Bhatura
This recipe of bhatura is made without yeast. Those of you, who are making the bhatura for the first time, may find it difficult to roll out the bhatura as the dough sticks. So, an easy way out is to roll out between greased plastic sheets or a polythene bag teared into 2 halves and oiled. Keep one part on the rolling platform, place the dough ball on it and cover with the second half. Roll out and remove from the plastic sheet and fry. Bhatura tastes best with chole or chana masala.
Recipe of bhatura/ bhature
2 cups maida (all purpose flour)
3/4 cup curd (yogurt/ dahi)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
Oil to deep fry
dough after rising
1. Sieve flour (maida). Mix salt and baking powder to maida.
2. Mix yogurt and sugar in another bowl. Add this to maida.
3. Add lukewarm warm water to knead the flour into smooth, soft dough.
4. Keep the dough in a warm place for 3 hours so that the dough rises.
5. Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok. While the oil is heating, take a ball from the dough and flatten between your oiled palms. Roll out this ball on an oiled surface using rolling pin (belan) into a 5 inch round.
6. Place the bhatura in the hot oil. Press with a slotted spoon (pauni/ chhari), it will puff up. Turn over and fry form other side also. Deep fry this round or bhatura in the hot oil till golden brown from both sides. Drain on an absorbent paper using the same slotted spoon. Similarly make other bhature from rest of the dough.
7. You can also roll out the bhatura in an oval shape. Serve hot bhature with chole and sliced onion sprinkled with salt and lemon juice.
chole bhature
Kuttu poori with curd
I made kuttu poori during ‘Navratras’ but somehow forgot to post it on the blog. You can also make kuttu pooris with kuttu atta only. Singhadi atta is optional. Singhadi atta binds well and also rich in Calcium. Also my mom says kuttu atta is hot on body so mixing singhadi flour leads to cooling down effect.
Recipe of kuttu poori
1 cup kuttu atta (buckwheat flour)
1/2 cup singhadi atta
3-4 medium sized potatoes- boiled, peeled and mashed
3 green chillies- chopped finely
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry
1. Mix salt and green chillies to potato. In a bowl, mix kuttu and singhadi atta.
2. Mix potato mixture to kuttu and singhadi flour. Use potato to knead the flour into stiff dough. Add water only if there is a need. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
3. Take lemon sized ball from the dough and roll out on a lightly oiled surface, into a 3-4 inch round.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. To check whether the oil is hot enough, put a small portion of dough into the oil. If it sizzles and comes to surface, your oil is ready. Turn the heat to medium. Gently place the rolled poori in the oil.
4. Press the kuttu ki poori with a pauni (slotted spoon/ chhari). The poori will puff up. Turn over and fry from other side also. Drain the poori using the same slotted spoon on an absorbent paper. Similarly make rest of the kuttu ki puri from the dough. Serve hot with curds.
Khichdi paratha
Masala khichdi paratha is a delicious paratha with which you don’t need any side dish. It tastes great by itself. You can also serve it as a breakfast. It’s also a great way of using leftover khichdi.
Recipe of khichdi paratha
1 cup leftover khichdi
1 1/2 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1. Take leftover khichdi in a bowl and add salt and all the spices. Add flour and knead into pliable dough. There is no need to add water. Use khichadi to knead the dough. Adjust the quantity of atta required to knead. Set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Take a ball (peda) out of the dough and roll out into a 5-6 inches round dusting with dry flour while rolling.
3. Heat a tava (griddle) and cook this round or parantha on it from both sides brushing with oil. Cook till golden brown from both sides. Similarly cook other khichdi parathas. Serve hot masala khichdi paratha with curds and pickle.
Aloo naan
Naan itself is delicious bread and when you stuff it with aloo or gobi (cauliflower) mixture, its taste increases manifold. Be it aloo naan or plain naan, tastes best when served hot. With aloo naan, you don’t even need a side. You can enjoy it all by itself.
Recipe of aloo naan
Dough
3 cups maida (all purpose flour)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp baking powder
Filling
3 medium potatoes- boiled, peeled and mashed
3 green chillies- chopped finely
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves
1. Take a bowl and mix flour, salt and baking powder in it. Make a well in the center.
2. Mix milk, sugar, 1 tbsp oil and baking powder in another bowl. Pour this mixture in the centre of bowl containing flour.
3. Knead it into soft dough adding warm water if needed..
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil and knead again. Keep it in a warm place for 2-3 hours.
5. Mix all the ingredients of the filling to make potato mixture.
6. Take a ball out of the dough and roll out on a floured surface into a 2 inch round dusting with dry flour.
7. Place a lemon sized potato filling in the center and gather the edges. Reshape into a ball. Again roll out into a disk. Similarly make other naan from rest of the dough.
8. Preheat oven and bake these aloo naan till they puff up and become golden brown with brown-black specks here and there. Grease them with butter and serve hot.
You can also make aloo naan in electric or gas tandoor which is a much faster way to cook naan.
aloo naan with butter
Meethi roti
Meethi roti or mithi roti is very easy to make and satisfies your craving for sweets as well as fills your stomach as it is made from whole wheat flour. It is liked by both adults and kids.
Recipe of meethi roti/ paratha
2 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
1 tbsp saunf (fennel seeds)
1/2 cup sugar (vary according to taste)
Melted ghee (clarified butter)
Ghee or oil to shallow fry
1. Knead flour adding water into smooth, pliable dough. Let it rest for 1/2 an hour.
2. Take a ball (peda) out of the dough and roll it into a 3 inch round dusting with flour.
3. Spread melted ghee on this roti. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp saunf and 1-2 tsp sugar on it.
4. Gather the edges and reshape into a ball. Roll out again into a 5-6 inch round.
5. Heat a tawa (griddle) and shallow fry this roti on both sides applying ghee. Fry till golden brown. Similarly make other meethi rotis from rest of the dough. Serve hot.
