Parathas with Herbs and bread crumbs

I have quite a few Paratha recipes on my blog e.g. garlic and coriander paratha, the spicy paratha with tomatoes, onions and garlic.  These parathas are also very similar.  The only difference is that I used a combination of chappati flour and bread crumbs.  These parathas came out soft and fluffy.

Ingredients for 10-12 parathas:

1 cup wheat flour (often called Atta or chappati flour)
1 cup bread crumbs.  Recipe for bread crumbs is here
1 small piece of  grated ginger
2 cloves of minced garlic
Small bunch of finely cut coriander
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mixture of coriander and cumin powder (dhanna jiru)
2 tablespoons oil to add to the dough
2 tablespoons yoghurt to add to the dough
½ cup flour for dusting the parathas when rolling them.
2 cups oil for frying (I use sunflower oil)

Method:

1.  Sieve the flour and bread crumbs.  Add in the salt, turmeric, coriander, sunflower oil and yoghurt  and mix well.

2. Using some warm water, mix the dough until you get it soft and pliable like playdough. Cover the dough and allow it  to rest for 30 minutes. The dough became so lovely and soft with a fragrance of all the spices - almost as though I was making dhebras.  I must try making some dhebras with bread crumbs soon.

3.  Divide the dough into 10 -12 small balls.

4.  Like my other paratha recipes roll out one paratha and brush some oil on one side and sprinkle some flour on top of the oil.

5.  Divide this into half:

6. And into Quarter:

7. Roll it out again.  Dont worry about the shape.

 8.  Cook the paratha first in one frying pan with no oil and then transfer it to a second non stick frying pan and brush some oil to both sides of the paratha. If you do not have two frying pans, you can dry cook them all first.

9. Remove once they get a bit dark like below and serve them hot with any curry.

10.  We served them with plain Khichedi, Kadhi and potato curry. Chalo jamwa.

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Paneer and cheddar cheese stuffed parathas

Please take a look at my alu stuffed paratha recipe which I posted a couple of years ago.  I like to make stuffed parathas as an occasional treat and it's nice to try out different fillings.

In this recipe, I have used paneer, cheddar cheese, onion and potato for the stuffing.


Ingredients for 6-8 parathas:

For the filling/stuffing:

1 boiled, medium potato
1 small onion - finely grated
half cup grated paneer (easy to make paneer recipe here)
half cup grated cheddar cheese
2 or 3 green chillies - minced
small bunch of coriander - cut finely
half a teaspoon salt
one teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
pinch of garam masala (optional)

For the paratha dough:

2 cups of strong wheat flour (often called Atta or chappati flour)
pinch of salt
1 clove of garlic - minced
Some sunflower oil

Method:

 First prepare the dough:

1.  Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl.

2.  Add the salt and garlic to the flour

3.  Add two teaspoons of oil to the flour.

4.  Mix well and prepare the dough by adding some warm water to the dough.

5.  Keep blending it using a drop of oil so it doesn't stick to the mixing bowl -until it gets soft and pliable.   Let it rest for half an hour.

Next prepare the stuffing:

6.  Blend the paneer and chillies, salt, lemon juice, sugar and garam masala.

7. Add the boiled potato, grated onions and cheddar cheese and mix:

8.   Make little balls (slightly smaller than golf balls) of your filling and of your dough.

9.  Sprinkle some dry flour and roll out the dough to a small circle.  Add the filling to the circle

10. Fold in the dough circle, joining all the edges:

11.   Sprinkle some flour to the dough circle and turn it over:

12.  Using a thin rolling pin, roll out the paratha:   The size depend on how much dough and filling you used.

13.  Spread a spoonful of oil on the paratha and fry in a non stick pan.

14. Enjoy it with any curry or yoghurt.

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Theplas with fenugreek, wheat, chickpea and millet flours with an addition of instant oatmeal cereal

My recipe for making traditional Gujarati  theplas is here .  I grew up eating theplas so I always took them to be a staple food for all Indians.  It's only after my several visits to India did I realise that theplas are a typical Gujarati dish.  When a friend from Bangalore asked me for a recipe, I was surprised as I assumed that everyone in India would be used to eating theplas.   Every Gujarati person you meet will have their own version of making these and all of them will agree that theplas are a life saver at times when we are busy or travelling as they can be eaten on their own with tea, with any pickles especially chundo, or yogurt and garlic chutni or with a simple potato curry. Recently, I made them by adding a sachet of the apple and cinnamon oatmeal.  The oatmeal  is a quick and easy to make cereal which is great in the winter.  Adding the oatmeal and some sesame seeds to my basic thelpla  recipe took my theplas to a higher level.  They tasted great and the scent of apple and cinnamon also made them very tempting.

Ingredients: (makes 15-17  theplas)

1 cup of millet flour

half cup of chick pea flour

half cup of wheat flour (preferably chappati flour or strong flour -NOT plain flour)

half a bunch of finely chopped fenugreek

6 or 7 cloves of garlic, blended into a paste.

