Tag Archives: North Indian

Breakfast time

Alu Paratha

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In my childhood, if there was something I used to wait from Amma’s special dishes, it was Puri bhaji that she made weekly once for breakfast and this Alu Paratha which was a weekend lunch speciality.

I used to buzz around her like a bee till she made hot hot parathas so lovingly that I can never match her taste in it. Though after marriage, potatoes are not common in my household as husband does not like it (can you believe it?? He hates my favourite potato 😑), he does love these alu parathas gratefully.

So I make them for his lunch box as they stay soft even after many hours along with Mint chutney and they make an amazing combination. Hope you all try these simple alu parathas too. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients: { makes about 10 parathas}

For the outer dough:

4 Cups of whole wheat flour/ Atta

Salt to taste

Water as required

For the filling:

4 medium sized Potatoes

3 Tbsp freshly grated Coconut

3 Green chillies

2 Tbsp Coriander leaves

1/2 tsp Hing or Asafoetida

Salt to taste

Ghee to cook the parathas

Step by step recipe:

1. Take wheat flour and salt in a bowl. Add water as required and form a smooth dough. Keep aside.

2. Pressure cook potatoes till they turn soft but don’t overcook them as it can lead them to leave water and will be difficult to stuff inside. Remove them and allow them to cool.

Note: I usually pressure cook for 4 whistles on my electric stovetop. May vary for gas tops.

3. After they cool down, peel and mash the potatoes well with a masher. Add coconut, green chillies, coriander leaves, hing and salt.

4. Mix well and keep aside.

5. When making parathas, divide both the doughs into equal portions.

Note: Keep the wheat flour dough size bigger than the filling so that you can roll easily.

6. Keep the pan to heat on the flame. Dip the wheat dough in dry wheat flour and roll into a small round shape as shown. Place the filling inside.

7. Close the dough from all sides and seal.

8. Dip again in dry wheat flour and roll as thin as you can.

9. Place this on the hot tawa and fry both sides using ghee.

Notes:

* Be careful while cooking the potatoes and if it does leave water and turn extra soft, add little oats for the mashed potatoes to absorb water. I do it too and you won’t know the difference.

* This tastes very simple but delicious especially those who love hing flavour.

* We love it curd or Mint chutney.

Breakfast time, Chaat street, Curry house, Snacks

Paneer Pav Bhaji

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Pav Bhaji has to be one of my favourite chaats. I have so many memories of Pav bhaji eaten at various joints during our travels to Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Shimla, Gujarat and even in Singapore. I have to try pav bhaji from every place we visit.

While there is Mr husband who loves the pav bhaji I make so much that he never orders them when we eat out and sticks to bhel puri.

Anyhow, ever since I learned how to bake perfect Wheat pav at home, we have hardly had them from outside. Pav bhaji with homemade wheat pav is not only healthy but turns out amazingly delicious. Since we are a paneer loving family, I take it a notch higher and make Paneer Pav Bhaji.

Hope you all try it and love it too. Nothing like homemade food ♥️ Happy and healthy cooking!

Ingredients:

1 Cup dry/ fresh/ frozen Green peas (dried ones need to be soaked overnight)

1 Cup Cauliflower florets

1 medium sized Potato

1/2 Cup roughly chopped Carrot

2 Tbsp Butter

1 inch Ginger piece

3 cloves of Garlic

3 Green chillies

1 medium sized Onion

1/4 Cup finely chopped Capsicum

1 medium sized Tomato

1 tsp Red chilli powder or to taste

2 Tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala powder

1 Cup Paneer, cut into small cubes

4 Tbsp Coriander leaves

Salt to taste

1 tsp Lemon juice

For toppings, finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, lemon wedges, butter.

Step by step recipe:

1. Take peas, cauliflower, potato and carrot in a pressure cooker. Pressure cook till very soft.

2. Mash using a potato masher or a ladle till there are no big chunks of veggies. Keep aside.

3. Heat a pan with butter. Add finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute till they give out an aroma.

4. Add finely chopped onion. Fry till it turns translucent.

5. Add finely capsicum and fry for few seconds.

6. Add tomatoes and cook well.

7. Now add pav bhaji masala powder and red chilli powder. Fry till all water evaporates and the mixture turns out dry as shown.

8. Now add the mashed veggies and mix well. Add little water if the mixture is too dry. Allow it to come to a boil.

9. Add paneer cubes along with salt and cook for 5 more mins. After that, check for spices if needed. Add more pav bhaji masala or red chilli powder if needed.

10. Now add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well. Done.

11. Serve along with pav and top with onions, coriander leaves and lemon wedges. Add more butter on top.

Notes:

* You can skip paneer and make regular pav bhaji if you don’t like it but paneer Pav Bhaji is a delight for paneer lovers.

* Pav bhaji masala can be added as desired as per your taste buds. If unavailable, you can add any garam masala powder.

* Cook the veggies really well for a smooth texture of pav bhaji.

* Butter gives a wonderful flavour. So I recommend using butter to cook.

* I make Homemade wheat pav for pav bhaji. You can try too.

Curry house

Cabbage Aloo Sabzi

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Cabbage Aloo sabzi is among my first memories of hotel food from Cochin when I was hardly 12 years old. Since both my parents were working, Saturday used to be our “eating out” night. Me and my brother used to wait eagerly for Saturday to get a break from home food (the value of which we realise now).

Anyhow, so daddy used to bring these soft rotis with delicious dal and lipsmacking cabbage aloo sabzi from a north indian dhaba style restaurant in a place called TD road which was near his office. I can never forget the flavours of roti with their dal and sabzi. It makes my mouth water even now.

Many years later, I make the sabzi with rotis as reminiscence of those childhood memories when even a simple meal from the small little restaurant would make our day. My husband likes this sabzi and asks it to be made whenever we buy cabbage. So here’s sharing the recipe. Happy and healthy cooking!

RECIPE:

Ingredients:

3 cups of chopped Cabbage

1 medium sized Potato, peeled and chopped

Red chilli powder to taste

Salt to taste

1 tsp Ghee or oil

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Hing

1 Tbsp Lemon juice

Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Step by step recipe:

1. Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and hing.

2. When cumin seeds change colour, add chopped Cabbage and potato. Mix well once.

3. Cover and cook on medium flame till half done. Don’t add water at all. Allow it to cook in its steam. When half done, add red chilli powder.

4. Cover and cook again on medium flame till done. If needed only, sprinkle little water. But I usually cook this without water.

5. Add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Done! Serve with rotis or rice.

Notes:

* I have noted that if the cabbage is fresh, the curry does not need water at all while cooking. But as it turns old and dries, you may require little sprinkle of water while cooking. But minimal amount of water makes this dish very tasty.

* You can add garam masala powder if you feel the need, but we love this curry in its simple form with just the combination of cumin, hing, chilli powder and lemon with fresh coriander leaves.