Methi wali poori
These methi wali poori were something I made for Diwali feast but somehow forgot to post. They were easy to make and liked by everyone. Since we are methi loving people, these pooris are always welcome.
Recipe of methi wali poori
2 cups of atta (whole wheat flour)
1 cup methi (fresh fenugreek leaves) - stems removed and leaves washed and chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
2 tbsp oil + for frying
1. In a bowl, mix atta, salt, red chilli powder, ajwain and 2 tbsp oil. Rub flour between your fingers so that oil is evenly spread.
2. Add methi leaves and knead it into stiff dough by adding water. Poori dough should be stiffer than chappati dough. Let the dough rest for 1/2 an hour.
3. Take a small ball (peda) out of the dough and roll it into a 3-4 inch round on a lightly oiled surface.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok or a deep frying pan. You know the oil is hot enough when a small portion of the dough dropped in kadhai sizzles and rises to the surface. Turn the heat to medium.
5. Gently slide the rolled puri in the hot oil. Gently press by a pauni (slotted spoon/ chaari). The poori will puff up. Turn over and fry from other side also till golden brown from both sides. Drain by the same slotted spoon on an absorbent paper. Similarly fry other methi pooris from rest of the dough.
Poori
I make pooris mainly on festive occasions or when I am hosting a traditional dinner. Whenever I make poori, I usually fry some extra to have them with pickle the next day. It is a great travel food since it remains fresh for 2-3 days.
Recipe of poori
2 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp oil
Oil to deep fry
1. Take atta in a bowl and add salt, carom seeds and 2 tablespoon oil. Add water slowly and knead into stiff dough. Adjust water to get the right consistency. Puri dough should be stiffer than chappati dough. Let it rest for 1/2 an hour.
2. Take a lemon sized ball (peda) out of the dough. Roll out into a 3-4 inch circle on a lightly oiled surface.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel). You will know the oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of dough into the oil. If it sizzles and comes to the surface, your oil is ready. Turn the heat to medium.
4. Gently slide the poori (rolled circle) in the oil. Fry by pressing very lightly by slotted spoon (chhari, pauni). Poori will puff up. Turn over the puri and fry from other side also. This time there is no need to press. Fry till golden brown. Drain by the same slotted spoon on an absorbent paper. Similarly fry other pooris. Enjoy poori bread with aloo bhaji (potato curry) and pickle of your choice.
Poori bread
Kuttu aloo paratha
Kuttu aur aloo ka paratha can be eaten in fasts of Ekadashi and Navratras. Kuttu paratha along with aloo ki sabzi are part of Navratra thali.
Recipe of kuttu aur aloo ka paratha
1 cup kuttu atta (buckwheat flour) and singhadi atta mixed in equal proportions
4-5 medium potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)
2-3 green chillies- chopped finely
Salt to taste
Oil to shallow fry
1. Mix all the above ingredients except oil in a bowl and knead into pliable dough. There is no need to add water, use potatoes to knead.
2. Take a small ball (peda) out of the dough and roll into a 4-5 inch diameter disk dusting in dry flour to prevent from sticking.
3. Heat a tava (griddle) and place this paratha on it. Roast from both sides applying oil. Similarly make other paranthas from rest of the dough. Serve hot.
Dough
Kuttu aur aloo ka paratha
Matar ka paratha
Matar paratha is a good option for breakfast especially for those who have parathas in their breakfast. Pressure cook matar to 1 whistle and mash it.
Recipe of matar ka paratha
For the dough
2 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
For the filling
1 cup matar (green peas) - boiled and mashed
2 green chillies- minced
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 inch piece ginger- grated
2 tsp oil
Oil to shallow fry
1. For the dough, take flour in a bowl and mix salt. Add water to knead into smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 20- 25 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add ginger and green chillies. When they turn light brown, add matar. Add salt and spices. Cook for 10-12 minutes on low heat till pea mixture turn dry. Let it cool down.
3. Take a ball (peda) out of the dough and roll into a 3-4 inch disk. Place 2 tsp pea mixture in the center. Gather the edges of the disk and seal it so that mixture doesn’t come out.
4. Roll out gently into a 7-8 inch disk or paratha, dusting with flour.
5. Heat a tava (griddle) and place the parantha on it. Roast from both sides applying oil. Roast till matar paratha turns golden brown with brown- black specks on it. Serve hot with curds and pickle of your choice.
Missi- roti
Missi roti is quite delicious and healthy. Missi roti is not just liked in urban areas but also being eaten in Indian villages for ages. Village women used to make chickpea flour by grinding black chickpeas at home. Missi roti is considered good for diabetics. It’s prepared at most North Indian restaurants, weddings and buffets.
Recipe of missi roti
1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
1 cup besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) - crushed
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1. Mix all the above ingredients in a bowl. Add enough water and knead into pliable dough. Cover it with a damp cloth and set aside for 1/2 an hour.
2. Take a ball out of the dough and roll into a 6-7 inch diameter disc.
3. Heat a tava (griddle) and cook this disk or missi roti on it. Cook from both sides, brushing with oil, till golden brown. When rawness of the flour disappears and brown- black specks appear on the roti, it is done. Similarly make other missi rotis from rest of the dough.
