Onion paratha
I am big on onions. I like eating onion both raw and cooked. This humble bulb is packed with goodness.
Whenever I run short of vegetables and there are a couple of onions lying in my basket, I cook onion parathas or pyaz ka paratha. I think they are simply delicious.
Recipe of onion paratha (pyaz ka paratha)
1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
2 medium onions (pyaz) - finely chopped
2 green chilies- finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Oil to shallow fry
Salt to taste
onion dough
1. Mix atta with salt, onions, green chilies and cumin powder. Add water and knead into pliable dough.
2. Cover with a moist cloth and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Don’t knead the dough too well in advance as onions will leave water and dough will be difficult to manage.
3. Take a ball out of the dough and roll out like a roti.
4. Heat a tawa (griddle) and shallow fry the paratha applying oil. Cook on both sides till they are light golden.
5. Similarly make other parathas and serve hot onion paratha with pickle of your choice.
Healthy bytes- Onions are full of anti-oxidants which inactivate the cancer causing substances. They increase the ‘good cholesterol’ levels and prevent clotting in the arteries. Onions also relieve bronchial congestion. Deep colored onions are more nutritious than light ones.
Palak paratha
Palak parantha is a good combination of taste and health. It’s one more way of eating palak. You can also add a pinch of turmeric powder to the dough to give it a nice yellow color which is very appealing.
Don’t knead the dough too well in advance. Otherwise palak will leave water and dough will be a bit difficult to manage.
Recipe of palak paratha (spinach paratha)
2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
200 gms palak (spinach)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
Oil to shallow fry
palak (spinach)
1. Cut stems of palak leaves and wash thoroughly in running water. Chop finely.
2. Put spinach in a big bowl and mix all ingredients except flour and oil. Add flour and mix.
3. Slowly add just enough water so as to make pliable dough. Rest the dough for 15 minutes.
4. Take a ball (peda) out of the dough and roll out like a roti.
5. Heat a tawa (griddle) and cook parathas on both sides brushing with oil. Cook on medium heat till golden brown. Serve hot.
If you are a fan of palak just the way I am, check out my blog posts of palak paneer and dal palak.
Moong toast
6 slices bread
1 cup dhuli moong dal (split green gram)
3 green chilies
1 tbsp besan (gram flour)
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves- finely chopped
Oil or butter to toast the bread
1. Soak moong dal for 1 1/2 hours. Drain and grind with green chilies to a fine paste.
2. Mix together dal paste, besan, salt, lemon juice and coriander leaves.
3. With the help of a spoon, spread dal mixture on one side of a bread slice.
4. Heat some oil or butter on a non-stick tawa (griddle) or a pan. Place the bread on the hot tawa with the dal side down.
5. Spread dal mixture on the upper side of the bread too while the bread is getting toasted on the lower side. Toast the bread on other side also.
6. Cut into triangles and serve hot with tomato sauce.
Rolling Out Makki Ki Roti
Makki ki roti reminds me of lush green fields and roadside dhabas of Punjab. Dishes of Punjab have liberal amounts of pure ghee and home made butter.
Earlier I used to have difficulty in rolling out makki roti. It used to stick and break. Ever since I started rolling it between greased plastic sheets, it’s much easier. Since makki ki roti takes time to cook, I simultaneously put 2 tawas on heat.
Recipe of makki ki roti
1 1/2 cup makki ka atta (maize flour/ cornmeal/makai ka atta)
1/4 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
Salt to taste
1 cup chopped methi (fresh fenugreek leaves)-optional
2 green chilies- finely chopped
Ghee or oil for shallow frying
1. Mix all the above ingredients except ghee (or oil). Use warm water to knead them into medium soft dough.
2. Take a polythene bag and tear it into 2 halves. Grease them both on 1 side. Keep one piece on the chakla (rolling platform), greased side up.
3. Take 1 ball of dough and put on the polythene. Cover with other piece of polythene, greased side towards the ball. Roll out a roti between the greased polythene pieces.
4. Heat a tawa (griddle). Place roti on it and cook on medium heat. Cook both sides applying ghee (clarified butter). Cook till both sides are golden brown.
