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I believe that salt is to food, what food is to life. In right proportions, it can heighten the taste of what you eat..and in the wrong - destroy! Even the most delicious sweets come added with some salt...to taste!

As for me, I've never enjoyed cooking. And as contrary to my owning a food-blog as it may sound, I always think about daily, routine cooking as a chore. But my tryst with the pots and pans began when I got a kitchen all to myself...I began experimenting and exploring new worlds in my own home. Some outcomes were excellent and some plain disasters. Then sprouted the need to keep track of all those good ones...and hence this blog!

Here, I share those experiments that pleased more than one palate!




May 5, 2010

Mixed Vegetable Paratha

I would be lying if I said I make these often and that I am a pro at it. Honestly, I hardly make stuffed parathas of any kind although I love eating them. So, every now and then when I have the mood for it (psst... when I dont want to make many dishes for dinner!) I end up making these savoury, healthy flat-breads on which we feast! Yes, the picture below does little justice...but I really did not know how else to click it. Besides, I was way too eager to eat them screaming-hot-outta-the-griddle alongside Sanjeev Kapoor's Chatak Chillie pickle which finds its spot on my plate at almost every meal.

Ingredients
2 Cups Whole wheat flour
1 Medium sized potato, washed and peeled (This helps with the binding of the stuffing)
1.5 Cup of mixed veggies, washed, cleaned/peeled and roughly chopped (I've used peas, cauliflower, carrots and green beans)
1/3 Cup Onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
2 Green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp Jeera (Cumin seeds)
Oil
Water
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Knead the whole wheat flour into a soft, pliable dough using water
- Once all the flour holds together as one, add about 1/3rd cup of oil and knead well for about 3 minutes to ensure that the dough is soft and easy to roll out
- Cover and set aside
- Boil all the veggies (potato included) in the pressure cooker (or microwave) with some salt and minimum water
- Drain any excess water and mash the vegetables to make a soft textured paste. This is easy only if you have no water content left from boiling the vegetables
- Heat about 1 tsp oil in a wok/kadai and add jeera
- Once it splutters add the finely chopped green chillies, ginger-garlic paste and onions and fry for about a minute
- Now add the boiled and mashed vegetables
- Adjust salt and stir until any left-over water/moisture evaporates, but the mixture still retains a soft texture
- Set up your work area with your rolling board, rolling pin, a wide bowl of whole wheat flour for dusting while you roll
- Make lime sized balls of the vegetable filling and set aside
- Wash hands and now make slightly larger than lime sized balls of the dough
- Roll out the dough using the flour to dust your rolling board (so as to avoid sticking) into about a 2.5 to 3 inch wide circle
- Place the vegetable filling in the center and cover it from all sides and seal from above
- Press slightly to ensure a tight seal. Meanwhile place your griddle/tawa on the stove on a medium flame so that it heats up
- Now douse this in whole wheat flour and dust your rolling board with more flour
- Roll out to make parathas to your desired thickness. Make sure you use smooth, 'spreading' motions as you roll so that you dont end up with torn parathas
- Toss vegetable parathas on the hot griddle/tawa
- Apply oil and fry on either side until cooked through
- Serve hot with pickles and yogurt

SERVES 3-4 (Makes about 10-12 parathas)

4 comments:

  1. Ohh wow veggies paratas sounds delicious..

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  2. Veggie parathas sound so wholesome and delicious!!
    Give me parathas and pickle with curd any day!!

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  3. Vegetable paratha is an excellent thought, packed with health, nutrients and taste too. And with some yogurt it can only get better!

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  4. the parantha looks delicious...yumm..
    irst time here...u have a lovely space...just started blogging..and love to add u in my list..
    ur comments/suggestions r highly appreciated..happy blogging...following u>>>>>>



    sanyuktagour(bayes)
    http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/

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