Mixed Vegetable/Mixed Dal Vadai!

 

 

Mixed vegetables/Mixed Dal Vadai

I seem to make this vadai often at home during festivals and when I have guests at home! Everybody's favourite! Not very difficult to prepare also! Try it!

Ingredients:

 For soaking for half an hour:

 1 Cup Channa dhal

 1/2 cup Thuvar dhal

 1/4 cup Urad dhal

 Add these while grinding:

 5/6 cashews

 5 to 8 Red chillies

 3/4 Green Chillies

 Few pieces of coconut

 1" ginger

 Finely chopped vegetables for adding with the batter: 

 1/2 cup Capsicum

 1/2 cup Cabbage (This veg. gives a unique taste)

 1/2 cup carrot 

 Curry leaves and coriander leaves.

 And

 2 tsp. of Ghee for flavour and crispness 

 1/2 tsp. of sugar and enough salt.

 For frying:

 I use unrefined groundnut oil for frying. 

 Method:

Grind all the ingredients together coarsely.  Add the vegetables, ghee, salt and sugar.  Mix well.

Heat oil well, then reduce the flame a bit.  Make balls out of the batter, flatten it and drop into the oil one by one.  Wait till the bubbles come down.  Take it out and put in a paper napkin.  Chillies and salt can be reduced or added as per your taste.  

Finely chopped onions can be added to the batter to make it taste like masaal vada.  Add a bit beaten saunf also.  The taste will be heavenly.  

 

Just drop a line after trying this snack, if you like it! Thank you!

Simple Tomato Soup!

We have different types of soups every night at home.  I have already posted 'Mixed vegetable soup' here: 

This one is one of the favourites of our family:

Ingredients:

1. 2 tomatoes, chopped

2. 4/5 Shallots (Saambaar vengaayam) or normal onion, chopped

3. 4/5 cloves of garlic, chopped

4. 1 carrot, peeled and chopped

5. A small piece of capsicum (just for flavour)

6. 2 Bay leaves

7. 1/2 tbs. butter.

8. 2 tsp. of Milk powder to give a creamy taste.

9. 1/2 tsp. Sugar, Salt and Pepper as per your taste.

Method:

Take a small pan.  Heat it. Put the butter.  

Add the Bay leaves (cut into small pieces), turn a bit.  

Add Onion, Garlic and fry a bit.  

Add capsicum, carrot pieces and the rest of the ingredients. Fry some more.  

Add sugar and salt.  Add a cup of water.  

Put a lid on the pan and cook for 5 mts.  Let it cool.

Put all these ingredients in a mixer and grind. Add the milk powder in the last run.

Strain in a strainer, not tea strainer but in a strainer with a bit big holes. You can add water, around 3/4 cups or according to your taste.  Thin soup or a bit thick soup!

Boil it, add pepper powder.  

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves! Your tasty soup is ready! 

Try it and tell me if you like it!

P.S.: Variants: You can add a few drumstick leaves or methi leaves while cooking the ingredients.  It will give a different flavour. 

Cabbage Rotti/Uppu Puli Dosai With Coconut Chutney!

Cabbage rotti/Uppu puli dosai with coconut chutney!

My niece had been asking for this recipe for sometime now! This is a sort of adai but no dhaal is added.  A unique Udupi recipe!

Ingredients:

1.  2 cups Raw rice/Pachcharisi (Wash and soak for 3 hours)

Dry Roast in a kadai one by one: 

2.  1 tsp. Methi/fenugreek/vendhayam

3.  1 tbs. Urad dhaal/Black gram dhaal (split)/Uluththam paruppu

Fry with 2 tsp. coconut oil: 

 

4.  1 tbs. Channa dhaal/Bengal gram/Kadalai paruppu

5.  1 tbs. Dhania/Coriander seeds/Dhania vidhei

6.  15/20 Red chillies/Lal mirch/Sigappu milagaai

7.  1 small coconut/Naariyal/Chinna thengai (cut into pieces or grated)

8.  1 small piece asafoetida or 1 tsp. powder/Hing/Perungaayam

9.  Curry leaves

10. Half lemon size Imli'Tamarind/Puli (Soaked)

11. A small piece of jaggery

12. Salt to taste(add half tbs. first, taste with a small rotti first and add more if needed.)

First fry the hing (If you don't have solid hing, add the powdered hing directly while grinding). It will become light.

