Palak Paratha/ Spinach Paratha

       Palak Paratha is one of the healthiest paratha. Spinach is abundance in nutrients so i like to include this veggie in my family food in one or the other way. I made these parathas years before after that i shifted my diet pattern according to my sons palette. Now he eats rotis and parathas so i  can include them again in my diet by making more healthy parathas like this.

       Parathas are tasty and healthy if they are prepared using less oil. Perfect for travel food and also for lunch boxes. Prepare this parathas weekly once at your home and stay healthy.

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach/ Palak, cut- 3/4 cup (1 bunch)
Green chillies, cut- 2
Ginger, cut- 1 inch
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Ajwain or Jeera- 1 teaspoon
Atta/ Wheat Flour- 1½ cup
Salt- to taste
Oil- 2 teaspoons+ to roast

PROCEDURE:

• Wash the spinach leaves and roughly chop them or tear them with hand and keep inside the blender jar.
• Add green chillies and ginger with this and grind as a smooth paste without adding any water.

• In a bowl add the wheat flour, salt and two teaspoons of oil, ground spinach puree, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and ajwain.
• Mix them together. Add water little by little and make it as a dough.
• Transfer the dough into a flat surface and knead to make a soft pliable dough. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil in hand and knead well if the dough is not soft; set aside for 5- 10 minutes to get the dough to soften.

• Divide the dough into 6-7 balls.
• Dust with flour and spread each balls as thin parathas using rolling pin.

• Heat a pan on medium flame and drizzle half a teaspoon of oil and roast the parathas both sides till brown spots appears.

• Serve with curd or pickle.

• Note: You can make this paratha by chopping spinach and slightly wilt them and follow the same procedure. Refer here if you are planning to do like that way.

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Jangri/ Jhangri/ Jaangiri/ Imarti (300th Post)

        Jangri or Imarti is urad dhal batter, pressed into different circular or flower shapes, deep fried and finally dipped in sugar syrup. This dessert was invented by Mughals. Jalebi and Jangris are always confused by people. Both have more similarities in shape as well as taste. But Jangri is made out of Urad dhal batter and Jalebis are made out of All purpose Flour and soured using curd batter. Jangris are mostly preferred by South Indians while North Indians prefer Jalebis.

       Making Jangri is so easy but the consistency of the batter, the temperature of the oil and the consistency of the sugar syrup are the main factors that decide the success of this dessert. Last year i made this sweet with rice flour instead of adding corn flour and was not happy with the outcome. But this year i am so happy with the outcome.

INGREDIENTS:

Urad Dhal/ Ulunthu- 1 cup

Corn Flour- 2 tablespoons

Orange Food Colour (Tandoori colour/ Red and Yellow colour- 3 drops)-1/2 teaspoon

Sugar- 2 cups

Water- 3/4 cup

Cardamom pods- 3-4

Rose essence or Rose water- 1 teaspoon

Lemon -1/2

Oil- to fry

PROCEDURE:

• Soak the urad dhal for 2 to 4 hours in water.
• Drain the water and grind them in wet grinder till smooth. If you do not have a wet grinder at home grind in a mixer jar. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water(less water) while grinding. Batter should be fluffy. It should not be too thick or runny.

• Transfer the ground batter in a bowl and add the corn flour and food colour; mixwell.
• Fill the batter inside a jalebi/ jangri cloth or disposable piping bag (then cut the edge), piping syringe or  squeeze bottle or a zip lock bag(Pierce and make a hole at the middle with a hot nail or cut the edge) or milk cover (wash and dry the milk cover fill with batter and tie the open end with a rubber band then cut one the edge with a scissor); set aside.

• Add the sugar and water in a pan and boil well till the sugar gets dissolved well in water with out any crystals by constant stirring. Allow the syrup to become almost to one thread consistency. Switch off the gas when the syrup becomes sticky stage (pisukku padam)because it thicken further. Add slightly crushed cardamom pods, rose essence and lemon juice, mix well and switch off the gas.

