Beetroot, Raddish and Carrot Paratha (Root Vegetables Indian Flat Bread)

This Paratha is innovative Paratha, very simple and easy, a very healthy recipe, Packed with nutrients and high in fiber and potassium and at the same time, super delicious for meal. This paratha is made by using root vegetables (beetroot, radish and carrot) which are rich in nutrients, low in fat, calories and cholesterol and usually available throughout the year.  Beyond that, they have widely varying characteristics. Radishes are pungent, carrots are sweets and beets are earthy. 

Radish is rich in folate (folic acid), calcium, potassium, dietary fiber and moderately high in Vitamin C. Beetroots and Carrots are anti-bacterial, anti-oxidants, high in vitamin A and potassium and help in preventing constipation. They have cleansing effect on the lever and digestive system. As my daughter has chronic constipation, I always look for adding radish, beetroots and carrots into my cooking. I add it into my salad, rotis or parathas like Beetroot Poori, Paneer Stuffed Beetroot Paratha, Beetroot and Carrot halwa , Beetroot and Carrot relish, Carrot and Dates Relish and radish pancake.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
makes: 10-12 Parathas
Ingredients:

•     1 cup shredded carrot
•     1 cup shredded radish
•     1 cup shredded beetroot
•     2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (add accordingly)
•     1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
•     1 tablespoon oil for moyan
•     2 green chili, chopped (optional)
•     1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
•     1/4 teaspoon asafetida
•     1 tablespoon roasted cumin seed powder (Jeera Powder)
•     1 tablespoon fennel seeds
•     salt to taste (1 teaspoon)
•     little wheat flour for dusting   
•     oil for cooking

Method:

1. Mix the wheat flour , besan (gram flour) and 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Add jeera powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, asafetida, chopped green chili and fennel seeds to it.
3. Add shredded vegetables (carrot, radish, beetroot) into the flour mixture.
4. Mix well to incorporate and form a medium stiff dough (not dry). If needed add more or less wheat flour to the dough. Knead the dough well using warm water as needed.
5. Apply little oil on top of dough, cover and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
6. Divide dough into 8-10 equal portions depending upon your desired paratha size.
7. Now heat the skillet on medium flame.
8. Take a dough ball, flatten it with palm, dust it with wheat flour and roll out each dough ball thinly into a circle.
9. Drop the rolled paratha gently on hot skillet, Cook on both sides, using little oil till the parathas are golden brown.
10. Spread butter on parathas and serve hot with curd, chutney or pickle.

Notes:

• In the same way, you can make parathas with your favorite vegetables.
• You can use red chili powder instead of green chili.

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Mix Fruit Pulao / Pilaf

Mix Fruit Pulao /Pilaf is very delicious, aromatic and mild sweet and totally different in taste and method unlike other pulao. It is very quick and one of the easiest recipe to make.  
 

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup long grain basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon warm milk
• pinch of saffron
• 1 cup mixed fruits chopped (pineapple, strawberry, mango, peaches, grapes,
• cherries etc)
• 1 tablespoon thick dahi (yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon malai / heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 tablespoon grated cheese
• salt to taste
• sugar to taste
• ground black pepper to taste 

Method: 

1. Wash and soak the rice in water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and add 2 cup water to it  and cook them. (Cook in pressure cooker or rice cooker or microwave)
2. Add Saffron to warm milk and mix it well by stirring and keep aside.
3. Now, add mixed fruits, yogurt, malai cream, butter, cheese, salt, black pepper and sugar into the rice. Mix well.
4. Pour saffron added milk over the rice mixture.
5. Your fruit pulao / pilaf is ready to eat.

 

Notes:

You can also use canned mixed fruit instead of freshly chopped fruits to save your time.
you can also serve this Pilaf with any kofta-curry.
If you have cooked rice and canned mixed fruit available then it took hardly 2 minute to prepare.

 

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Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a famous Indian street side snack food - Spicy blend of boiled mixed vegetables, mashed and cooked in tomato-onion based gravy and served with Pav cooked with butter.  Pav is actually buns.