Then add Channa dhaal, fry a bit.

Add dhania, red chillies...fry a bit.

Add red chillies, curry leaves. Fry again till the dhaal is golden brown and the chillies crisp. Add 1 tsp. of Jeera/cumin/jeeragam while grinding. No need to roast this.

Now, you have to grind all the ingredients together.  Add tamarind water and jaggery.

These are the ingredients for grinding. Zoom and check if needed.

 Vegetables to be added:

13. 1 Handful of finely chopped cabbage

14. Half handful of finely chopped Capsicum

15. Half handful of finely chopped Onion 

      (You can avoid onion if you want, on vrat/festival days)

You can add these vegetables, add salt and the batter is ready!

The batter should not be watery or very thick.  You can grind and make rotti immediately.  The remaining batter (keep in the fridge) can be used for the next day.   My husband says the next day's rotti is tastier.  

Heat a tava, add one tsp. of groundnut or refined oil. Take one or two ladle/karandi of the prepared batter and spread it into a round shape. It should not be very thick.  Make 3/4 holes, which will help the dosai to get roasted. Drop another tsp. of oil into the holes and around the rotti/ No need to cover. You can notice when it is brown underneath. Turn it and cook on the other side too. Medium flame is good for getting crisp dosas. My mother uses coconut oil instead of refined oil, which will enhance the taste (I am from Udupi and now they say that coconut oil is the best!). Less oil is enough unlike adai.  Adai is cooked on the tava in this manner. 

This will be good with Coconut chutney, Chutney powder, Dhaal powder, Pulikkaachchal paste, Yellu podi,

Coconut chutney:  

Ingredients for coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

For grinding:

1. One small coconut grated or cut into pieces.

2. 2 tsp. Fried gram/Pottu kadalai OR 5/6 cashew nuts/mundhiri    paruppu/kaaju, which will give the creamy taste.

3. 1 piece of raw mango or a tsp. of amchur powder/mango powder. (optional)

4. Half tsp. Asafoetida/hing/Perungaayam

5. Ginger 1" piece
6. 2/3 green chillies

    Salt as per taste.

For garnishing: 

7.  1 tsp. Coconut oil

8.  1/2 tsp. of Mustard/Rai/Kadugu

9.  1/2 tsp. of Urad Dhaal/Black gram dhaal/Uluththam paruppu (optional)

10. Chopped Curry leaves/Kadi paththa/Kariveppilai.

Add:

Chopped Coriander leaves/Koththamalli/Dhania paththa

Grind the ingredients I have mentioned above and garnish.  While garnishing, first let the mustard splutter and add the urad dhaal later. Once it turns slightly brown, add chopped curry leaves plus one red chilli cut into 2 pieces and garnish.  The roasted chilli will give a unique flavour.

Enjoy! Any suggestions/doubts? Pl.write in the comment section.  Let me know if you like this, which will make me happy:) Thank you!

Coconut chutney

ENJOY! 

P.S.: Variations:

You can use the batter without the vegetables to make different snacks. Cut ridge gourd into into small small round round pieces after removing the thick areas in the skin. Dip these pieces one by one into the batter and place it on the hot tava.  Apply oil.  Cook in medium flame, both sides. It will be very tasty.

Cut Yam into small small square or rectangle pieces (2" x 1/4" x 2").  Drop them into boiling water with some salt. Cook for 2 mts.  Dip this in the batter and tava cook.  Everybody will love it.  This will be even better if it is spicy...add chilly powder if needed.  Check salt.

Tell me which snack you prefer!

Milagu/Kariveppilai Kuzhambu...Pepper/Curry Leaves Subji.

 

Kaththrikkai milagu kuzhambu

People who like pepper taste will love this subji/kuzhambu.  This can be made with garlic or without.  Our family loves garlic taste in this kuzhambu. Typical Tamilnadu dish!

Ingredients:

1.  1 lemon sized Tamarind (Puli) soaked in warm water for 10 mts.and strained.

