Lachcha Parantha (layered Indian Bread)

"Lachcha Parantha" is a very creative style of presenting any plain parantha !! Long strips are cut out of the rolled dough and then stacked on top of one another to form a layered look of the Indian Bread. These Paranthas are served with Koftas(Stuffed and fried dumplings)Or with rich gravies like"Shahi Mutter Paneer" or "Paneer Butter Masala"!! 

Ingredients:
2 cup wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon clarified butter(ghee)
water enough for kneading
clarified butter for crisping
extra flour for proper rolling of the dough.

Method:

  In a mixing bowl , add flour, salt and ghee. Mix all the ingredients well.
Add portions of water and knead the flour into a soft dough. Keep aside for five minutes.
Make 6-8 balls out of the dough.
Using a rolling pin and board, roll the balls into an 8-10 inch circle.
Starting from middle, cut long strips using a cutter and stack them on one another.
Coil them and again gently roll into a circle .
Heat the griddle(tawa). Place the rolled parantha on the griddle and crisp it from both sides on medium flame .
Apply little ghee and crisp the parantha properly.

Tasty "lachcha parantha" is ready !! Enjoy with "Sabjiyaan Mazedar"

Optional notes:
Many other varieties of lachcha parantha is prepared. One of the most famous is "Pudina lachcha parantha"(recipe will be posted soon)
Kneading dough with milk will make the paranthas more soft and tasty!!

Makki ki roti( Maize flour bread)

"Makki ki roti" is an Indian flat bread which is served with "Sarson ka saag" and is accompanied  with "Shakkar"(finely broken pieces of sugarcane jaggery)and white butter!! This bread is commonly prepared in Northern part of India and is a winter specialty...!! 

Maize/Corn is the most widely grown crop in countries like USA, Canada and Mexico. Snack Foods like Tortillas,Nachos,Tacos,Quesadillas .....And many other such corn meals which are world famous are all prepared using Maize as a whole or flour. For more details on Maize/Corn check: Maize!!
Here I am presenting Maize flour Indian flat ....

Ingredients:
2 cup Maize flour(makki ka atta)
1 teaspoon salt
water for kneading
butter for cooking

Method:

In a mixing bowl add flour and salt.
Adding less water, knead the flour (this will take  little effort as the dough needs to be smooth)
When the dough tends to remain intact (after kneading for few minutes) and balls are easily formed without developing cracks, the dough for roti is ready.
Place the dough ball on your palm 
Press and flatten the ball from all sides to make it into a flat circle.
Prepare other rotis following the above method.
Heat a tawa(griddle) on medium heat.Place  the rotis and cook them by applying little white butter on both sides, till golden brown spots appear on the surface.
"Makki di roti" is ready!! enjoy them with "Sarson da saag"

Optional notes:

• One can mix a portion of wheat flour with maize flour for making roti dough, for ease in making and cooking .
• One can also use rolling pin and board for shaping the rotis, For this place a thin plastic sheet on the rolling board and keep a dough ball on it , cover with the remaining plastic sheet and roll gently . Remove it from the sheet and cook the roti on the hot griddle.
• Prepare these rotis fresh when to serve or else the taste of the rotis will  not comes out as desired.

Paneer parantha(stuffed cottage cheese bread)

"Paneer paranthas " are very nutritious and tasty Indian flat bread which one can have for breakfast of for main meal. Stuffed with the filling of  grated or crumbled Cottage cheese  these paranthas are great tiffin meal too. My family loves to have these paranthas with Tamatar ki launji and any variety of raita( flavored beaten yogurt) for meals. One can spice up the stuffing or simply crumble the paneer and add chaat masala to flavor it. Enjoy this Paneer delight ....!!! 
Picture presentation taken from www.chezshuchi.com (This recipe has been explained nicely along with pictures in this site) 


Ingredients:
For stuffing:

200 grams cottage cheese(Paneer)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander powder(dhania powder)
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mango powder(aamchoor)
1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder(jeera powder)
1/4 teaspoon black salt(kaala namak)
1/4 teaspoon fennel powder(saunf powder)
a pinch of sugar
salt according to taste
Ghee/butter for crisping
For the dough:
2 cups wheat flour
water enough for kneading
 Method:
For stuffing:
Grate/crumble the cottage cheese. Add all the spices and mix well.