This is very popular snack, easy to cook, quickly made and liked by almost all. It is very tasty that tickles your taste buds and filling enough too. 

Ingredients:

For the bhaji:

•  2 potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
•  1 cup cauliflower, roughly chopped
•  1/2 cup cabbage chopped
•  1/2 cup capsicum, chopped
•  1 small carrot, chopped 
•  1/2 cup green peas
•  2 tablespoon oil 
•  2 tablespoon butter
•  1 cup onion, chopped
•  1 tablespoon coriander, chopped
•  2 teaspoon chili powder
•  1 tablespoon pav bhaji masala / 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
•  1 teaspoon amchoor (dry mango powder)
•  1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera powder)
•  1/2 teaspoon black salt
•  salt to taste

For Grinding:

•  2 big tomatoes
•  1" piece ginger
•  4-5 garlic cloves
•  3 whole red chilies (soak in hot water for 10 minutes)

For the pav:

•  8-12 pavs
•  2 tablespoon butter

For serving:

•  onion finely chopped
•  lemon wedges
•  chopped coriander (dhania)

Method :

For the bhaji:

• Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, peas, capsicum and carrots with one cup of water till they are soft. Drain out the excess water and keep aside for further use.
• Grind all the ingredients listed under "For Grinding".
• Heat the oil and butter in a large pan, add the onion and sauté it till golden brown.
• Then, add the prepared grinding paste, coriander, red chili powder, jeera powder, amchoor powder, pav bhaji masala and sauté it and simmer till the oil separates.
• Now, Add the boiled vegetables and mash thoroughly using a masher.
• Add black salt, salt and ½ cup of drained water from vegetables, mix well and cook it for 2-3 minutes.

For the pav:

• Slice each pav into 2 pieces horizontally. Apply little butter to each side.
• Heat the skillet and cook the pav on both sides till they are lightly browned.

How to serve:

• Serve the hot bhaji in a plate and top with the butter and coriander.
• Serve with the pav cooked with butter, chopped onion and lemon wedges.

Notes:

• you can add more Pav Bhaji Masala to the bhaji as per your taste.
• Instead of Pav bhaji masala, you can also use garam masala.
• Pav bhaji masala is readily available at most Indian grocery stores.

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Baingan Ka Bharta (Mashed Eggplant with Indian spices)

Baingan Bharta is an most popular Indian dish, which is also delicious and quite healthy and  that is sure to stir up your taste buds. It is made by first roasting the eggplants until very soft. The charred skin is removed and cooked with Indian spices until thickened and richly flavored. It can be served with rotis / Indian bread or Rice.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 Big Eggplant (baingan / Brinjal)
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped onions
• 3 tablespoon grated radish
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger (adrak)
• 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies
• 3 tablespoon chopped tomatoes
• 3 tablespoon chopped spring onions greens
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 tablespoon Coriander (dhania) powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds (jeera) powder
• 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander (hara dhania)
   

Method:

 

1) Roast on a gas cook top by just placing the Eggplant / Baingan straight on the burner and keeping the flame on low setting. (You can grill eggplant in your oven grill or barbeque grill and also you can roast it in oven too)

2) Keep turning and cooking till all the skin on the Eggplant looks like black spotted and charred. Peel off and discard the charred skin.

3) Mash the eggplant roughly, in a mixing bowl. Keep aside.

4) Heat the oil, add chopped onion and grated radish and sauté it till moisture almost dries up.

5) Then add grated ginger, chopped green chili, garlic, tomatoes and greens of spring onion and sauté again.

6) Now add Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Garam masala, Coriander powder, Jeera Powder and sesame seeds and mix well.

7) When it starts to leave oil add mashed Baingan / Eggplant and salt and mix well.

8) Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

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Mutter Mushroom Curry / Greenpeas-mushroom curry

Mutter-Mushroom curry - Mushroom and mutter(green peas) are cooked in spicy onion-tomato based gravy. It is delicious, rich dish, Serves best with rotis, paratha or Rice. 
Mushrooms and green peas are a great source of nutrients, high in fiber and protein and are low in calorie. Mushrooms are fat and cholesterol-free and are very low in sodium and carbohydrates, yet they are rich source of potassium, selenium, niacin, riboflavin and more. Peas are rich in iron, folic acid, zinc and vitamin C, which help maintain immune system. All together Mushrooms and peas both are healthy and delicious combination.
 

