Orange Flavoured Paneer Stuffed in Parathas

My sons  loves paneer so this recipe was created at their request.  They asked me to flavour the paneer using their favourite juice - freshly squeezed orange juice and spices.  Surprisingly - the orange flavour was a hit and now it's a dish I make regularly for them. 

Ingredients for 8 Parathas: 

2 cups or 250 grams of home made paneer (if you are using ready made paneer - get a softer version so that it can soak up the juice and spices. Plus - it's easier to stuff into parathas)

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice ( if using ready made - use a good make)

1 tsp salt

½ cumin seeds

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp ginger, garlic and green chillies mixture (all blended into a paste)

1-2 cups cooking oil ( for the frying and adding to the dough).

For the dough: 

2 cups of chappati flour
pinch of salt

Method:

1. Chop the paneer into small pieces and soak them in the orange juice for an hour.

2.  Take a tablespoon of oil and add some cumin to the oil.  Once the cumin browns add the paneer, the salt, and turmeric and cook it and mash it as you mix.  The idea is to try and make it a dry mixture.

3.  Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli paste.

4.  Keep stirring until its all dry to enable you to stuff inside the paratha.

For binding the dough please see this recipe for potato stuffed paratha. 

5.   Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt and two tablespoons of oil to the flour.  Bind the dough  by adding some warm water to the flour.  Keep adding small amounts of water until it comes together as a soft dough almost like play dough.  Knead it well and let it rest for half an hour.

6.  Divide the dough into 8-9 small balls smaller than golf balls.   Also divide the paneer into 8-9 small balls.  Roll out the dough into a small circle, dab a bit of oil in the centre of the rolled out paratha  and keep the paneer on top.

7.   Fold the paratha over the paneer - like a square parcel.

8. Dust this with some flour and roll out a squarish or roundish paratha.

9.   Roast the paratha on a hot griddle/tawa or frying fan.  Once roasted - just brush some oil on both sides and let it cook.

10.  Finish making all the parathas and serve them hot with your favourite curry.

For ideas on making different parathas - check out this recipe for pizza paratha.

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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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Punjabi Pizza or Stuffed Paratha ? What shall I call it?

I have just realised who commands the Daily menu in my kitchen!! It's my children as you always worry if they don't eat their food.  You also worry if they are not eating all their vegetables.  I am always trying to think of ways to make a dish interesting for them so that they eat well.   My young son loves Pizzas and went through a phase where he had to either have a pizza every day or something with cheese added to it to make it look like a pizza!!  That's when I came up with this recipe which is of a stuffed paratha but with some of the pizza ingredients added.   I told my son who was very young at the time that it was a "Punjabi Pizza" and since that day, it's been called that in our house.  We really enjoy this dish as a weekend brunch dish.  I hope that you will all agree with me that this one is a real winner with children.  You can add what ever fillings you like and make it as spicy or as bland as you prefer.

Ingredients for 4 parathas:

For the filling:

2 medium sized potatoes

1 small Onion -cut in thin slices

1 pepper sliced thinly

1 tomato sliced thinly

1-2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

some green chutney or tomato sauce 

small bunch of coriander - cut finely

1/2 a teaspoon salt

1/2 a teaspoon chilly powder
some dried herbs like oregano

For the parathas:

2 cups of chappati flour (strong wheat flour)

pinch of salt

1 clove of garlic - minced

Some sunflower oil

Method:

For the filling: 

1. Boil the potatoes and mash them using a fork

2.  Add in the salt, chilly powder, coriander leaves and half the cheddar cheese. 

3. Mix well using a fork and leave the mixture covered.

4.   Slice up all the vegetables you want to use for the filling.

For the dough: 

5.   Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl.

6.   Add the salt and garlic to the flour

7.  Add two teaspoons of oil to the flour.

8.  Mix the dough with warm water and let it rest for half an hour.

9.    Divide the dough into small balls - smaller than a ping pong ball.

10.  Take one ball and roll out the dough to the size of a  6-7 inch diameter chappati

11.  Spread the chutney or tomato sauce on the rolled out chappati.  Recipe for the chutney is here

12.  Spread the cheese and potato mixture on top of the chutney or sauce.

13.  Spread the toppings like you would for a pizza.  I used peppers, tomatoes and onions.

14.  Spread some cheddar cheese and any herbs like oregano on the toppings just like you would for a pizza. Whilst putting all the toppings on the chappati, don't press too hard on it as the dough is quite delicate.

15.   Cover all the toppings with a similar sized chappati.  Now you see why I don't know what to call this dish? Pizza or paratha?? But what's in a name?

16.  Warm a griddle or a frying pan.  Add some oil to the pan and gently heat the paratha on a medium flame.

17.  You want to make sure that the filling cooks without burning the outer later,  You also don't want the cheese to cook too fast  or it will melt and ooze out of the paratha.

18.  Flip the paratha over and allow the second side to cook.

19.  The pizza/paratha is ready to be served.  I'll be very interested in your views on what I should call this dish!!

20.  Some serving suggestions:

Paratha

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