Grated paneer stuffing

Add salt when ready to roll the dough.
for the dough :
Take flour in a mixing bowl and knead it into soft fine dough using little portions of water. Apply a little ghee/butter to this dough and knead once more. Keep aside.
Start:
Make medium size balls out of the dough.
Make a hollow space in a ball and shape it into a bowl  using your thumbs.

shaping into a bowl out of the ball

Fill each bowl with the stuffing(about 1-2 tablespoon) and seal it properly from the open side.

stuffing filled

sealed the openings

Roll the ball into a flat circle of 15-16 cm using the rolling pin and board. Use little flour while rolling to avoid it from sticking to the board.

rolled into a circle

Heat the griddle(tawa) apply few drops of ghee/butter to the surface .
Place the rolled bread on the griddle and let it bake from both sides on medium-low flame.

parantha  baking

When brown texture appears on both sides apply a teaspoon of ghee on each side and crisp the parantha .
Use a spatula for flipping the parantha and crisping it.

crisping parantha

Delicious Paneer Parantha is ready.!!

Serve it with curd or chutney of your choice.

parantha  served with curd and launji

Optional notes:
The stuffing of paneer paranthas can be mixed with mashed potatoes or spinach to make varieties of these paranthas.

Thepla

"Thepla" are delicious mixed flour paranthas which is prepared with curd. These paranthas(shallow fried wheat breads) are special Indian breads which is mostly prepared in Western regions of India.

Great in taste and filled with nutrition of fenugreek leaves, theplas can be eaten with Kadhi or gattae ki subji or as it is. 


Ingredients:
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup gram flour(besan)
1/2 cup finely chopped fenugreek leaves(methi)
1/2 cup curd
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder(haldi)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder(lal mirch powder)
water sufficient enough for kneading
salt according to taste

Method:
In a bowl mix all the ingredients mentioned above and knead into a soft dough using little water.

Flour for theplas

Make small balls out of  the dough, roll each ball into a round shape of about 15 inch" using a rolling pin.

rolled thepla 

Place these raw theplas on a hot griddle(tawa) and cook it from both sides by applying liitle ghee/oil .

putting ghee on thepla for cooking

Thepla cooked from both sides

Serve the theplas warm or at room temperature.

Ready theplas

Enjoy delicious theplas with Gattae ki subji......
Optional notes:
Theplas can be served warm or at room temperature so they can be prepared and stored in advance.
In a similar procedure one can also prepare plain theplas (without adding the fenugreek leaves)
if fresh fenugreek leaves is not available, one can use kasuri methi(dry fenugreek leaves).

Milk Phulka

This is one of my creations. Healthy and very tasty Indian bread.
Phulkas/chappattis are very common Indian breads. 

I brought in a little variation of my own and made phulkas with milk. Garnish the milk phulkas with sesame seeds. So enjoy this new variation and have it with upcoming recipes of Baby corn palak and Veg jalfarezi!! 




Ingredients:
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup (a little more) milk(for kneading)
1 table spoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 table spoon chopped coriander leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
a little wheat flour (for flouring the phulkas)

Method:
In a bowl mix atta,sesame seeds,coriander leaves, sugar and salt.

Flour  and other ingredients 

Add milk in proportions and knead it into a soft dough.
keep the dough aside for 5 minutes to let it set.
Make small balls out of this dough and roll it into round shape of size 12 cm each.(with help of a rolling pin)

rolled phulkas

Place this rolled phulka on hot tawa(griddle) and let it bake from both sides by flipping it after 10-20 seconds on each side.

phulka placed on the tawa

Place this phulka directly on flame using tongs and let it puff. flip it and let it bake from other side too.

