kothu parotta

Like most of the animals that go on hibernation once cold starts I too went into that mode not because of cold but due to the lack of light...Everything about the winter is so good..the cold days...a blanket of snow...the lovely mood of laziness around..except the missing of sun..:( I would have so much loved the presence of sun....
To warm up these winter nights I went with a recipe that is warm and spicy...I was introduced to Kothu parotta for the first time from Vasantha Bhavan hotel in calicut 3 years back...spicy and full of flavors. When we came to US frozen parotta was introduced to me...which I felt was like a thick piece of rubber which never dissolves how much ever you chew it...Sooner dinner with frozen parotta became a challenge and I had to find a way out...I remembered this dish and started to make it...Initially I just added garam masala and it was not much flavorful..then adding one by one masalas was an experiment...I am not sure if this is the traditional recipe/if this is how it is prepared..but this recipe is quite yummy.
A little info about Kothu parotta..It is a Tamil street food which slowly started appearing in hotels these days.  Kothu means: minced pieces and parottas are flat breads made on stove top using all purpose flour and liberal use of oil. In kothu parotta various veggies are  mixed with spices and torn pieces of parotta by using oil liberally.You can use egg too to prepare it and in that case it is known as Mutta kothu parotta.

Parotta-5 nos(cooked and torn/cut to small pieces)
Cloves- 5 nos
Fennel seeds-1 tsp
Cinnamon Stick- 1 inch stick
Bay Leaf- 1 leaf
Curry leaf-1 sprig
Onion- 1 medium(chopped finely)
Tomato- 2 large(chopped)
Carrots-1/4 cup(cut to thin sticks)
Green Beans-1/8 cup(cut to thin sticks)
Cabbage-1/8 cup(cut to fine shreds)
Green peas- 1/4 cup(I used frozen)
Ginger-garlic Paste- 2 tsps
Chili Powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala- 1 tbsp
Biryani  Masala - 2  tbsp
Cilantro/coriander leaves for garnish
Oil-5 tbsp

Method of preparation:
1. Heat  oil in a pan. Add cinnamon,fennel,clove, curry leaf,bay leaf and fry for a minute. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes. Add onion to this and fry till translucent and light brown.
2. Add tomatoes to this along with a pinch of salt and cook till it turns mushy and oil separates at sides.
3. Add turmeric,chili, garam masala and biryani masala and mix well and cook for a minute.
4. To this add the green beans, green peas along with carrot and mix well and cook till it is half done.
5. To this add the shredded cabbage and cook till it is soft yet crisp.Now add salt and mix well and cook for a minute or two.
6. Add the shredded poratta to this and mix well. Cook on medium heat for few minutes.Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro
7. Squeeze little lemon over it and serve with raita.

Notes:
1. I used store bought frozen Kerala parotta which is widely used for this. You can make the same with chapathi too.
2. Be liberal in using oil.Add more if needed. The porotta should be fried in oil while cooking.
3. Before adding the tomatoes see that there is no much liquid which would result in soggy porottas which is a big NO.
4. You can use pav masala, chicken biryani masala in place of biryani masala too.
5. Add spices according to your level.
6. Add about 2 green chilies if you like heat.
7. If using small porottas use about 6 to 7.
8. You can use veggies of ur choice.Add or remove veggies as you like.

Aloo Poori

Sometimes I am as lazy as a cricket(as in Ant and the Cricket)...Till seven in the eve wud be roaming around the 2 special people in my house...then at around 7.30 wud be thinking...What for dinner today??? One such day made this...Its very easy...I dint make any side dish for this...had it with curd...
This recipe is something same has aloo paratha...other than frying in oil....I have made a different stuffing and it was delicious too...but they wont puff as much as your normal poori...yes they were soft..and yummy...yup also its bit oily..(once in a while its fine with us..)

For poori:
Wheat flour/atta-1 cup
salt to taste
water to knead
Oil to knead-1 tsp

For stuffing:
Potato-1 no(boiled,mashed)
Cilantro/coriander-2 tsp
Ginger paste-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder-1 tsp
Chaat masala-1 tsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Knead the wheat flour to a soft dough using water.Then knead it with oil.Keep aside for 15 min in a air tight box/close it with a damp cloth.
2. In another bowl,add all the stuffing ingredients and mix well.
3. Now take the flour and roll them to small balls.Same way roll the potato mixture to smaller balls as shown.