1 teaspoon ginger is optional

1-2 teaspoons of ground chilies is optional. (You can use chilly powder or even pepper)

Sunflower oil : You will need 2 to 3 tablespoons for the making the dough and a another cup to fry the theplas in.  If you have the spray oil - that works wonderfully with my recipe.

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

1 sachet of instant oatmeal cereal (the sachet is 33 gms whichis less than half a cup) 

2 tablespoons of yoghurt (optional)

3-4 tablespoons to wheat flour to flour the surface when rolling out the theplas.

Method:

1. Mix  and sieve the 3 flours

2. Add the fenugreek, garlic, ginger, green chilly paste plus the salt, turmeric and sesame seeds.

3.  Soak the oatmeal in half a cup of warm water for 5 minutes and add it to flours and spices. 

4.  Add the yoghurt.  This makes the theplas taste nicer - similar to sour dough bread.

5. Add the 2 tablespoons of oil and mix well. Using some warm water, bind the dough. 

6.  Grease your hand with oil to pick up the dough to transfer it to a new container and keep it covered for 10 -15 minutes. 

7.   Divide your dough into 12 to 13 small balls.

8.  Roll out the theplas by sprinkling some wheat flour on your work top. 

9.  Half cook the thepla on a hot griddle or tawa before transfering them to a frying pan. 

10.  Using a non stck frying pan, either spray the theplas with oil and cook them until golden brown or lightly brush them with cooking oil and cook them. 

11. Transfer them on to a kitchen paper and dap them until they look dry.  Try and use as little oil as possible.  

12.  Theplas made this way will stay fresh and if stored in an air tight container, they can be eaten for a couple of days.

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Varela poratha - Rolled porathas

Most Indian food is accompanied by rice or Indian breads like chappatis, puris, naan, parathas etc.  I learned how to make this version of parathas from my dad. He used to make these really lovely fluffy parathas for breakfast on a winter’s morning and we are all now addicted to these and love having them any time.   


Ingredients for serving 4 people
Makes 8 parathas
Time 30-40 minutes


2 cups of chappati flour (often called Atta) to make the dough
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
2 tablespoons oil for the dough
1 tablespoon of butter
½ cup flour for dusting the parathas when rolling them.
2 cups oil for frying (I use sunflower oil)


Method:


1. Sieve the flour and add in the cumin seeds, garlic, salt and turmeric .  


2. Add in the 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter and mix.

3. Using warm water mix the dough.  When ready, knead it well so that it becomes nice and pliable. Keep this covered for 20 minutes.


4. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls.

5. Take one ball and roll out the paratha and brush some oil on one side and dust it with some flour.

6. Try and make a pile by stacking the paratha as shown below and twist it back into a circle and roll it out again.

7. The oil helps to separate the poratha into layers.


8. Par cook the paratha  finish off - by brushing it lightly with some oil on both sides of the paratha.

9. Serve these hot with any curry.

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Puris or Pooris (Deep fried Indian Bread)

Puri is an Indian bread very popular in Gujarat.  Its a dish that can be cooked quickly and served up to be eaten hot or cold.  A lot of Indian restaurants in India serve it in the morning with mango pickle or potato curry for breakfast.  Its served as a accompaniment with mango raas, shrikand or just about any curry for lunch or dinner.  Leftover puris are great for breakfast too. Whenever guests arrive unexpectantly for dinner, puris are easy to make to serve with potato curry or with chick peas (Aloo Chole).  The recipe for puris is very simple and can be made plain with just salt or with spices.  I have given the recipe for the plain which uses some salt and tumeric.


Ingredients (serves 6)

2 cups of chapatti flour (or any strong flour but not plain flour as its too fine)
Half a teaspoon of salt
Quarter teaspoon of turmeric (optional)
2 teaspoons of oil
Litre of oil for frying.
Warm water to make the puri dough.

Method:

1. Transfer the flour in a mixing bowl

2. Add  the salt and tumeric.

3. Add the 2 teaspoons of oil

4. Mix all the ingredients and slowly make a dough which should be firm but pliable. Mix it well and leave it covered with a tea towel for half an hour.

5. Divide the dough into small flattened balls.

6. Roll out each puri and save them on a clean tray or work top as shown below: (try not to keep them on top of each other or they may stick together)

7.  While you are rolling out the puris, transfer the oil to a wok or something similar and heat the oil.

8.  Test the oil by dropping a pinch of puri dough in the oil.   If it raises quickly to the top, the oil is ready.

9.  Reduce the heat slightly and start putting the puris in the hot oil one at a time.

10.  They will start to cook and as soon as they pluff up, turn them over, cook  for 30 seconds and remove onto a clean Kitchen paper.

11.   Serve the puris with any curry or pickle or even yoghurt.Yummy..........

This recipe is exactly like the one used by my mum and grandmother.  Hope you enjoy making the puris.

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