2.  1/4 kg. Brinjal (Kaththrikkai/bengan) cut into pieces.

3.  15-20 Garlic (Poondu) pods.

Fry these ingredients with 1 tsp. coconut oil:

4.  1/2 tsp. or a small piece Perungaayam Hing/Asafoetida

5.  1 tbs. Bengal gram/kadalai paruppu/Chana dhaal

6.  1/2 tbs. Black gram/Uluththam paruppu/Urad dhaal

7.  1 tbs. Coriander/Koththamalli vidhai/Dhania

8.  1 tbs. Pepper corn (you can take half tsp.more if you like the taste)

10. 3-4 red chillies.

11. 1/2 tsp. Fenugreek seeds/Vendhayam/Methi (optional)

12. 1 small piece of Jaggery to blend the taste. 

13. 1/2 cup grated or small pieces of coconut.

14. Curry leaves, as much as you like. 

15. Salt 1 to 1 1/2 tbs. Add 1 tbs. first,taste and add more if you feel it is too tangy.

15. 1/4 cup Gingelly oil/Nallennai/Til oil  

Method: 

You can see all the ingredients here.

Roasted ingredients on the left and tamarind water with salt and jaggery on the right.

Take a Kadai, add a tsp. of coconut oil, add hing/perungaayam. It will fluff up. Heat should be medium. Add bengal gram, fry a bit, add black gram, coriander, chillies and curry leaves.  Fry a bit till the leaves look roasted.  Add coconut pieces.  Fry little more. Add pepper.  Fry till one pepper flutters! Switch off the stove.  Grind these ingredients in a mixer.  You can add water in the end and blend.  Keep it aside.

Take a vessel. Boil the strained tamarind water with the jaggery piece and salt.  I add half tsp. of haldi/manjal podi/Turmeric powder in this.  Some people don't.

Keep the kadai in another burner, switch on and add the gingelly oil.  Some people add a tsp. of mustard seeds/Kadugu/rai and let it flutter.  I don't.  Again, medium heat. Add garlic, fry a bit and then add the cut brinjal pieces.  Fry it a bit more and then add it in the boiling tamarind water. Add the ground paste after you check the brinjal is soft/cooked.  Add 2-3 glasses of water till you get the needed consistency.  Bring it to a boil.  Switch off.

Some people like it slightly thick and some people like it a bit watery.  Do as you please.  We can have it with rice or chapaathi/roti or dosa/idly even.  You can keep it for 2-3 days and use.  It tastes better when it gets old!


Variations: You can use drumstick/murungakkaai  instead of brinjal.  You can add a tsp. of Jeera/cumin seeds/jeeragam also while grinding.  No need to roast. You can do this recipe without adding coconut too.  You can do your own variations.  I do this quantity for 3 people in my family and use it for minimum two days!

Hope you, esp. Sharada, because of whom I wrote this recipe, like it

Any doubt means just drop a line here.  I will be happy if you write if you like too!

Pulikkaachchal Paste With Tamarind/Huliogare Gojju

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Pulikkaachchal

We prepare this chutney at home, esp. during Pongal festival time because we make mixed rice on the next day of Pongal, Kanu.  Pulianjaadham (rice mixed with this chutney) or lemon rice and other rice like 'yellu saadham' (Podi/powder recipe is here)

Now, let me give the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. 2 lemon sized ball of Imli/Puli/Tamarind. Soak it in warm water and keep
    aside. After 10-15 mts. squeeze and filter the water in a vessel. Do it
    2-3 times by adding water.  It should not be very watery also.

Dry Roast:

2.  1 tbs. Til/Yellu/Sesame seeds

3.  1 tbs. Urad dhaal/Uluththam paruppu/Broken black gram (for powdering)
     1 tbs. for garnishing.

4.  2 tsp. not tbs.:) Methi/Vendhayam/Fenugreek seeds


Roast with 2 tsp.of coconut oil:

5. 1 tbs. Channa dhaal/Kadalai paruppu/Bengal gram (for powdering)
     1 tbs. for garnishing.

6.  1 tbs.  Dhania/Coriander seeds

7.  1 tbs. Kaali mirch/Pepper/Milagu

8.  20-25 Red chillies

9.  Curry leaves

For the Last step:

10.1 small piece of jaggery (or 1 tbs.) to moderate the tamarind's sour taste.