Ingredients:

For Grinding:

• 1 big onion cut in quarters
• 1 big tomatoes roughly chopped
• 3 green chili
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1"  ginger piece
• 1/2 " Fresh turmeric Piece (optional)
• 7-8 cashew nuts
• 2 tablespoon Dahi (yogurt)
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander

 

 For Gravy:

 

• 2 tablespoon oil/ butter
• 1" piece Cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2-3 cardamom pods
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder (jeera powder)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder   
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• salt to taste
• 5-6 tablespoon Thick cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Other Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup boiled mutter (green peas)
• 1/2 cup boiled mushroom slices
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

For Curry:

1. Take all the ingredients for grinding into a blender and grind them to a fine paste.
2. For Gravy, Heat oil or butter in a pan, Add cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods.
3. Then add grinded paste and sauté it for few minutes.
4. When Gravy starts to leave oil/butter and reduce in half quantity, add turmeric powder, red chili powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and again sauté it for a minute.
5. Then add thick cream to the gravy and sauté for a minutes.
6. Next add Milk and bring gravy to boil. Lower the heat, add crushed kasuri methi and let cook the gravy few minutes till thicken as a consistency of thick soup. Stir in between.
7. Add boiled peas and mushroom and sauté for a while.
8. Garnish with the coriander leaves.

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Methi Mutter Makhana Malai

Methi Mutter Makhana Malai - a creamy, delicious, mild flavored, rich looking curry made with fenugreek leaves, green peas and makhanas (fox nuts)!! This is a simple, easy and quick recipe. It is served with any Indian breads like rotis/parathas/naans and even with rice.

Ingredients:

For Grinding:

•  2 medium onions cut in quarters
•  3 green chili
•  4-5 garlic cloves
•  1"  ginger piece
•  10-12 cashew nuts
•  3 tablespoon Dahi (yogurt)

For Gravy:

•  2 tablespoon oil/ butter
•  3 cardamom pods
•  pinch of black pepper powder
•  1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder (jeera powder)
•  1/4 teaspoon garam masala
•  salt to taste
•  1/2 cup Malai (heavy whipping cream)
•  1/2 cup milk

Other Ingredients:

• 1 cup Methi (fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 cup mutter (green peas)
• 3/4 cup makhana (fox nut)
• 2 tablespoon broken cashew nuts

For Garnishing:

• tomato slices
• few cashews

Method: 

1. Heat the little oil or butter in a pan. Add makhanas (fox nut) and roast them for 4-5 minutes on low flame till they become crunchy and crispy. Keep aside.
2. Boil green peas in salty water for few minutes. Then add fenugreek leaves and switch off the flame. After 2 minutes, drain the water and keep aside.
3. Take all the ingredients for grinding into a blender and grind them into a fine paste.
4. For Gravy, Heat oil or butter in a pan, add cardamom pods.
5. Then add grinded paste and sauté it for few minutes.
6. When Gravy starts to leave oil/butter and reduce in half quantity, add black pepper, garam masala, salt and heavy cream and sauté it for a minute and add milk and bring it to boil.
7. Now add boiled green peas and methi, broken cashew nuts and roasted makhanas and let cook for a minute.
8. To serve, pour Makhana Methi Mutter Malai in a serving bowl and garnish with the tomato slices and Cashews.

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Orange Pulao / Pilaf

This Pulao is delicious, sweet and sour in taste, made with fresh orange juice, orange rind / peel, Rice and mild spices!

