Doodhi Na Paratha/ Lauki ka Paratha

Stuffed with grated doodhi/ lauki/ calabash/ bottle gourd (it goes by many names), this paratha tastes better when served with raita or aloo vegetable curry. Doodhi paratha is another healthy and delicioud flat bread recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 to 35 minutes
Servings: 4 (8 parathas)

Ingredients:

For the Stuffing:

• 3 cups doodhi, grated
• 2 teaspoon dry amchur powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon green chilli chopped
• 4 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
• Salt to taste

For the Dough:

• 2 cups whole wheat flower
• Salt to taste
• oil for cooking

Directions:

1. First, add salt to the grated doodhi and leave it on the side for ten minutes. Then, transfer the doodhi to a cloth and squeeze out the excess water.
2. Transfer the doodhi to a bowl, add all the above mentioned ingredients under stuffing and mix it well.
3. Next, combine the wheat flour and salt in a bowl. Mix well and knead into a soft dough using enough water. Make eight round balls.
4. Roll the dough into a circle 4 inches in diameter. Place the stuffing in the center and bring the edges together at the center to seal tightly.
5. Roll it out again into a circle 6 inches in diameter using little flour.
6. Heat the tava or pan on medium heat and cook each paratha, using a little oil, until golden brown spots appear on both sides.
7. Repeat the procedure with rest of the balls.
8. Serve hot with raita (yogurt) or potato vegetable curry.

Inside Out Pav Vada

Pav vada is an Indian burger with filling made by deep frying a potato patty, mixed with assorted spices, in gram flour batter. I've tried a little different version of making pav vada in this recipe. Instead of bread on the outside, I've put bread inside the potato stuffing. Everything is same as you would normally make it. It's just a different way to serve pav vada. This dish is great as a party starter/ appetizer. The best part? No bread crumbs! It's tasty and delicious. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 (makes 12 vada)

Ingredients:

• 3 medium size potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)
• 3 green chili, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Pinch of garam masala
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• Pinch of sugar
• Pinch of hing
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tablspoon oil
• Salt to taste
• 6 green chili, fried
• Dry red garlic chutney
• 6 slices of bread
• Oil for deep frying

For the Outer Covering:

• 3/4 cup besan/gram flour
• 1 tablespoon rice flour
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dhanajeera powder
• Pinch of hing
• A pinch of baking soda
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a mortar and pestle, pound the green chilis, ginger and garlic.
2. On a pan, heat oil and add hing, the pounded mixture, turmeric powder, garam masala and sauté for a few seconds. Then, add the mashed potatoes, salt and mix well. Add green coriander leaves, lemon juice, pinch of sugar and continue to mix well. 
3. Remove from the stove and cool. Divide the mixture into twelve equal portions. Next, on a chopping board, cut the slices of the bread into four squares. Take two of the squares, apply dry garlic chutney in between two squares and cover the bread with aloo stuffing. Prepare each of the balls in the same way.
4. For the outer covering, combine all the aforementioned ingredients in a bowl and make a batter using water. (approx. 1/3 cup of water)
5. Dip each potato ball into the batter and allow it to coat the ball well.
6. Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry each ball in hot oil until it is golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside. 
7. Serve hot with fried green chili and dry red garlic chutney.

Baby Potatoes in Yogurt Gravy

I learned this recipe from my sister-in-law, Savita, back in India thirty five years ago. At the time, I was newly married. Once in a while, when I make this dish, my husband, who is very fond of aloo (potatoes), really enjoys it! This is one of the various aloo dishes I make for him when he's craving potatoes. Today, I am sharing this simple family recipe of baby aloo in yogurt gravy with you.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 12 pc. baby potatoes, boiled and peeled
• 1 medium size onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon green chili, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon red chili powder (adjust heat level according to your taste)
• 3/4 tablespoon dhanajaeera powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Pinch of hing (asofetida)
• 2 to 3 dry red chilis
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 cup green coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 cups yogurt

Directions:

1. Boil the potatoes, remove the skin and keep aside. Lightly pierce the potatoes with a fork.
2. Heat oil in a pan/kadai, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start to crackle, add dry red chili and hing. 
3. Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chili. Sauté for thirty seconds. Add all the spices and sauté for an additional 30 seconds. Make sure you don't burn the mixture.
4. Add yogurt and stir continuously. When it starts to boil, add the baby potatoes. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, turn off the stove and cover the vegetables for five minutes. The dish is now ready to serve.
5. Garnish with fresh green coriander leaves.
6. Serve hot with roti and/or rice.