11.1/2 to 1 cup Til ke tel/Gingily oil/Nallennei (You can use refined or groundnut
      oil too, if you like. But Tamilians use Nallennei)

12.4 tbs. Namak/Salt/uppu (nearly or according to your taste...you can add
      later  if it is less)

13.1 small piece or 1 tsp. (powder) of Hing/asofoetida/perungaayam

14. 3-4 tbs. Moongphali/Groundnut/Verkkadalai

15. 1 tsp. Rai/Mustard/Kadugu

16. 1/2 tsp.Haldi/Turmeric powder/manjal podi

Method:

Take a kadai/wok and dry roast til, till you hear them burst/crackle... Remove from fire as soon as it starts bursting.  Put it in a plate.  Then roast methi till it becomes a little burnished in colour.  Put it in the plate. Roast Urad dhaal, till it becomes a bit brown in colour. Put it in the plate.

Now, put the coconut oil in the kadai and fry hing if it is a piece. (If you are going to use hing powder, you can add it later).  It becomes slightly bigger in size. Add Channa dhaal, dhania, fry a bit. Add previously washed and cleaned curry leaves, chilly etc.  Roast a bit more.  Then add pepper.  You should not add it in the beginning.  It will burst and you should remove from fire as soon as you hear one sound! Put it with the earlier ingredients.   When it is cool, powder it in a mixer and keep aside.

Tamarind

Filtering 

Fried ingredients for powdering.

Take a vessel/kadai (a bit thick bottomed would be better), pour gingily oil.  Add mustard. When it crackles, add groundnut.  Let it fry till it turns its colour slightly.  Add Channa dhaal, urad dhaal etc.  We are adding them size wise.  When they are fried, reduce the heat and add the filtered tamarind water, slowly.  Fumes will come out.  Be careful.  Add haldi, jaggery, salt and hing powder if you hadn't added the hard hing in the powder.  You can increase the heat now. Boil it well.  Add the powder from the mixer after 10 mts.  If you add a bit more of gingily oil, it would be tastier.  This oil is harmless and good for health.  You can see the oil on the sides in the first picture. Let it boil till it becomes a bit thicker, not dry.  It should be lose.  Reduce the heat when it starts becoming thicker.  Your pulikkachchal is ready!

You can mix it with hot rice, eat it with dosa, idly, chapaathi or apply on bread for sandwiches.  Hope you like it.  You can use it for a couple of days and then keep the remaining in the fridge in an airtight container.

Try it and tell me if you like it or if you got any doubt while preparing it.

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P.S.: If you want to prepare less quantity, take 50% of all the ingredients.

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Yellu Podi/Sesame Seeds Chutney Powder!

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Yellu podi/Sesame chutney powder.

Ingredients and method: 

First, these are the ingredients for dry roasting:



1. 200 gms. Black sesame seeds/til/karuppu yellu
    Black sesame seed has got more nutrition and smells good.                              
    Dry roast it in a kadaai and let it cool.
    Grind it in a mixi and keep aside.

Fry these ingredients in 1 tsp.of coconut oil:

2. 1 tsp. Mustard seeds/rai/Kadugu.  Let it splutter and then add:

3. 1 tbs. Black gram dhaal/urad dhaal/uluththam paruppu

4.  6-7 Red chillies 

5.  Washed and cleaned curry leaves...add this and fry a little. Then add

6. 2 tsp. of Black pepper/kaali mirchi/milagu (as soon as you hear the        
    'ttup'of one pepper's bursting/spluttering, switch off the fire.  If you allow all  
    the peppers to burst/crackle, the powder might taste bitter).

7. Let it cool and then grind in a mixi.  The chilli seeds should get crushed    
    properly. Add enough salt (1 tsp. first, taste it after grinding and add more if
    needed). 1/2 tsp. of sugar to blend the taste and 1/2 tsp. of Dri Tam
    (brand name for dry tamarind powder) should be added.  Add the ground    
    sesame powder and grind again. 

    Tasty yellu podi is ready.

Dry roasted sesame seeds.

Fried ingredients. You can reduce or increase the no.of chillies as per your taste.

