Saturday, October 13, 2007

PLEASING PARATHAS......Hhmmm yummy!

Methi Aloo Parathas
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

18 comments:

Finla said...

Wow i didn't know you had a blog. I have a cooking book from you which i bought when i got married in 90.

Anonymous said...

Love your blog. May I request you to please add the photos of the dishes if you don't mind.

The Literary Jewels said...

A brilliant collection of recipes! Paranthas are life of a breakfast especially on Sundays.

Anonymous said...

namaste Tarlaji,
great parathas! being a south indian, i love to surprise my family with recipes from the other parts of India. my family loves the parathas i make and i thankyou for that!
i want to make pethas,but didn't understand when i should add the ash gourd pieces to the sugar syrup.can any other vegetable be used too for making this sweet?

Sona - quick picks/pick quicks said...

my my my !!..Tarlaji..you have a blog site !!!!..wow !!!...what else can we ask for....lov the paratha..they look gorgeous.
Me, too as Hima said,would suggest that the blog will look even more fab, if you could add up more fots, if you dont mind..

Nikki said...

Can you post some of NO onion-NO garlic recipes PLSSSSSSS.....

Nikki said...

Can you plsss..post some of NO onion-NO garlic recipes....

Jyoti Bhat said...

The recipe is yummy. An external addition of small quantities of soya flour, kabul chana flour, jowar, bajra, miniscule quantity of methi will make the wheat flour more healthier. The protein content will increase.

Jyoti Bhat said...

The recipe is yummy. However, adding minimum quantity of soya flour, kabul chana flour, miniscule amount of methi, jowar and bajra will not only make the flour healthier, but will also make increase the protein content of the flour.

Degchi said...

nice to see your blog.
i am great fan of yours.i love cooking just because of you,i have been reading your books from a long time.your recipe writing method is detailed and easy,i like your tips also.
love to know some tips to freeze parathas,as i am going for a month to my mom's place.it will be a great help for my husband.

Sreelu said...

Tarlaji,

Its great to know communicate through your blog, growing up you have been my source of inspiration.I still do make quite a few recipes from your cookbook collection.

Good luck and can't wait to see more recipes from you

Regards,
Sreelu

Prats said...

Amazing to have dropped in here....love your blog. I do subscribe to your online recipe stuff...but this is simply so wonderful.
Now I hope I become a better cook through this :)

Anonymous said...

a very good evening tarlaji
buying, reading and trying recipes has always been a passion with me. Being a north indian and a non vegetarian I did not buy your books at all. A gradual shift to vegetarianism tempted me to lay my hands on your books. I am very glad to have indulged in this temptation, the experience has been great. VEGETARIAN COOKING HAS NEVER EVER BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE.
thank you very much and all the best. Warmest regards

Preethi Simha said...

Thank u so much for these recipes.
I tried the alu methi paratha and it was an instant hit.
Thank u once again.

Deepa Kuber said...

parathas look delicious.. pictures are so lovely.. i just love your blog

Anonymous said...

Hello Tarlaji, I am a big fan of you and ur recipes. I live in australia and am mom to a wonderful 4 yr old girl. I have got 3 of your books and also often visit your website if in a hurry and looking for something new to cook. As we are vegeterians and its hard to get good healthy Indian veg food here I try to make our weekends happy and fun filled with your recipes. Thanks a lot for your blog too.

Unknown said...

hiiiiii taralaji i am aditi from ahmedabad.ur paratha receipes are really owasome i just want to say that plz give some receipes of pratha which you can make from already cooked sabji.like extra sabji of lunch which you can use it at dinner.thank you

Tarla Dalal said...

Dear Aditi,

For such interesting recipes using leftovers, I have a cookbook called, Recipes Using Left Overs.

Here is an recipe from this book:

VEGETABLE QUESIDILLAS

A quick and nutritious version of the famed Mexican starter! Vegetables and cheese make a great filling for these quesidillas.
Ready-made samosa pattis are used in this recipe but you can use tortillas or even leftover chapatis to make this delicious snack.

Preparation time : 10 minutes. Cooking time : 30 minutes. Serves 4.

6 chapatis
Butter or oil for cooking

For the filling
1 tsp butter
1 tbsp finely chopped green chillies
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
½ cup thinly sliced cabbage
½ cup grated carrots
½ cup grated onions
¼ cup boiled and mashed potatoes
½ cup grated cheese
Salt to taste

For serving
Tomato ketchup

For the filling
1. Heat the butter in a pan, add the green chillies, garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
2. Add the cabbage, carrots and onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Remove from the flame, add the potatoes, cheese and salt and mix well.
4. Divide the filling into 6 equal portions. Keep aside.

How to proceed
1. Spread a portion of the filling on one half of a chapati. Fold it into half.
2. Repeat with the remaining chapatis and filling to make 5 more quesidillas.
3. Heat a tava (griddle) and cook the prepared quesidillas, using a little butter till both sides are golden brown in colour.
4. Cut into 50 mm. (2”) square pieces and serve hot with tomato ketchup.