Two Dal Damaka with Whole Wheat Parathas

This Two Dal Damaka is a combination of two previous recipes that I have made - the Tomatoey Masoor Dal and Spiced Moong Dal. In this recipe, I added both the masoor dal (red lentils) and moong dal (yellow lentils) together to make a one pot wonder. To make dinner even easier, I served the dal with packaged frozen whole wheat parathas. Here's the recipe ...

3/4 cup masoor dal

3/4 cup moong dal

3 cups water

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

Pinch of asafoetida powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp ginger paste

1/2 tsp garlic paste

1/4 tsp green chili paste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 dry red chili bits

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 lemon, juiced

Big handful of spinach, chopped

Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Heat up oil in pot. Add the dry red chili bits and cumin seeds and let the seeds sizzle. Remove from heat and add the asafoetida powder next followed by the onions. Cook onions until translucent.

2. Add the ginger, garlic and green chili pastes and cook for 30 seconds. Next, add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, and red chili powder as well as the water.

3. Bring the dal to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes, adding more water depending on the consistency you prefer. Add the chopped spinach and lemon juice at the last 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the chopped cilantro and the dal is ready!

Dinner was scrumptious. The leftovers were even better for lunch the next day. I changed things up by pureeing the dal to make it soup-like consistency. (I added 1/2 tsp sambhar masala and 1 tsp of lemon juice for added flavor.) Instead of parathas, I served with jeera rice and onion raita. We loved it because the "new" dal tasted a bit different than what we are used to, tasting more South Indian than Gujarati. This one's a keeper, guys!

Fresh Foccacia Bread

I always thought that you need a bread machine in order to make fresh bread at home. Boy, was I wrong! You don't need no machine when you got two of the best utensils in the kitchen- your hands! Making foccacia bread is just as easy as making pizza dough, maybe even a little easier! Here's the recipe for the foccacia that I made.

1 medium baking potato

3.5-4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp for garnish

1 cup warm water

Garnishments of your choice: olives, rosemary, sundried tomatoes, cheese, etc.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil the potato for about 25 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and grate the potato.

2. In your working bowl, combine the yeast and sugar with the warm water. Cover and let stand for anywhere between 10-20 minutes. (I don't think it really matters the amount of time. I tried both ways and the bread turned out the same.)

3. Begin making the dough by adding 2.5 cups of flour to the foamy water. Mix well. Add the salt, grated potato, 4 tbsp olive oil and remaining 1 cup flour. Knead, adding 1/4 more flour as needed until you have a soft dough.

4. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil. Pat the dough down into the tray. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for about 1-1.5 hours. I placed the dough uncovered in the oven with the oven light on for 1.5 hours.

5. After the allocated time has lapsed, take the dish out of the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, wet your two fingers and made about 2 dozen indentations on the top of the dough . Drizzle about 1-2 tbsp olive oil directly on the dough. Turn the pan side to side so that the oil finds its way into the indentations that you made. Garnish with desired toppings (sliced black olives, rosemary, sliced tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, cheese, etc.)

6. Bake in preheated oven for 23-25 minutes.

The final result is perfection! Now, you are probably wondering how two people managed to finish that whole big loaf. The many different ways foccacia can be enjoyed are as follows: Grilled Vegetable Sandwich, (Garlic or regular) breadsticks with soup, or as the crust for the ultimate bread pizza (recipe coming up soon)! This recipe is definitely one of my favorites, one that I will be passing down to Little A. I urge everyone to try it!!

Calzone

To try something a little different from pizza, we made calzones the other day. The pizza dough recipe I usually follow makes 2 pizzas. We made pizza one night and with the second half of the dough, we made calzones. Calzones have a little longer baking time than pizza, but it tastes equally good ... just follow the following easy steps.

1. Roll the dough out, just like you would for pizza.
2. Stuff 1/2 side of the rolled out dough with cheese at the bottom, then veggies followed by a few tbsp of sauce. Remember to leave a one inch diameter. Brush the outside diameter with water (or egg wash) so that when you fold it over, the sides will stick together.
3. Fold the unstuffed side on top of the stuffed side. Pinch seams down and prick with fork.
4. Brush top of calzone with olive oil.
5. Using a knife, cut a few lines on top of the calzone to allow excess steam to exit.
6. Dust a baking sheet generously with cornmeal. Place calzones on baking sheet.
7. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.