Grind separately and then mix together in the end.

The tasty yellu podi!

Try it at home and let me know if you liked it.  You can store it in a normal container.  Refrigeration is not needed! Stays for months together if wet spoon is not used:). Good luck!


P.S.: I did with 200 gms. of seeds.  Reduce the quantity of the ingredients if you are doing with 100 gms. I took photographs when I did it during last Pongal!

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Mixed Vegetable Soup - Easiest Way!

We, I and my husband, have 2 cups each of mixed vegetable soup,  a couple of phulka rotis with some subji or a couple of slices of bread, at night, nowadays.  The soup is very easy to prepare.   Just try this soup sometime and tell me if you like it!

Ingredients for 4 medium sized bowls of soup:

1. 3-4 Beans
2. 2 Medium sized carrots (washed and peeled)
3. Some green peas
4. 1 Baby corn kernel 
5. 1/2 slice of capsicum for flavour (Optional)
6. 4-5 Badams/almonds for the creamy taste
7. A pinch of sugar

You can add anyother vegetable also. Anyway you will grind everything together! 

For garnishing:

1. 1/2 slice of onions, chopped finely
2. 1/2 tsp. of ginger garlic paste or half tsp. of finely chopped ginger, garlic
3. 1/2 tsp. butter
4. 1/4 tsp. of jeera/cumin seeds
5. 1/2 tsp. of chat masala
6. 1/2 tsp. of pepper powder
7. Salt to taste

Method:

I cook all the vegetables/badam/sugar etc. with some water in a vessel in the cooker along with rice/dhal in the morning itself. Then keep it in the fridge.  If the vegetables are cooked in cooker, they will become very very soft.

Then grind it well with more water, which is the first step.  Place a heavy bottomed vessel/pan on the stove.  Heat the butter. As soon as it melts, add cumin seeds. Leave for a second, then add onions.  Mix for a few seconds until it is transparent.  Add the ginger garlic paste.  Mix for another second.  Pour water.  On the whole 4 cups of soup should be there.  Add chat masala, pepper powder and salt.  Bring it to a boil.  Just let the foam form on top of the soup.  Switch off the stove.

Your swaadhisht soup is ready! Take it a bit watery or slightly thick, whichever way you like.  After a couple of times, you will know to adjust the taste of pepper salt, masala etc. You can add some Vendhayak keerai (methi leaves) or murungai keerai (drumstick leaves) in the end before the soup starts boiling. This will add more nutrition to the soup. Add very little though, so that the soup doesn't become very thick.

Enjoy

Kaaradai - Sweet and Salty (Rice Flour Vada With Black-eyed Bean)

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Kaaradaiyaan nonbu...sweet and salty kaaradai.

Tamilians celebrate a festival/nonbu/vrat on every March 14th, i.e. the day when the Tamil month Maasi ends and Panguni starts.  It always falls on 14th March.  This is like the 'karvaa chauth' festival/vrat of the northern India. This is celebrated for the well being of the husband!

We make this Kaaradai (Kaaraamani adai - Black eyed peas vada, you can say!) which is in the above picture. We make both sweet and salty adais.  No frying business for this, just steaming.  So, is very good for our health.  The nutrition value of Kaaraamani is here!

<sup>We make sweet and salty kaaradais. Let me tell you how to do it now:

Ingredients:</sup>

Kaaramani/cow peas/lobia

<sup>Now, let me give the recipe separately for Vella adai (sweet adai with jaggery) and Uppadai (salty adai). 

First, let me tell you how to make Uppadai/salty adai:

1.  2 cups rice flour
2.  50gms. Kaaraamani seeds
3.  4 cups water
4.  Salt as needed (2tsp.)
5.  4-5 Green chillies, chopped</sup>
6.  1" piece of ginger, chopped

7.  Curry leaves, chopped

8.  5 tbsp.Chopped coconut (or grated)

9.  1/2 tsp. or less Hing/Asofotida powder

10. A little coconut oil
11. Mustard seeds and Urad dhal for garnishing.

Method: 

Common steps for both Uppadai and Vella adai:

First, dry roast the kaaraamani seeds (all 100 gms together)  in a small kadai. Take a cup of water, boil it and put the roasted seeds into it.  Enough water should be there to cover the beans.  After it gets half cooked, add half tsp. of salt, bring it to a boil and keep aside.  