Phulka placed on flame and puffing

(a slight golden brown texture will appear on both the sides to indicate its baking)

Tasty Milk phulka is ready. Enjoy with vegetable dishes!!


Optional note:
Apply a little butter/ghee on each phulka to enhance its taste. Apply it on them when they are hot or withdrawn from flame.

Bervi poories

These poories are made with the combination of  Lentil paste and spices, blended well with wheat flour.  These taste best when served with Aloo chane ki subji

Bervi poories served with 

This preparation is for 3 persons

Ingredients:

For Bervi poori

1 cup wheat flour

1/2 cup split black gram (urad daal- white)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds(saunf)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder(lal mirch )
1 teaspoon coriander powder(dhania powder)
1/2 teaspoon dry mango powder(aamchoor)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds(jeera)
1/2 teaspoon black salt (kaala namak)
1/2 teaspoon asafeotida(hing)
salt according to taste
2 tablespoon ghee/oil

Method:

Urad daal soaked

Wash and clean the lentil. Soak it for about 2 hours in lukewarm water.
Drain the excess water and ground it into paste. Use little water if required.
Heat oil/ghee in a kadahi and put hing, jeera and saunf. When they start to crack, add the lentil paste and saute it for 5 minutes on low flame. Keep stirring continuously

Frying the paste of urad daal

.
Add all the spices (mentioned above) to this paste and saute again for 2 more minutes.
Remove from the heat and let it cool.

Urad daal paste after roasting for 5 minutes

Add this urad daal paste to the wheat flour and knead .Use very little water for kneading(just to sprinkle)
Keep the prepared dough aside covered with a lid for 5 min
. Make small balls( will get about 10 -12) out of this dough and roll it into a round shape of 10cm .

Rolling poories with help of poori machine

Heat oil for deep frying and when heating is appropriate, add the poories and fry from both sides till they turn golden brown in color.

frying Bervi poories

Crispy Bervi poories

 Brevi poories are ready!!

Bhature

A very famous Indian bread (from Punjab), Accompanied with chole!!

Ingredients:

For bhaturas:

2 cup all purpose flour(maida)

1 tablespoon curd

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 sachet fruit salt(eno)

water for kneading

oil for frying

Method:

In a bowl mix all the ingredients and knead  with small portions of water. Cover this dough and keep aside for 15 minutes. Make small balls out of this dough and roll them into round shape .Heat oil in a kadahi  and deep fry the bhaturas on high flame .Place them on absorbing tissue to remove excess oil.

Bhaturas are ready.

Instant naan

A special bread, courtesy of Persians. Naan is enjoyed with rich curry dishes !!!! 

This preparation will make 6 to 8 naans 

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour(maida)

2 tablespoon curd

1 sachet fruit salt (Eno)

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon white sesame seeds(til)

1 teaspoon onion seeds(kalaunji)

butter for  garnishing

Method:

In a bowl mix maida , salt, sugar and curd. Mix eno in water and immediately mix it in the dry mixture. Knead the flour into fine dough. Keep it aside (covered)for 15 minutes and knead it again when starting to roll the naan. Make 8 balls out of this dough, with the help of a rolling pin, roll each dough and shape it into an oval shape. Sprinkle some til and kalaunji on one side. Heat the tawa on high flame.Apply little water on the side where the seeds are not sprinkled. Place the water applied side on the hot tawa and when  some bubbles appear turn the tawa upside down and let the naan cook .

When the surface of the naan turns a little brown ,the naan flips from the tawa, Then use tongs and cook it from the other side too.

Naan is ready. Apply a little butter before serving the naan.
enjoy it with daal makhni or any paneer curries.

Optional notes:
This is an instant naan. One can enhance its flavor by adding few coriander or kasuri methi leaves with til.This recipe is meant for preparing naan on tawa. For electric ovens, cover the oven tray with aluminium foil and then place the naan on it for cooking.