About Orange Rinds:
You've probably never chomped into an orange without first peeling it, but it's not a bad idea.
There are two major types of oranges, Citrus Aurantium--or bitter orange--and Citrus Sinesis, which is also known as sweet orange. And the rinds of both contain high levels of vitamin C, which boosts your immune system and fights infection. Usually thrown away unused, orange rind has many uses. From adding a little zest in recipes, to providing you with common and uncommon vitamins, orange rinds are one of nature's little secrets.
P-synephrine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found primarily in the bitter orange rind and which helps the body to break down triglycerides. Sometimes taken in the form of bitter orange rind supplements, p-synephrine also promotes weight loss and fights depression.
(Souce: Liverstrong.com)

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cup long grain Basmati Rice
• 2 tablespoon oil or ghee
• 8-10 broken cashew nuts
• 3 cardamom pods (Ilaichi)
• 3 cloves
• 2 cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
• 1 tablespoon Orange Peel / Rind  Julienned
• 3 cup fresh Orange juice
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• sugar to taste
• few saffron threads
• 1/4 cup fresh oranges peeled (cut into pieces)

Method:

1. Wash the rice and soak it for 10 minutes and keep aside.
2. Next heat the oil or ghee in a pan, fry cashew nuts, take out in a plate and keep aside.
3. Next add cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon sticks and sauté it for a while.
4. Then add soaked rice and sauté for few minutes.
5. Now add Orange Juice, Peels of orange, salt, sugar, saffron and ground black pepper, mix well and pressure cook till the rice is cooked (2-3 whistles)
6. Now add orange pieces and mix well.
7. Garnish with fried cashew nuts and Serve hot.

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Cheese Brick Sandwich

 This Cheese Brick Sandwich - Simple recipe for a delicious sandwiches with cheese spread.
It is easy to assemble, looks great and loved by kids and all and takes the same effort as it takes to make a regular sandwich. Cheese and pepper spread is one of the easiest to make for sandwiches or just about any bread preparation.

 Cheese Brick sandwiches are made by spreading cheese and keeping 6 slices of bread on top of each other and after pressing, the sandwich is cut into individual portions. The result is a dense, which looks like a brick.

Ingredients:

• 3 slices of white bread
• 3 slices of brown bread (whole grain or wheat)
• 1 tablespoon butter (at room temperature)
• 3 tablespoon cream cheese
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• chat masala to taste (optional)

Method:

1. Cut the sides of both white and brown breads.
2. In a bowl, Mix together butter, cheese cream, salt, ground black pepper and chat masala into a creamy cheese spread.
3. Apply the cheese spread on white and brown bread slices except the slice which will be at the top of brick.
4. Take the first brown bread, then place the white bread above it, then again put the brown bread on it and at the end, put white bread on the top of brown bread OR vice versa.
5. Take a big kitchen paper towel, wet it and wrap this 6 slice brick completely and press it gently. Keep aside for 10 minutes.
6. Then remove the paper, cut this 6 slice brick vertically in 3 equal parts.Take out the middle and apply cheese spread on both sides. Turn it in the way that white part of the slice will come at the top and brown part at the bottom.
7. Now, put it back in between two parts to form a brick and press gently.
8. Cut again this brick horizontally into 3 equal parts so that the design of white and brown checks will appear as in the picture.
9. Serve and Enjoy.
   
   
   

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Potato-Tomato Poori

Potato-Tomato Poori is a fried poori made with mashed potatoes, tomato puree and whole wheat flour. Enjoy this Poori with any sabzi or chutney or pickle.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup semolina
• 1/2 cup mashed Potato ( boiled and mashed)
• 1 cup fresh Tomato Puree (Boil the tomatoes in little water and then Blend it into Puree)
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon oil for moyan
• oil for frying

Method:

• In a big bowl, Mix mashed potato, wheat flour, semolina, tomato puree, salt, cilantro, chili powder and oil.
• Make a medium stiff dough. Cover and keep the dough aside for 10 minutes.
• Now make small balls from the dough, dust with flour and roll out each dough ball thinly into a poori.
• Heat the oil in a deep pan/kadai and gently drop the poories in the hot oil.
• Now gently press the poori with a perforated frying spoon on the top of poori so that poori will puff and turn it.
• Fry it from both sides till golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain extra oil with paper napkin.
• Serve it hot or cold with green chutney /  pickle / sabzi.

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