One Day At A Time!

Hey everyone! Cooler weather has blessed us. Morning walks are so much fun these days. A song comes to my mind " Autumn leaves are falling down, falling down. Oh, so pretty!" My kiddo's favorite fall song!  Today's post is an Indian Vegetable Flatbread , popularly known as Gujarati Thepla . Instead of Fenugreek leaves, I sneak in multiple veggies for my child's everyday meal. Ingredients: Whole Wheat Flour/Atta - about 2 cups Besan/Chickpea Flour - 1/2 cup Grated Carrots - about 1/2 cup Grated Beetroot - about 1/2 cup Avocado - 1/2 Chopped Spinach - about 1/2 cup White Sesame Seeds/Til - 1 1/2 tsp Coriander/Dhania Powder - 1 tsp Cumin/Jeera Powder - 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp Salt How to cook Mixed Vegetables Thepla Paratha: Finely grate carrots and beets. Pat spinach leaves dry. In a food processor, add sesame seeds and spinach leaves. Blend until finely chopped. In a big mixing bowl, add grated carrots, beets...

Cheese and bread.... comforting and hearty! You can never go wrong with this duo. Well, my family loves Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Cheesy Quesadillas, Paneer Paratha. These are my go to meals for Sunday brunches or any special day. This weekend I made Paneer Pyaaz (Onion) Paratha. Melted butter on those golden brown parathas makes it totally irresistible. Ingredients: Paneer - 400 gm Onion - 1 big Durum Wheat Flour/Atta - 3 cups Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp Chat Masala - 1 tsp Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp Green Chilies - 3 (finely chopped) Grated Ginger - 1 tsp Grated Garlic - 1 tsp Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Oil - 2 tbsp Butter or Oil for roasting How to make Paneer Onion Paratha: Start with the dough. In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour and little salt. Add little water, at a time and knead until the dough gets soft and smooth. Cover the dough with plastic food wrap and let it rest for 20 - 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the Paneer pyaaz stuffing . Finely ...

Paratha is a great way to include some veggies in our everyday diet, especially when your little one does not eat something like creamy Avocado guacamole. The soft and moist avocado flesh makes the parathas very soft and flaky. What I love about this fruity flat-bread is its easy to make, its oil free and my kiddo loves it. Roll the paratha with some sautéed potatoes and your child will love it even more.

I am amazed at the variety of Indian breads one can make... Naan, Mooli Paratha, Roomali Roti, Lachha Paratha, Bhakri, Ragi Rotti, Tandoori Roti. For most weekday lunches, I generally make Phulka. I know, it becomes monotonous sometimes.  Today's special is North Indian whole wheat Lacha Paratha . These take a couple more minutes than regular roti, but can be made on a busy day. You don't need any fancy ingredients, just atta and ghee.  The same layered flat-bread when made with all purpose flour (maida) is known as Kerala Paratha .

At the end of the week, when I run out of fresh vegetables, I turn to two of my favorite ingredients - frozen peas and eggs. I must say, both are readily available in my refrigerator most of the times.  Its been ages I made a stuffed paratha in my kitchen.  Egg Parathas are made two ways - one applying beaten eggs to roti, something similar to a French toast and another way stuffed with eggs. We like the latter, stuffed egg bhurji parathas with green chili achar. Dough: Whole Wheat Flour/Atta - 2 1/2 cups Oil - 1 tsp Salt Egg Bhurji Stuffing: Eggs - 5 Onion - 1 small Green Onions/Hara Pyaaz - 6 Mini Bell Pepper - 1 Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp Green Chili Paste - 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to make Stuffed Egg Bhurji Paratha: Make Dough: In a mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour and salt. Add water, little at a time and knead to make a soft dough...

Zucchini is one of the local vegetables, I regularly use in our Indian meals. And parathas are our family favorites. Parathas are always a simple meal to plan and taste great with just achar and yogurt. If not yogurt, a Coconut Chutney goes well with any flatbread. Ingredients: Zucchini - 1 big Mini Bell Pepper (Red) - 1 Green Onions/Scallions - 6 Green Chili Paste - 1/2 tsp Jowar/Sorghum/Jola/Jwari Flour - 1/2 cup Besan/Chickpea Flour/Gram Flour - 1/2 cup Rice Flour - 1/2 cup Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp White Sesame Seeds/Til - 1 1/2 tsp Jaggery/Gud/Gul - 1 tsp Oil - 2 tsp Salt How to make Zucchini Paratha: Grate zucchini. Finely chop bell peppers and green onions. In a big mixing bowl, add zucchini, bell peppers and green onions. Now add green chili paste, sesame seeds, fresh ground black pepper, grated jaggery and salt. Mix all the ingredients well and set it aside for about 30 minutes. If jaggery is not available, use molasses or sugar. For so...