4. Take a dough ball,make a small round of it,keep the potato ball and cover it.

                    





5. Now using a rolling pin,roll it to small rounds like poori.Dust it with flour if needed.

6. Heat oil in a wok and fry the pooris till golden.

7. Serve with any dish of your choice or just with curd.



Tips:

1. Be careful while frying as sometimes oil pops out of the wok.

Aloo Paratha

For dough:
Wheat Flour/atta- 1 cup
Water to knead the dough
Oil- 1tsp
Salt to taste

For stuffing:
1. Potato-1(Boiled,mashed)
2. Onion- 1 tbsp(chopped to bits)
3. Garam masala- 1/4 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Green chillies-1(finely chopped)
6. Coriander leaves-2 tsp(chopped)
7. Ginger-1 tsp(minced)

Method Of Preparation:
Dough:
1. Mix the wheat flour,salt with required amount of water to form a soft dough.After kneading add little oil and roll them to balls as you would for chapathi.

Stuffing:
1. In a bowl,add all ingredients for stuffing and make a dough with no water at all.
2. Make small  balls of this mixture and keep aside.

For Paratha:
1. Roll the dough to size of a poori/small round, and keep the smaller ball of stuffing into it and seal the poori back to ball with the stuffing inside.
2. Roll them to medium thick round. you can dust it with wheat flour while rolling.
3. Heat a griddle on medium flame and then cook the paratha till it turns golden by flipping it.Apply butter on one side and serve hot with curd/raita.

Tips:
1. See that you dont add too much of salt,as salt is added in too places.

Paneer Paratha

For Dough:
Wheat flour-2 cups
Salt to taste
Water to knead
Oil-1 tsp

For Stuffing:
Onion-1/4 piece(cut to small pieces)
Paneer/cottage cheese-1/2 cup(grated)
Parmesan cheese-1/4 cup
Green chillies-2 no(minced)
Coriander leaves-2 tbsp(finely chopped)
Salt to taste.

Method Of Preparation:
1. Knead wheat flour,salt to a soft dough using water and once it forms a soft dough add 1 tsp oil,make balls as you would for chappatis and keep aside.
2.Take another bowl and mix the paneer,parmesan cheese,onion,salt,chillies and coriander leaves.Your stuffing is ready.

3. Take a wheat ball,roll it to form poori,add little paneer stuffing in center and close it from sides.Dust it with little wheat flour and roll it smoothly and softly.

4. Heat a tawa/griddle.Place the rolled paratha on the tawa and cook it by flipping both sides till the colour changes and then apply little butter on both sides and serve hot.

Tips:
1. Make the wheat dough soft.While rolling you can use flour to roll it.
2. While adding salt be carefull as you are adding it in two places.
3. Don't keep the paneer mixture for long time as it may release water as salt is mixed.Water should not be there in the stuffing.
4. Onion will be slightly crunchy after cooking too...so if you dont like raw taste of onion omit it.

Rice Pathiri/ Fried Flat bread

Rice Flour -1 cups(Rice flour should be roasted/use the packet one)
Water – 1 cups(add as needed, the dough should be soft)
Salt – to taste

For Grinding:- Grind  to medium paste/not too smooth.
Grated coconut -1/2 cup
Shallots – 3
Jeera – 1/2 tsp


1. Heat water and salt in a vessel and bring to boil.
2. Add the grounded mixture with rice flour.Add the boiled water to it.
3. Mix the flour well with a spoon.keep the lid closed after mixing.After the mixture cools a little knead it to a fine dough using hand without adding water.
4. Then make it into small lemon sized balls(when it is still warm).Roll it to thick round just like poori. (using hand/roller pin)
5. Heat oil in a wok.Deep fry the pathiri.Drain and keep aside.
6. Serve warm with any thick gravy.
        In my home town(malappuram/kerala) its usually served with chicken curry and believe me its the best combination. It also goes well with chickpea/green gram curry/stew.
       You can also have it without anything.:-)

Tips:
1. While kneading the dough should be warm. Don't keep the lid open and cool the dough.
2. The ingredients that is used to grind can be omitted.Some times I just add cumin seeds and make it.
3. If you want the pathiri to puff just press it on top while it is in oil for frying.
4. You can also cook in a pan like chapati.In that case make it thin using roller pin or hand. Its always good to roll it on banana leaf / milk cover using little oil and then turn it and put it on the pan. All this because it might break while shifting from rolling surface to pan.

Poori/Fried Indian Flatbread

Wheat-1 cup
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil-1 2tsp
Lukewarm water to knead
Vegetable Oil to fry


Method Of Preparation:
1. Knead flour and salt with water into slightly sticky dough.Add oil to that and knead it again.
2.  cover in a air tight container or using a cloth for at least 15 minutes.
3.  Make golf ball-sized pieces and shape it round like a ball. 
4.  Dip in the flour, and roll to  small round.
5.  Heat the oil in wok .
6.  Deep fry puri until slightly brown. (To puff Puri, press down puris lightly into the oil when frying.)
7.  Drain excessive oil and serve hot with any gravy(veg/chicken/mutton).

Tips:
1. Don't let the dough dry.It makes poori hard.
2. If using a presser don't use flour to roll instead use oil.