Grate/chop one half of coconut and keep aside.

Dry roast the rice floor (I use 2 cups for sweet adai and 2 cups for salty adai) and keep aside in two plates - 2 cups in each plate.  Roasting for 2 mts. is enough. We draw lines with the flour to check...it should not be sticky or wet!

Uppadai:


<sup>Pour 2 tsp. of coconut oil in a kadai. Add 1/2 tsp. of mustard seeds and 1 tsp. of urad dhal (black gram dhal).  After the mustard seeds flutter, add the chopped curry leaves, ginger and green chilli pieces.  Fry a little and add hing. 

Then pour 4 cups of water and a tsp. of salt. Add 50% of coconut and 50% of cooked beans.  Let it boil well.  Reduce the flame and pour the flour slowly into the boiling water, mixing it constantly with a ladel.  You can see how it looks in the picture.  The consistency should be like a paste - not very watery or very solid.  No lumps should be there. If you notice some, mash them with the ladle. Imagine that you are preparing the dough for cutlet!</sup> 

Uppadai water is boiling.  Flour is added to this now.

Dough for Uppadai

<sup>After the dough cools down a bit, make small small balls and flatten it like it is shown in the first picture. Place them in the idly plates.

Boil water in the idly making vessel and keep the idly stand with adais.  Water should boil first! Let it get cooked for 5-7 mts.  Open and see if a glaze has formed. It means, it is cooked.  Arrange in a basin.  Clean the idly stand and use it for making sweet adais!

Ingredients for Vella adai:</sup>

^{Rice flour, beans and coconut are common for both the adais.  Jaggery and cardomom powder (Ingredients for the cardamom powder are here) are used for vella adai (sweet adai).}

1. 2 cups of rice flour
2. 4 cups of water
3. 1/4 tsp. salt
4. 2 cups or a little less or more of grated/mashed jaggery (According to taste)
5. 1/2 tsp. of cardomom powder
6. 1 tsp. of ghee (for flavour)

^Method:

^{Pour 4 cups of water in a heavy bottomed kadai/vessel. Let it boil and add mashed/powdered jaggery. Let the jaggery dissolve in the water.  Pour the water in a tea filter so that the sand or other things in the jaggery is removed.  You can dissolve jaggery in one or two cups of boiling water and filter it, which will be easier and then add the rest of the water.  Let it boil again. Add a tsp. of ghee and salt.  Ghee will give flavour for the sweet and helps the four from getting into lumps.}

^{Add the rest of the coconut pieces and kaaraamani seeds.  Let it boil again.  Slow down the fire and add the roasted rice flour into it slowly.  Mix properly with the ladle for 5 mts.  Remove, let it cool and make adais.}  

Jaggery and coconut water is boiling for Vella adai.  Add flour now!

Mix for Vella adai

Vella adai! Apply some coconut oil on the palm and make adais like this!

 

Ready to steam!

^{Cook/steam them in the idly vessel for 5 to 7 mts.  Check for the glaze and remove.  Let it cool for a few mts. Remove them from the idly plates.}

^{TIP:  Remember to swab the idly plates with coconut oil so that the adais don't stick to them. Keep some oil in a small cup, touch your fingers (3 must be OK!) and apply on the plates!} 

<sup>This post might look long, but the recipe is easy to make.  Since not much oil is used, this is a good, healthy snack for the children.  You do it twice and you will become a pro, the third time.  

According to the custom, we have to eat it with butter, which is optional during normal days (the adais taste better with butter - wink!).  One more custom is we, ladies eat first from the banana leaf after making the pooja and tying the thread (husband can tie if he is there or we ourselves do it!). One thread is placed on any goddess's photo after pooja.  If daughters are there, we place one more serving in front of the god and then tie the thread in the daughter's neck. 

Then we women eat while husband watches! We can give him after we taste it! Fun, right?!</sup>

Stuffed Parathas...Carrot, Baby Corn, Sweet Potato And Potato/Aloo suffings - Part II

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This is the II part of the Stuffed Paraatha recipes.  Please read the steps in the first recipe in the I part for preparing the stuffings for these paraathas.  This post is just variations of that recipe...Cauliflower recipe.

