Keema Tikkis)

Originally this recipe uses ground goat meat. You can substitute the meat of your choice.
I tend to use ground chicken. If using goat meat,the boiling time is little longer and also the water quantity will increase to about 2 cups.

Ingredients:

To be boiled together:

1 lb ground chicken
A tsp of chilli garlic paste (if you do not have it,use 4 cloves
garlic and red chilli powder as per taste)
1" piece ginger grated
1 tbsp coriander powder (dhania)
1/2 tbsp cumin powder (jeera)
1 tsp Garam masala
salt to taste
1 cup water

To be added after grinding:

2 medium potatoes: boiled, peeled and grated
3 slices white bread soaked in 1 cup of water and squeezed
Few sprigs of cilantro chopped fine (hara dhania)
2 tbsps lemon juice
Oil for frying

You can also use finely chopped green chillies if  preferred.
Add along with the potatoes and bread.

Method:

 Boil the ground meat with all the ingredients until the water .



                            

Boil until completely dry. Then grind in chopper till it gets of  fine granule consistency.
Then  add the bread,potatoes,cilantro and lemon juice and mix well.

Now moisten your palms with little oil and make small balls and flatten them.
Makes about 20.

Heat a non stick pan and using few tsps oil at a time, fry the tikkis on a medium
flame till golden brown on both sides.

You can make the tikkis a couple of days ahead and refrigerate.
Fry when ready to serve.
Serve hot with ketchup or chutney of your choice.