5. Serve hot makki ki roti (paratha) with a dollop of white butter on top.
makki ki roti
You can also add grated mooli (radish) in place of methi leaves. Very finely chopped onions can also be added to the dough.
bharwa bhindi
This recipe belongs to Rajasthan where besan and curd are used extensively in cooking.
Besanwali or bharwa bhindi’s recipe was something I learnt from my mausi (maternal aunt). She is such a wonderful cook. I have learnt some lip smacking delicacies from her which I will be sharing with you in my future posts.
Recipe of besanwali bharwa bhindi
Serves 3
250 grams small bhindi (okra)
1 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
Salt to taste
1 tsp saunf (fennel) powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp jeera (cumin) powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp amchoor (dry mango powder)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1. Wash bhindi and pat dry on a kitchen towel. Cut off head and tail and slit lengthwise on one side.
2. Take 1/2 tablespoon oil in a pan and roast besan. When besan changes color, add all the spices and roast with besan. Turn off the heat when besan turns red. Let it cool. Add salt.
3. Fill the besan mixture in bhindis.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add stuffed bhindis. Cover and cook on low heat till cooked.
5. Remove the cover, increase the heat and stir- fry bhindi for some time so they become crisp. Just see to it that they don’t get burned. Serve hot besanwali bharwan bhindi with rotis and a bowl of dal to go with it.
Healthy Bytes- Okra is low in calories and rich in fiber, folic acid and vitamin B6. Fiber in bhindi helps improve constipation and helps to stabilize blood sugar.
Besan or Chickpea flour is an excellent source of protein and also a good source of Iron. 1 cup besan contains 356 Kcal, 53 gm Carbohydrates, 6 gm Fat, 21 gm Protein and 4 mg Iron.
Use fresh curds for this recipe. Stale or sour curds taste awful. The thick curds you get after removing excess liquid, gives a creamy feeling in the sandwich.
Recipe of dahi sandwich
Serves 3
6 bread slices
1 1/2 cup curds
1 small onion- finely chopped
1 small tomato- finely chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp bhuna jeera (dry roasted cumin seeds)
Salt to taste
Butter to toast the bread
1. Hang curd in a muslin cloth for 10 minutes or you can put it in a strainer with a bowl below. This way you get thick curds.
2. Mix curd, tomato, onion, pepper powder, salt and roasted cumin seeds.
3. Put curd mixture on 1 slice of bread and cover with another slice.
4. Heat a non- stick tawa (griddle) and toast the curd sandwich in butter on both sides till golden.
Healthy Bytes-Curd or yogurt can kill, disable bacteria and boost our immune mechanisms.The immune- boosting properties of curd remain intact even when it is heated as in gravies, kadhi and marinades etc.
Poha
Poha is mine and my mom’s all time favorite. My mom tries to make it as nutritious as possible by adding various vegetables and sometimes soy granules. Poha is not just good for breakfast but also makes an ideal tea time snack.
Poha is so popular in Maharashtra that when two families meet in case of marriage, ‘kanda Pohe’ is served. Maharashtrians make pohe in various forms like Kanda Pohe (pohe with onion), Batata Pohe (pohe with diced potatoes) and Soybean pohe.
Recipe of pohe
2 cups poha (pohe/ pressed rice flakes/ chirwa/flattened rice)
1 onion- chopped
1 potato- peeled and cut into cubes
1/4 cup shelled green peas
2 tablespoons peanuts
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp + 1 tablespoon oil
5-6 curry leaves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1. Put poha in a strainer and wash under running water for a few seconds. Keep aside in the strainer to drain.
2. Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a pan and roast peanuts. Peanuts have oil of their own so you don’t need much oil to roast them. Take them out of the pan.
3. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add onion and curry leaves. Stir- fry till onion is slightly brown.
4. Add potato and peas. Stir- fry for 1 minute. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Add 1 cup water and cook covered till all water evaporates and vegetables are slightly moistened.
5. Add poha and mix. Lower heat and cook covered for 2-3 minutes stirring once in between. Turn off heat and let poha stand for 2 minutes.
6. Add roasted peanuts and lemon juice. Garnish poha with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