• Heat the oil in a broad pan on medium flame so that you can make more jangris at a time.
• Once the oil gets heated up, pipe the batter into roundels on the hot oil. If you grind using mixer jar chances are there to become your jangris go flat than honey comb texture when dipped in sugar syrup. If that happens add a pinch of baking soda powder and mix well.

• Fry on both sides till crispy.
• Remove the fried jangri from oil and transfer them in to the warm sugar syrup.
• Soak them for a minute or two in sugar syrup and allow to drain the excess syrup and transfer them on to the plate.

• Note: The consistency of the batter should be fluffy. If not add a pinch a Soda before frying.
• Oil heat should be medium hot & not very hot, otherwise the more jangis split and loose its shape. If oil is less hot jangris goes flat. If you pipe jangris immediately it should become slightly puffy.
• Sugar syrup should be in sticky stage and should be warm. So heat the syrup slightly in between. Lemon juice is added to prevent crystallization of the sugar syrup.
• Adding Baking soda is optional add if your janris go flat.

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Paneer Paratha/ Cottage Cheese Paratha

        Paneer Paratha is a super easy stuffed flat bread made with cottage cheese, spices and herbs. Today i prepared this stuffed paratha for lunch and we loved it a lot. It does not require any curry to pair with. Simply dip in pickle or yogurt and have it. Perfect stuffed bread for lunch box or picnick. So easy to prepare for unexpected guest arrival.

       I have used here frozen paneer you could use fresh paneer too for this recipe. Drain the water well and use it for the recipe to get perfect parathas. I love the paneer and ajwain combo as i expected this tastes divine for my taste buds.

INGREDIENTS:
For Paneer Stuffing:
Paneer, fresh/ frozen- 2 cups
Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Ajwain/ Omam- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt- to toaste
Coriander leaves,chopped- 1 tablespoon

For Paratha:
Atta/ Whole Wheat Flour- 1 1/2 cups
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

• Squeeze the paneer well and drain the water from fresh or frozen (thawed)paneer.
• In a  blender add the paneer pieces and pulse twice or thrice until the paneer resembles crumble.

• Transfer into a bowl and add chilli powder, garam masala powder, ajwain, salt and coriander leaves.
• Mix well and make them into 7-8 lemon sized balls; set aside.

• In a bowl take the whole wheat flour, salt and oil  and mix well. Add water little by little and make in to a dough.

• Transfer the dough to a flat surface and knead to make it soft and pliable.
• Set aside covered for 5- 10 minutes to soften the dough.

• Divide the dough into 7-8 lemon sized balls.
• Spread the dough into a small disc using a rolling pin. Keep a paneer ball inside and gather the edges and press well to seal.

• Press the stuffed balls to flatten using your  fingers.
• Dust each stuffed balls with atta and spread each balls into a thin flat parathas.

• Heat a pan on high flame till smoking hot reduce the flame to low and drizzle half a teaspoon of oil, cook the paratha till brown spots appear on each side.
• Serve hot with curd or pickle.

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Onion Paratha/ Pyaaz Ka Paratha

       Onion parathas are simple to make parathas without any veggies. Some days we run out of any veggies due to some reasons  like cleaning or just back from travel. Those days we feel like have some home cooked food and our body wont allow to go out and buy some veggie.

       Every home we keep onion and atta if we go out too. So we can make a yummy filling dish out of it and treat the taste buds with our home cooked food. I love the caramelized sweet taste of those cooked onions inside the parathas. I have it without any side dish as it has some spices inside it. Do try this and let me the outcome.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time:10 minutes
Cuisine: North Indian
Serves:7-8 parathas

INGREDIENTS:
For Onion stuffing:
Onion- 3 big or 5 medium sized (2 ½ cups)
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Jeera- 1/2 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves, chopped- 2 tablespoon

For Parathas:
Atta/ Wheat Flour- 1½ cups
Salt- to taste

Oil- 2 teaspoons

PROCEDURE:

• To make Onion stuffing, finely chop the onion. You can make this parathas without cooking the onions too. Just mix the chopped onion, chilli powder, garam masala and coriander leaves together and take a tablespoon of mixture inside the rolled disc of paratha and spread and cook them. (or) Follow this half cook method to get slight sweet and tasty parathas.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry jeera. Add the chopped onion and cook for fifteen seconds.