The calzones turned out great. We will definitely make this again.

Palak Parathas (Indian Flatbread with Spicy Spinach Stuffing)

Now that I seemed to have found a recipe for roti that works for me, I think it is time to move on to the second stage of Indian bread cooking- Parathas! Parathas can be made one of two ways. The first way is stuffed, so the technique is slightly different. You would have two steps instead of one. First, you make the stuffing and then roll into golf balls. Second step would be to roll the dough, just like roti, except smaller. You place the ball in center of the mini roti, close it in to form another ball and roll again. It's a little more complicated, but tastes really great.

I am making these spinach parathas the second way. In this technique, you just add all the spices into the flour and then form a dough. It's a lot simpler and saves time. Here goes:

1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 onion, chopped
Pinch of asafoetida powder
Pinch of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp yogurt*
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp oil
Lukewarm water (if necessary)

Step 1:
1. Wash spinach leaves. Chop them finely.
2. Process the chopped spinach.
3. Heat oil in pan. Add the cumin seeds and then the asafoetida powder. Add onions and sautee for a few minutes.
4. Now add the spinach, turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.
5. Sautee spinach for a few minutes to release all of the water. It will take about 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove from flame and let spinach mixture cool down.

Step 2:
1. Sieve the whole wheat flour with oil so that no lumps form.
2. Add the cooled spinach mixture to flour. Also add the yogurt and mix together.
3. Keep mixing until you can form a dough of medium firm consistency. Add just a bit of lukewarm water, if necessary.
4. Let dough rest for 15-20 minutes.

Step 3.
1. Heat up a griddle on medium heat before you get started. While it is heating up, you can begin to knead the dough one last time. Then, form equal number of golf sized balls out of dough.
2. Using maida or whole wheat flour, roll out the dough one by one until you have a nice round paratha.
3. Place the paratha on the hot griddle. When bubbles begin to form, then it is time to flip it over. [The great thing is that you can multi task. While this paratha is cooking, begin rolling out another paratha.]
4. Lightly spread a few drops of oil on the upside of the paratha. Press down so that bottom side cooks. Wait about 30 seconds and flip over again.
5. Repeat step 4 so that topside gets cooked again for another 30 seconds.
6. Do one final flip and then remove from flame. Keep the parathas in a closed container to maximize freshness.
7. Repeat steps for remaining parathas.
8. Serve hot with any curry, yogurt, or pickle of your choice. These parathas also taste good alone. Third, they can be eaten any time of day - breakfast, lunch, dinner or light snack. They are pretty awesome!

The one thing I would revise about this recipe is Step 1. I could have skipped cooking the spinach all together and just blended the chopped spinach with the spices. There was no need to cook it! I just was not sure how the spinach would turn out - if uncooked, whether it would make the parathas taste bitter. Oh well, there is always next time.

There are so many different stuffings for parathas as well- potato, mixed vegetable, zucchini, moong dal, paneer, methi (fenugreek leaves), cauliflower, the list goes on. I want to try out Tarla Dalal's recipe for a Double Decker Paratha- Sounds really yummy! Maybe this weekend, I will make the same. I think I am getting really excited about making parathas. I haven't gotten this excited since I made the kidney bean burger!!

Paneer Masti on Kulcha

I created this "Paneer Masti" this morning. I guess you could say it's a cross between the "Corn and Peppers on Toast" , "Paneer Masala" and "Scrambled Paneer", all items I have made before. It''s just something I threw together one lazy morning, hoping that it would come out right. Here goes ..

200 gm paneer, shredded
1 bell pepper, chopped in long strips
1 onion, chopped in long strips
1 tsp paw bhaji masala
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp oil
2 Kulcha bread or slices of whole wheat bread

1. Bake both sides of the ready made kulcha bread/toast in the skillet until golden brown. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in pan. Add the onions first and sautee until soft. Then add in the green peppers.
3. Cook until peppers are soft. Then add the salt, black pepper, paw bhaji masala, and red chili powder and mix well.
4. Finally add in the shredded paneer and cook for just a few minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot as topping on kulcha bread/toast.

Verdict: The flavor of the "Paneer Masti" was great; however, it could have been better with more veggies and less paneer. If you are making this, only use maybe 1/4 cup of shredded paneer and also try adding a bit of ginger -garlic-green chili paste and lemon juice to add more flavor. I felt too lazy to make the paste and forgot to add the lemon juice. I actually made extra so we will be having this again soon with the above revision. I'll take a picture next time.