Whole Wheat Methi Thepla, a Gujarati Paratha is well known to many of us. Jowar Methi Thepla is not so famous as the wheat one, but its our family favorite.  Whenever I find a fresh Methi bunch, I know exactly what to cook. This paratha is more like a multi grain one.. you get to use a number of flours... corn flour, oats flour.  Skip wheat, oats and you have a nutritious gluten free bread . Ingredients: Fenugreek/Methi Leaves - about 4 cups Jowar/Sorghum/Jwari/Jola Flour - 1 cup Besan/Chickpea Flour/Gram Flour - 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour/Atta - 1/2 cup (optional) Yogurt/Curd/Dahi - 1/4 cup Ghee/Clarified Butter - 1 tbsp Shredded Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 1 tbsp White Sesame Seeds/Til - 1 1/2 tsp Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1/2 tsp Green Chili Paste - 1 tsp Green Onions/Scallions - 5 Jaggery/Gud/Gul - 1 tsp Salt How to cook Jowar Methi Paratha: Heat a pan and dry roast the sesame seeds for about a minute, just until you get the roasted sesam...

Palak Paneer is an Indian entree which needs no introduction.  Today's recipe has the same ingredients - Spinach/Palak and Paneer/Indian Cottage Cheese, but in the form of a stuffed Paratha. Ingredients: Chopped Spinach/Palak - 1 1/2 cups Wheat Flour - about 1 1/4 cups Carom Seeds/Ajwain - 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/8 tsp Jaggery or Sugar - 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp Paneer/Indian Cottage Cheese - about 1 cup Fennel Seeds/Saunf - 1/2 tsp Anardana/Pomegranate Powder - 1/2 tsp Green Chilli Paste - 1/2 tsp Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Butter or Ghee/Clarified Butter or Oil Salt Method: 1. Wash spinach leaves well and medium chop the leaves.  Grate or mash paneer and finely chop cilantro.  2. Spinach/Palak Dough : In a mixing bowl, add chopped spinach, carom seeds, turmeric, jaggery, red chilli powder and little salt.  Mix all the ingredients well.  Now add wheat flour an...

North Indian carrot stuffed wheat bread.  Ingredients: Wheat Flour - 3 cups Grated Baby Carrots - 2 cups Green Chillies - 5 Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Garlic - 4 big cloves Coriander/Dhania Seeds - 1 tsp Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1/2 tsp Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp Butter or Oil Salt Method: 1. In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, little salt.  Add water and knead into a soft dough.  Add 1 tbsp oil and knead again.  Keep the dough covered for 20 - 30 minutes. 2. Finely chop green chillies, garlic and cilantro leaves.  Grind the coriander seeds to a coarse powder. 3. Carrot Stuffing: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.  Add cumin and garlic.  Saute for a minute and add grated carrots.  Saute till carrots are cooked.  Add coriander powder, garam masala, salt and chopped cilantro.  Saute for 2 more minutes.  Let the stuffing cool. 4. Make round balls of the wheat dough.  Roll each ball big enough (4 - 5 inches diame...

Ingredients: Wheat Flour - 6 cups Boiled Potatoes (Russet) - 3 big Mint/Pudina Leaves - about 1/2 cup Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Green Chillies - 6 Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp Butter or Oil Salt Method: 1. In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, little salt and knead into a soft dough with water.  Keep the dough covered for about 2 hours, minimum 30 minutes. 2. Finely chop coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chillies. 3. Stuffing : Grate or mash the boiled and peeled potatoes.  Add salt, cumin, chopped cilantro, mint and green chillies to the mashed potatoes.  Mix well and make round balls (about 2 tbsp) of the stuffing. 4. Make round balls of the wheat dough and roll each one big enough (4 - 5 inches diameter) to hold the stuffing. 5. Place the stuffing in the centre and gather the edges into a round ball.  Let the stuffed balls rest for a couple of minutes.  Roll the stuffed balls dusting little flour as thin as roti or...

Ingredients: Wheat Flour - 5 cups Boiled Potatoes - 2 big Green Peas - 1 1/2 cup Ginger - 1/2 inch piece Kasoori Methi/Dried Fenugreek Leaves - 2 tbsp Coriander/Dhania Seeds - 1 tbsp Fennel/Saunf Seeds - 1 tsp Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp Black Peppercorns - 5 Turmeri/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Aamchur or Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp Butter or Oil Salt Method: 1. In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, little salt and knead into a soft dough with water.  Keep the dough covered for about 2 hours, minimum 30 minutes. 2. Grind kasoori methi, coriander, fennel, cumin, black peppercorns to a fine powder.  Grate the ginger.  Mash or grate the boiled and peeled potatoes. 3. Heat about 2 tsp oil in a pan and add grated ginger.  After few seconds, add green peas.  Saute for 8 - 10 minutes at low flame or till the peas are cooked.  Add ground powder, turmeric, chat masala, cayenne pepper, salt and saute for ab...

As you know me, I am always on a hunt for new vegetables.  So this week, at our local produce store,  White Turnips caught my eye.  A root vegetable called as Shalgam in Hindi.  The best way for me to try out a new vegetable is to make parathe, stuffed Indian whole wheat bread.  And it turned out great.

