PLEASING PARATHAS......Hhmmm yummy!

Parathas are sustaining and wholesome. Served with curds and a pickle, they are the staple food for most North Indians. In the rural areas of Punjab, where the farmers get up early to go to work in their fields, aloo parathas and lassi are a popular breakfast. So versatile is the humble paratha that it can complement a meal or be a meal by itself.
The best thing about making a paratha is that the ingredients are so very basic that your kitchen shelf will have them and the variations can be made as per you imagination or according to the availability of ingredients in your kitchen.

I usually cook the parathas till they are half done, cool and store them in the refrigerator. When hunger pangs strike, I just fry them again with a little ghee or oil.

The next time you are in a hurry or when your children ask for
something different, do not worry, just browse through this book and rustle up your own yummy parathas.

METHI ALOO PARATHAS

Preparation time : 10 minutes. Cooking time : 20 minutes. Makes 5 parathas.

For the dough
1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 tsp oil
salt to taste

For the methi aloo stuffing
1 cup finely chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves
1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
2 tsp chaat masala
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Other ingredients
whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta) for rolling
oil for cooking

For the dough
1.Combine all the ingredients and knead into a soft, smooth dough using enough water.
2.Divide the dough into 5 equal portions. Keep aside.

For the methi alu stuffing
1.Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the fenugreek leaves and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
2.Add the ginger-green chilli paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, chaat masala and salt and mix well.
3.Add the potatoes and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4.Cool completely and divide the stuffing into 5 equal portions.

How to proceed
1.Roll out one portion of the dough into a circle of 75 mm. (3") diameter using whole wheat flour for dusting.
2.Place one portion of the methi alu stuffing in the centre of the circle.
3.Bring together all the sides in the centre and seal tightly.
4.Roll out again into a circle of 150 mm. (6") in diameter, using whole wheat flour for dusting.
5.Cook on a hot tava (griddle), using a little oil, until both sides are golden brown.
6.Repeat with the remaining dough and stuffing to make 4 more parathas.
Serve hot.



DOUBLE DECKER PARATHAS

Preparation time : 20 minutes. Cooking time : 30 minutes. Makes 7 parathas.

For the dough
4 cups whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
2 tbsp oil
½ tsp salt

For the carrot stuffing
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 cups grated carrots
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

For the green peas stuffing
2 cups boiled and mashed green peas
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tbsp ghee
salt to taste

Other ingredients
whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta) for rolling
ghee for cooking

For the dough
1.Combine the whole wheat flour, oil and salt with enough water and knead into a smooth soft dough.
2.Keep aside under a wet muslin cloth for 3 minutes.
3.Divide the dough into 21 equal portions and roll each portion into thin rounds of 175 mm. (7”) diameter.
4.Cook 7 rounds lightly on a tava (griddle). Keep aside.

For the carrot stuffing
1.Heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds.
2.When they crackle, add the carrots, green chillies, lemon juice and salt and mix well.
3.Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Keep aside.

For the green peas stuffing
1.Heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds.
2.When they crackle, add the green chillies, coriander and salt and cook for 1 minute.
3.Add the green peas and cook again. Keep aside.

How to proceed
1.Place one uncooked round of dough on a flat surface, spread 1 tbsp of the carrot stuffing and cover with a cooked roti. Spread 1 tbsp of the green peas stuffing, put another uncooked round of dough roti on the top and press firmly to seal the edges.
2.Cook the double decker parathas on a tava (griddle) on both sides with a little ghee.
3.Cut into wedges and serve hot.

For more pleasing paratha recipes simply click on to parathas