If you do not like paneer or do not have it on hand, try making a "Veggie Masti Pizza" with just spiced stir fried veggies topped on kulcha/toast. Spread some chutney on the kulcha base and then add the veggies. I'm sure it will taste just as good. Wow, another creation! =)

What is Kulcha?

I have been waiting quite a long time to find some ready made naan bread or pita bread at the market but with no avail. I finally have realized and come to terms with that fact that I will never find it here because they do not sell them. Today at the market I found this kulcha bread which looked interesting and I thought I would buy it and then figure out what I can make with it. After doing some research to find out what kulcha bread is, I found out that it is a version of naan bread and most people make it at home. It's basically wheat flour made into a dough with yeast, yogurt, milk and salt, and usually stuffed with something or another. I believe the most famous is onion kulchas. Although it would compliment any gravy dish, it is best known to be eaten along with chole for breakfast.

I hope to find the courage to try out the homemade version of the kulcha/naan bread one day. Until then, we will be eating these ready made kulchas. Today I am serving the bread with a concoction that I like to call "Paneer Masti" (See separate entry under "Paneer" or "Breakfast")

The Perfect Roti

I am still searching for the recipe for the perfect roti. I am guilty, just like a lot of other people, of not really measuring the ingredients I add into my foods.. I just add how much I feel like adding. Sometimes, it turns out well. Other times, it doesn't. When we first moved to India, I came with a little bit of all the basic items for the kitchen: flours, spices, and rice. When I was out, I bought "atta" flour from the market. I thought "atta" meant roti. Unfortunately, this atta flour was a mixture of wheat and besan flour. So, when we would sit down and eat dinner, the rotis would be soft. By the next day's lunch, they would be hard and break apart. I thought I was making the rotis wrong until I realized it was just the flour.

My aunt from Puna was kind enough to provide me with her homemade ground wheat roti flour. The rotis now seem to turn out okay and remain soft for dinner and lunch. Here is how I make the rotis ..

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup maida or wheat flour for side when rolling
1.5 tbsp oil
warm water, as needed
Salt per taste (optional)

1. Warm up about a cup of water on the stovetop.
2. While the water is heating, sieve the wheat flour. If adding salt, add at this step. I do not add salt unless I am making paratha.
3. Add oil and mix together. Next, add the warm water, a little at a time, while mixing until you get a dough like consistency.
4. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Set aside for atleast 15-20 minutes before making rotis.
5. After the wait, grease your palms with a bit of oil. Then, knead the dough just a little more. Divide dough evenly and roll into golf sized balls.
6. Taking one ball at a time, dip it into the flour on the side and roll on flat surface with rolling pin until you get it round. Keep aside until all rotis are rolled.
7. Heat up skillet and bake one side, then turn over and bake other side. Repeat.
8. Butter one side of the roti and keep in rotis in air tight container so they stay soft.

For a step by step YouTube demonstration, you can watch Manjula make them by going to her website .
www.manjulaskitchen.com. (Labeled under Breads)

Roti Upma

I know I have been slacking on the recipe posts. I was gone to Goa for a week so had a little break from cooking. I'm back in the kitchen though and roti upma is what is on the menu for breakfast tomorrow. This dish is great when you have leftover rotis sitting in the fridge. You can also make a few extra rotis when you make them, and store them in the fridge in an air tight container for use for times like this. Here is how I made it.

4-5 old rotis, broken into small pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Pinch of asafoetida powder
1 tbsp oil of ghee
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt per taste
A little water
Yogurt (optional)

1. Heat the oil/ghee in pan. Add the mustard seeds. Once they start popping, add in the cumin seeds.
2. Then add in the turmeric, asafoetida, chopped onions and green chillies.
3. Stir fry until onions turn golden brown. Then add the broken pieces of roti.
4. Next, add in the salt and red chili powder. Mix well.
5. Add a little water and cover pan with lid to let cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Finally, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve hot.

I have seen this dish made with yogurt as well. You would add the yogurt in Step 5 and cook the same way. Depends on if you prefer your roti upma to be dry or with gravy.

Sev Paratha (Sev Stuffed Pancakes)

I know! I would have never thought to make paratha with sev in it. It turned out well, though. The sev was store bought so it added a little kick to it!