Carrot Stuffed Paraathas: 

 In this recipe, I have tried to do some variations in the stuffings.  Cutting carrots into tiny pieces and microwaving them is the same.  I am adding some raisins/date pieces, cashew nut pieces here.  Add saambaar powder and see if you like it! Rest of the steps are same!

Capsicum is optional in all the recipes.  I love the flavour of capsicum and so you see capsicum everywhere!

Carrot stuffed paratha

Carrot paraatha stuffing ingredients.

Carrot paraatha stuffing is ready/

Baby Corn Stuffed Paraathas:

This stuffing is just like the Cauliflower stuffing.  Microwave baby corn pieces first. You can follow rest of the recipe to the dot!

Baby corn paratha

Sweet Potato Stuffed Paraathas:

This recipe is the same like the above recipe.  Boil the sweet potato in the cooker (when you cook rice!). Peel the skin, mash and add. Other steps are the same!

Sweet potato stuffing ingredients

Sweet potato stuffing

Aloo/potato Paraathas...King of Paraathas!

The recipe is the same like the Cauliflower paraatha.  Cook the potatoes in cooker, peel and add the rest of the ingredients and make the stuffing. Add more butter while cooking on the tava and you can taste the Punjabi Paraathas.

Add some coriander leaves in the stuffing and it tastes 'different'!

Aloo/potato paratha

Hope you like these paraathas.  You can make crushed paneer paraathas in the same manner.  If any curry remains, you just add the stuffing ingredients to them and make paraathas...remember to add less salt and chilli powder accordingly.  I did paraatha out of Seppankizhangu (arbi/colocasia) curry with onions and other ingredients and it was a hit!

Tell me if you like these recipes!

Stuffed Paraathas...Chapaathi Dough, Cauliflower, Mooli And Little Gourd Stuffings- Part I

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I am writing these posts for the beginners...in cooking! So, let me start this post about 'Stuffed Paraathas' from the first step...preparing the dough!

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups of Wheat flour
2. 2 cups of water
3. 1/2 tsp. sugar
4. 1 1/2 tsp. salt
5. 2 tbs. cooking oil/refined oil

Method: 

Take 2 cups of water in a vessel or basin as shown in the picture.
Add sugar, salt and a tbs. of oil. 
Mix with hand.  Then add the wheat flour and start mixing slowly.  Mix well.  The dough should be soft to the hand.  Sprinkle more water or flour if needed and mix well. If you press it with a finger, it should go in softly and a mark should be there.  Take the remaining oil and apply all over the dough.  Cover and keep it aside for minimum one hour so that it becomes very soft and is able to pull it without breaking to cover the stuffing.

For Poori dough, you should use Ghee instead of oil! The dough should be stiff, not soft and should not soak for such a long time! 

Water, salt, sugar and oil for Chapaathi. 

Chapaathi dough is ready! Close with a lid and keep aside for half to one hour.

1. Cauliflower stuffed paraatha:

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup Cauliflower florets soaked in turmeric powder and salt water
for 15-20 mts. (to kill the worms which are found in this vegetable often...1/2 tsp. turmeric powder and 2 tsp. salt) and then cut into tiny pieces as shown in the picture.

2. 1 Small onion cut into tiny pieces
3. 3-4 Green chillies, cut into tiny pieces (according to taste!)
4. 1" Ginger, cut into tiny pieces
5. 3-4 pods of garlic, cut into tiny pieces
6. 1/4 cup cut pieces of capsicum.
7. Oil for using on the tava for cooking. (Keep half cup of oil with a tsp.of ghee in a cup for using while making chapaathis!)
8. 1/4 tsp. sugar
9. Salt to taste (1/2 tsp.)
10. 1 tsp. oil, 1 tsp. butter (butter to give taste!)
11. 1/2 tsp. Jeera/cumin seeds
12. 1 tsp. Red Chilli powder
13. 1/2 tsp. Garam masala powder  

 Method:

Keep all the ingredients ready nearby in small cups...at least until you become used to cooking!