• Add the ginger garlic paste and salt; cook till the raw smell leaves and the moisture almost evaporates.
• Add the masala powders turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala and mix well and cook till the raw masala smell leaves for fifteen seconds. 

• Add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off the gas.
• Allow the mixture to cool. Once it cools down make them in to small lemon sized balls.
• To make parathas, take the Whole wheat flour in a bowl and add salt and oil. Dry mix  and then pour the water and mix well to make a dough.

• Transfer the dough into a flat surface and knead for five minutes to get a soft pliable dough.
• Rest this dough covered for further 5 to 10 minutes to soften the dough. 
• Divide the dough into 7-8 lemon sized balls.

• On a floured surface spread the ball into a small disc.
• Keep the onion stuffing inside and gather the edges and press well to seal well.

• Using fingers flatten the balls and dust them in flour and spread them in to thin parathas.

• Heat a pan and sprinkle half a teaspoon of oil and cook both sides of the parathas till golden brown spots starts to appear.

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Gobi Paratha/ Cauliflower Paratha

       As i said earlier stuffed parathas are my favourite. They does not require any curries to pair with. Simple to prepare food for travel. I prefer dry food for travel and this stuffed parathas absolutely fulfills my requirement. Even my kids likes the less spicy stuffed parathas.

       In case if you have some leftover parathas to store for next day also easy as they are dry so easy to transfer them in to a container. Stuffing can be made a day before and refrigerated and parathas can be made in minutes for busy days. I prepare the stuffing a day before and store it for holidays. It saves my time and i can able to concentrate other than cooking on Holidays.

Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: North Indian
Makes: 7-8 parathas

INGREDIENTS:
For Gobi stuffing:
Cauliflower/ Gobi- 1/2 big head (2 ½ cups)
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Jeera- 1/2 teaspoon
Onion, chopped-1 big
Ginger garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon
Garam masala powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves, chopped- 2 tablespoon

For Parathas:
Atta/ Wheat Flour- 1½ cups
Salt- to taste
Oil- 2 teaspoons

PROCEDURE:

• To make cauliflower stuffing, grate the cauliflower using a carrot grater or separate the small florets from the cauliflower head and grind them coarsely by pulsing them inside a blender.You can chop them very finely too.

• Heat oil in a pan and fry jeera. Add the chopped onion and cook for fifteen seconds. 
• Add the ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell leaves. Add the ground or finely chopped cauliflower and salt.

• Cook the cauliflower till soft the pan closed with a lid for about five minutes on low flame with out adding a any water. Add the masala powders turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala and mix well and cook till the raw masala smell leaves for fifteen seconds. 
• Add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off the gas.

• Allow the mixture to cool. Once it cools down make them in to small lemon sized balls.
• To make parathas, take the Whole wheat flour in a bowl and add salt and oil. Dry mix  and then pour the water and mix well to make a dough.

• Transfer the dough into a flat surface and knead for five minutes to get a soft pliable dough.
• Rest this dough covered for further 5 to 10 minutes to soften the dough. 
• Divide the dough into 7-8 lemon sized balls.

• On a floured surface spread the ball into a small disc.
• Keep the cauliflower stuffing inside and gather the edges and press well to seal well.

• Using fingers flatten the balls and dust them in flour and spread them in to thin parathas.
• Heat a pan and sprinkle half a teaspoon of oil and cook both sides of the parathas till golden brown spots starts to appear.

• Note: You can boil the cauliflower in water to half cook them and follow the same procedure if you feel that it might have some caterpillar inside.

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