Parathas are a good way to include some vegetables in our daily diet. Particularly, some highly nutritious root vegetables like beet.  These appetizing Beetroot parathas with aromatic cilantro, ginger are a nice and healthy change from the regular rotis. Ingredients: Wheat Flour - 1 cup Grated Beetroot/Beet - 1 cup Green Chilli Paste - 1 tsp Ginger/Adrak Paste - 1 tsp Chat Masala - 1 tsp Coriander/Dhania Powder - 1 tsp Cumin/Jeera Powder - 1 tsp Garam Masala or any spice mix - 1/4 tsp Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - few sprigs Butter or Oil Salt How to make Beetroot Paratha: Peel the beetroot and grate it.  Finely chop cilantro leaves. In a mixing bowl, add grated beetroot.  Add chilli paste, ginger paste, chat masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, cilantro and salt.  Mix all the ingredients well and set it aside for 20 minutes or longer.  This will soften the beets. Now add wheat flour, little at a time and kne...

Healthy parathas made of green spinach and orange carrots.

Ingredients: Wheat Flour - 3 cups Broccoli - about 300 gms Cayenne Pepper - 2 tsp Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1/2 tsp Garam Masala - 1/8 tsp Chat Masala or Aamchur - 1/4 tsp Butter or Oil Salt Method: 1. In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour and salt.  Knead into a soft dough using water.  Use oil if required to make it softer.  Cover and keep it aside for 30 - 45 minutes. 2. Wash the broccoli florets in hot water (with 1 tsp salt).  Drain the water and let the florets strain for some 20 minutes in a strainer or colander. 3. Grate the broccoli florets.  4. Stuffing : Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a pan/skillet and add cumin seeds.  After few seconds, add grated broccoli and saute till broccoli gets cooked.  Add salt, garam masala, chat masala, cayenne pepper and cook till all the ingredients get mixed well.  Saute till all the moisture is lost.  Stuffing must be dry.  Let it cool. 5. Make round balls of the wheat dough and roll each one big e...

Green Cabbage/Pata Gobi stuffed Parothas with a fenugreek flavour.  Ingredients: Wheat Flour - 3 cups   Green Cabbage - about 250 gms Kasuri Methi/Dry Fenugreek Leaves - 1 tbsp Cumin/Jeera - 1/2 tsp Chat Masala/Aamchur - 1/4 tsp Garam Masala or any spice mix - 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp  Butter or Oil Salt Method: 1. In a mixing bowl, add the wheat flour, little salt and knead into a soft dough using water.  Use 1 tbsp oil to make it softer.  Cover and keep aside for about 30 minutes. 2. Finely chop cabbage leaves. Avoid adding stems, rolling becomes inconvenient.   3. Cabbage Stuffing: Heat about 1 tsp oil in a kadhai/wok and add cumin seeds. After few seconds, add chopped cabbage. Stir fry till cabbage turns soft.  Add salt, chat masala, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi and saute till moisture is lost completely.  Stuffing must be dry.  Let it cool completely.   4....

Aloo Methi is the most loved combo in my family.  This recipe is a mix of my previous posts - Aloo Paratha and Methi Thepla .  Ingredients: Methi/Fenugreek Leaves - a bunch Green Chillies - 4 Wheat Flour - 1 cup Besan/Gram Flour - about 1/4 cup Turmeric/Haldi - 1/2 tsp Sesame/Til - 1 tsp Curd/Yogurt - 1 tbsp Sugar - 1/2 tsp Potatoes - 2 big Coriander/Cilantro leaves Green Chillies - 5 Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp Butter or Oil Salt Method: 1. Mix chopped fenugreek leaves, crushed green chillies, wheat flour, gram flour, turmeric, sesame, salt, sugar and curd well in a mixing bowl.   2. Knead all the above into a soft dough.  If required, add more wheat flour.  Use 1 tbsp oil and knead well to avoid stickiness of the dough.  Keep the dough covered for 20 - 30 minutes. 3. Boil and peel the potatoes.  Finely chop cilantro leaves and green ...

Radish stuffed Indian wheat bread.  Probably, popularity wise, ranks second after Aloo Parathas.

Parathas are an integral part of North Indian breakfast.  I had liked its name in Harman's Blog "Stuffed Pitas".  Aloo Paratha is the most popular.  Here is my simple version.  Instead of cumin, you can use Ajwain/Carom seeds/Owa.

Tasty, delicious Paalak or Spinach Parothas spiced with cumin and coriander seeds. Ingredients: Baby Spinach/Palak - about 5 cups Wheat Flour/Chapati Flour - about 1 1/2 cups Besan/Chickpea/Gram Flour - 1/2 cup Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - few sprigs Red Chilli Powder/Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp Cumin/Jeera Seeds - 1 tsp Coriander Seeds/Dhane/Dhaniya - 1 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Chat Masala or Aamchur or Tamarind - 1/4 tsp Brown Sugar or Sugar - 1/2 tsp Salt Oil Method: 1. Roughly chop washed spinach leaves and coriander leaves.  Grind cumin and coriander seeds to a fine or slightly coarse powder. 2. In a mixing bowl, add chopped spinach and coriander leaves.  Add cumin coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric, chat masala, brown sugar and salt to taste.  Mix well and keep it covered for 20 - 30 minutes.  You can add chopped green chillies instead of red chilli powder.  Also, add ginger and/or garlic paste if you...