First, microwave the cauliflower pieces for 2 mts. and keep aside.

Take a small pan. Medium flame. Pour a oil/butter. Add jeera. Let it flutter a bit.

Add the cut onion, green chillies, garlic and ginger pieces. Add butter, sugar and salt.  Fry for a minute or till the onion becomes transparent. Salt helps to bring onion get cooked faster!

Add the capsicum pieces. Add cauliflower pieces.  Mix well.  Add the other ingredients like chilli powder, garam masala etc. Mix well for a minute.  Taste it. Add salt if needed. Salt can be a bit on the high side since it will be covered by chapaathi dough. Mix again.  The stuffing is ready!

Take a double lemon sized ball of dough.  Roll well and press it into a cup shape using your fingers ... press in the middle with your thumb.  Place a tbs. of stuffing into it and stick/join the edges. No gaps should be there.  If you find any and if the dough is not enough to cover, take a bit more dough and repair the hole!

Now, roll it into chapaathi using some dry flour while rolling.  If the stuffing is visible a little, no problem.  See to it that the edges are not thick. Check in the picture.  Put it on a hot tava.  Medium flame. Turn it after a minute with a sharp edged ladle (dosai thiruppi, we call it!).  Cut them into four pieces or two pieces as per your wish.  You have to do this step when the chapaathi is still half cooked! Otherwise it would be difficult to cut evenly.  Press the edges if they are thick. Now, apply a tsp. of oil mixed with a little ghee (we keep this mixture in a small container always). After turning apply more  oil.  Let it become brown on both sides. We can't compromise on oil in paraathas!

Punjabis add just butter, a lot of butter, instead of oil/ghee mixture...so their paraathas are tastier.  I can't imagine using so much butter!  When the paraathas are ready keep them on a tissue paper or steel rings so that they don't become wet with steam.  Place a couple of tissues or cloth in the container in which you are planning to keep the paraathas.  Close it with cloth/tissue and then place the lid.  It will be hot for a long time.

This is the basic recipe for making paraathas.  After you do them 3-4 times, you will know to do the 'adjustments' and become an expert... You can stuff anything as per your imagination.  I have given some!

Cauliflower stuffed paraatha...Keep the vegetables ready like this. Cut the vegetables to the tiniest pieces!

Stuffing...

Close the mouth without any gap.  If gap is there, take some dough and close it, then it will be easy to roll into paraathas.

Paraatha is ready to cook! Turn this paratha after a minute and then slice into pieces if you want, with your ladle (dosai thiruppi!) immediately.  If you wait, it will be difficult to cut. Press the edges if they are thick.

Cauliflower paraatha is ready!

Mooli Stuffed Paraatha:

The basic method is the same as above.  Very tiny pieces of mooli/Radish/daikon)
are used instead of Cauliflower.  You can add some saambaar powder instead of normal chilli powder for variation.

Stuffing for Mooli stuffed paraatha

 Brinjal/Egg plant Stuffed Paraatha:

Tiny pieces of brinjal/egg plant is used here. Microwave as usual.  Follow the first method. Use Curry powder here instead of chilli powder and half tsp. of dri tam ( Tamarind powder) also to enhance the taste. It is OK if you don't have it too. Capsicum can be avoided.  Rest of the steps are same.

Brinjal stuffing is getting ready!

Stuffing for Brinjal stuffed paraatha

Kovakkai/Little gourd Stuffed Paraatha:

Cut the vegetable into tiny pieces, microwave and the rest of the steps are the same as in the first recipe.  The vegetable should be very tender and green.

This picture has not come out well, sorry! Kovakkai/little gourd paraatha Stuffing.

Kovakkai paratha

Tips: Always add a bit of salt while frying onions.  It makes the onion get cooked faster.

Adding a little sugar, blends the taste in the subji.

Stuffing should be a bit strong, with more chillies and salt because we will be covering it with chapaathi dough.  OK, not too salty too!!

Please try this and tell me if you find the steps easy to follow.  If you need any help/explanation also, write in the comment section.

This looks a bit elaborate because I want the new chefs (!), girl or boy, to find it easy to follow! All the best! Enjoy cooking and eating good, home-made food!

More paraathas in the next part! Here!