Pav Bhaji in a Cone

Pav bhaji is traditionally served with bread as a main course meal. Here I've tried to create the same combination a different way to serve it as an appetizer. I made a cone from all purpose flour dough, baked it and filled it up with traditional bhaji. It came out very handy to serve and quite tasty too. You may also serve the cone with different kinds of fillings. For example, potato stuffing, chiili paneer stuffing, falafal stuffing etc. You may use your own imagination and create a whole new dish. So cook some bhaji, relax and enjoy this version of serving the bhaji in a cone.

For The Cone:

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes (includes 30 minutes of flour rising time)
Servings: 4 (for 8 cones)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoon Eno (fruit salt)
• Salt to taste
• Milk as required (to make the dough)
• 2 tablespoons butter (for applying on the cones)

For the Pav Bhaji:

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 

Ingredients : (to make 8 cones)

• 1 idaho potato (boiled, peeled and mashed)
• 1 tablespoon boiled green peas (mashed)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped green capcicum
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon pav bhaji masala
• 1-1/2 tablespoons oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt to taste

Chiili Garlic Paste:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 green chilli
• 1-1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/8 teaspoon dhanajeera powder
• 1 teaspoon green coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt to taste

Directions for the cone:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the dough in a deep bowl and knead to a soft consistency using  milk, as required. Keep the dough aside for at least a 1/2 hour to allow it to rise.
2. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll one portion of flour dough into an oblong shape (approx. 8" x 5").
3. Cut the rolled dough vertically into four equal strips using a sharp knife. Take a strip and wet it with a little water evenly on one surface. Wrap the strip with the watered side facing in and swirl it while slightly overlapping it on an aluminium cone shaped mould (see the picture below).
4. Repeat with the second portion to make the 8 cones. Apply a little melted butter on the dough on all the sides once wrapped.
5. Preheat the oven on 325 degrees.
6. Place the mould on a baking sheet and bake until it gets golden brown. Take out from the oven and let it cool.

Directions for the bhaji:

1. First, to make the chili paste, add every thing listed in a food processor and blend. Then, add a little water to get a paste consistency and keep aside.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large pan or kadai.
3. Add the onions, a little salt and saute for a five minutes while stirring occasionally. Once the onions are translucent, add the green capsicum and mashed green peas. Saute for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Mash well using a potato masher.
5. Add boiled potatoes, mix well and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Then, add 1/2 cup of water and cook for 2 more minutes while mashing it.
6. Add the red garlic chili paste, to taste and desired spice level, pav bhaji masala and salt (add very little salt as there is already salt in the garlic paste). Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
7. The bhaji is now ready to serve. Garnish it with green coriander leaves. 
8. Top the bhaji with butter (optional).
9. Prepare the bhaji in advance so you may serve it with warm bread cone.

Pav bhaji in cone:

Bread cone:

Aluminum mould:

Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is a north Indian dish comprised of paneer (cottage cheese) and fresh spinach. The spinach is blanched, pureed and cooked with select spices tossing the paneer in at the end. This dish is one of my personal favorites. It is easy to make and healthy too! Vegans may substitute the paneer with tofu. Try this recipe. I promise you won't regret it!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of spinach
• 8 oz. paneer (cubed)
• 5 to 6 green chillies (adjust according to your preferred heat level)
• 5 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger, chopped
• 1 teaspoon julienne ginger for garnish
• 1 small tomato, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoon ghee or oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice/ lime juice
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream (fresh cream)
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. Remove the stems and wash the spinach thoroughly in running water. Then, blanch in salted boiling water for two minutes (use 5 cups of water). 
2. Strain the spinach leaves and immediately put the spinach in a bowl containing ice cold water. Soak the spinach leaves in the water for two minutes and then remove the spinach from the water.
3. Put spinach in a blender and add ginger, garlic and green chilies. Blend to make a smooth spinach puree. There is no need to add water while making the puree. When complete, keep the spinach puree aside.
4. Heat the ghee or oil in a pan and sauté the paneer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the paneer and drain on a paper towel.
5. In the same pan, with the remaining ghee/oil, add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then, add the chopped onion and sauté until the onions become golden.
6. Add the tomatoes, stir and sauté until they soften. Once the tomatoes are softened and you see oil is releasing from the sides of the mixture, add the spinach puree and stir well. Add 1/3 cup water and boil for 3 minutes.
7. Add the turmeric powder and red chili powder. Simmer for five minutes until the spinach is cooked. Season with salt, which will cause the gravy to thicken. Be sure to keep stirring.
8. Add the paneer cubes and stir. 
9. Add garam masala powder and stir gently. Simmer on low flame until the paneer cubes become soft (1 to 2 minutes).
10. Garnish with coriander leaves, julienne ginger, heavy cream and drizzle a few drops of lime juice or lemon juice
11. Serve the palak paneer hot with some fresh naan or jeera rice.