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sev
1 onion
1 green chilli
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Salt
1 tbsp oil
chopped cilantro
Juice from 1/2 lemon

1. Take the whole wheat flour and add salt and 1 tbsp oil and sufficient water to knead into dough. Set aside and keep covered for 15 minutes atleast.
2. Take the onions, green chillies, and cilantro and add a little salt, red chilli powder, and lemon juice and mix together. Then mix in the sev.
3. Roll out the dough into small puri size. Place one tsp of the sev stuffing into the middle of the puri and fold the four sides into a ball.
4. Roll the paratha again.
4. Heat up a few drops of oil in a griddle pan and roast paratha. Flip when turns golden brown.
5. Add a few drops of oil to cook other side until it turns golden brown.

* To be more health conscious, I didnt add oil to the paratha when I roasted it, and it turned out just fine. I thought they would need the oil, but I was wrong.

Chole with Aloo Paratha

I have made chole before, but I wanted to try something new with the potato paratha. Basically, a basic paratha stuffed with mashed potatoes.

chickpeas a.k.a. garbanzo beans, soaked overnight
(only if it is dry version; use the can!)
For Masala:
[1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp tandoori masala
1 tbsp paneer masala
1/2 tsp red chilli pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala
Pinch of turmeric powder
Pinch of asafoetida powder]
2" piece of ginger, ground into paste
2 green chillies, ground into paste
4 cloves of garlic, ground into paste
1/2 onion
1 can of tomato puree (can also use tomato paste or use fresh tomatoes)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp yogurt
Juice from 1 lemon
Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Boil chickpeas in pressure cooker with enough water. I added a pinch of salt.
2. In another pan, heat some oil and cook the cumin seeds. When they crackle, throw in the onion and ginger-garlic-green chilli paste.
3. Cook until onions turn translucent. Then add all the masala ingredients.
4. Add the tomato puree next and let it come to a boil for a few minutes. Also add a bit of water and yogurt to thicken the gravy.
5. Then add to pot the chickpeas and let come to a boil for a little longer. Finally, garnish with cilantro.

For potato paratha:
1. Boil 3 potatoes in pressure cooker. When cooked and after cool, peel the potatoes. Then mash the potatoes.
2. To mashed potatoes, add salt, sugar, green chilli-ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, pinch of asafoetida powder, cumin powder and a bit of lemon juice.
3. Mix all together, then form into small golf size balls.
4. Meanwhile, make the roti dough by mixing whole wheat flour, salt, a little oil with water. You will need to make the same number of golf balls as the potato mixture.
5. Roll the roti, then put potato ball in center and patch up the dough around the potato Pat it down with maida flour so the potatoes don't make everything sticky. This next part is tricky. You have to be careful not to roll the paratha too hard or the potatoes will come out. Roll gently into paratha shape. Mine were kinda small, about the size of a puri.
6. Then, heat up a griddle, put just a bit of oil and bake the parathas. When the bottom turns golden brown, flip it and drizzle a bit of oil on the sides so the other side cooks. Repeat once more.

For cucumber raita:
1. Grate half a cucumber. To that, add a little salt, cumin powder, green chilli paste, garlic paste, and chopped cilantro. Mix together with a cup of yogurt and chill until serving time.

Serve the chole and paratha with cool raita, masala papad, and pickled onions. Tasted delicious!

Masala Puri for Breakfast

I normally cook a warm meal for breakfast and dinner. Yesterday, I made some tikki puri (masala puri) for breakfast. They turned out okay, but they came out kind of hard so I know I either put too much oil or not enough oil in the dough. Since I was pressed for time, I only waited 5 minutes before I rolled the dough. The masala was the correct proportion, though. We ate the puri with masala chai. Anyways, here is the recipe for Masala Puri:

• 1 cup of whole wheat /chapatti flour
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tbsp red chilli pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp jeera powder (jeera=cumin seeds)
• 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
  1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Then add oil and mix. Add water to form a firm dough and knead until smooth. Let it rest for about 30 minutes.
  2. Then make small balls (about walnut size). Roll out into 4 inch diameter circles.
  3. Then fry in hot oil, a few at a time, holding them under the oil on the first side until they puff.
  4. Turn over and fry until golden brown on the other side.
  5. Remove the puris from the oil onto paper towels.