Kadai Paneer

Kadai paneer is a tasty and flavorful main dish. It made in traditional Indian style, cooked with an assortment of spices and pastes, and great for any occasion - casual dinner or hosting friends. Kadai paneer is one of my eldest son's (Ravi) favorite dishes. Whenever we go out to an Indian restaurant he always orders kadai paneer. Even when I make the Punjabi cuisine at home, he makes sure that I make kadai paneer, black (urad) dal and palak paneer or aloo palak.  You may eat this dish with naan, roti or rice. I hope you also enjoy this!

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound paneer, cut into cubes (may be home made or store-bought)
• 2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon green chili paste
• 1-1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 3 tablespoon oil
• 1 small can tomato paste (store bought; use only 3/4 paste from the can)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoon green coriander leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a frying pan or kadai on medium heat. Once hot, stir fry the paneer. Take them out before paneer starts changing color. (If you purchased pre-fried paneer from the store, skip this step)
2. Next, stir fry the bell pepper until they are tender. Do not overcook the bell pepper. Drain on a paper towel.
3. Using the same pan, add asafetida and sliced onion. Sauté the onion until it is light golden brown.
4. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and green chili paste. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add tomato paste, two cups of water, coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Stir and cook over medium heat until the oil separates and the gravy become thicker.
6. Add salt, paneer and the cooked bell pepper. Let it simmer for about four to five minutes on medium-low heat.
7. Garnish with green coriander leaves. It is ready to serve!

Notes:

If you cannot find a can of tomato paste, you may use tomato puree. Blend the tomatoes (3 medium size tomatoes) to make the puree.

Muthiya

Muthiya is an Indian appetizer which may also serve as a snack. The name is derived from the way it is made - the "gripping" action of a hand. They may be cooked and eaten either fried or steamed for the health conscience. Muthiya may be made with a variety of flavors by adding different ingredients. For example, green squash (doodhi) muthiya, rice muthiya, fenugreek (methi) muthiya, cabbage muthiya, spinach muthiya and so on. I made this specific recipe of muthiya with leftover rice and dal. It is a nice way to use leftover food and make another dish for an evening snack or dinner. So here I am sharing this recipe and I hope you will enjoy too!!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

For muthiya dough:

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 cup cooked dal (any type of dal)
• 2 to 3 green chilis, finely chooped
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon dhana-jeera powder
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup chickpea flour
• 1/4 cup soji/semolina
• 1-1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste

For tempering/vaghar:

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dhana-jeera powder
• 5 tablespoons of oil
• Pinch of hing/asafoetida
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh green coriander leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. First, remove the extra water from surface of the dal (if leftover). Also, remove any curry leaves, kokum and green chili - large pieces that may affect the consistency of the dal.
2. Mix all of the ingredients mentioned under the muthiya dough section in a bowl. Knead to a soft consistency. Add extra water, if needed.
3. Divide the dough into 8 portions. With oiled hands, shape each portion into long cylindrical rolls.
4. Place them on a well-oiled sieve plate in a steam cooker. Steam for 20 to 25 minutes until they are cooked and then let them cool.
5. Slice them into equal 1/4" thick pieces and keep aside.
6. On low flame, heat oil in a pan or kadai. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. As they crackle, add hing, sesame seeds and turmeric powder. Then, add the sliced muthiya pieces, red chili powder, dhana-jeera powder and salt.
7. Gently toss and finally, garnish them with fresh chopped green coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with green coriander chutney, lemon wedges or pickles.