Methi Paratha

Me and my husband are avid fans of Methi/ Fenugreek vegetable.It's must have item whenever we go to Indian store. He quoted once that if you cook Methi or Aloo-Baingan for 365 days a year I will not complaint at all(Will be easy for me right?). Now you get the idea how much he likes it.

Considering this I bought extra bunch in addition to the other to prepare paratha/methiche Thepale as we call it at home.Here is the recipe.

Ingredients-

• One cup roughly chopped methi/Fenugreek leaves.
• 2-3 finely chopped green chilies
• 2-3 cloves of garlic(finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin-corriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 2 tablespoon basen/ chickpea flour
• pinch of asfodia/hing powder
• salt
• vegetable oil

Method-

1. Take wheat flour add all the dry ingredients and mix well.
2. Now add couple of tablespoons of oil and again mix.
3. Add water and knead into a soft dough.
4. Cover it and set aside for half hour.
5. Now make lemon size balls of dough. Roll it with your rolling pin.
6. Put some oil on a frying pan/ tava and fry on both sides till you get golden brown color.
7. Serve it hot with curd,pickle.

Tip- It's a good item to take it with you for traveling. Prepare it in advance and will last for 2-3 days.

Corn Paratha

Everyone eagerly waits for summer to arrive to get active outside(to shed few pounds put on during holiday season(winter) and I was hoping for the same;no harm in hoping isn't it :)

We didn't feel summer this year as it was raining outside for last couple of weeks;not continuously but most of the summer weekends were wet(I hated that most;should say we(housewives)). We love to go out on weekends and get a well deserving break from our daily chores (especially if you have a toddler at home full time then........) to get charge for the week.

On one of the rainy sunday we went for grocery shopping; to be honest with you that's not my favorite task.We saw fresh corn and remember the 'bhutta gadi' and obviously we picked few ones but when we tasted it at home it was too soft and sweet and then I had to find smart way to incorporate it in a dish and I did.So here is my Corn Paratha.

Ingredients-

• 1 cup Corn Kernels (grated or coarsely blended in food processor) or 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 3-4 finely chopped green chilies
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin- coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• pinch of hing/asfodia powder
• salt(as per taste)
• oil
• cumin seeds

Method-

1. First grate the corn or take a big bowl and place another small bowl upside down in a big bowl; then cut the base of corn and place that corn on the small bowl and slice the kernels of so it will fall in a big bowl. Put the kernels in food processor and blend it till you get a coarse texture.
2. Add Kernels into wheat flour with turmeric powder,asfodia powder,cumin seeds,cumin-corriander powder, salt.
3. Take garlic,green chilies,coriander leaves and chop it finely. Then add it to flour mixture.
4. Add 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil then add water and knead it to make a soft dough.
5. Now make small balls of dough; dust some flour on rolling board and roll it to make paratha.
6. Put some oil/butter on pan and fry it then apply oil or butter on other side and fry it to golden brown color.
7. Serve hot with pickle/curd/Vegetable.

Vegetable Puff

Afternoon time in the office;most of us feeling sleepy and thinking about a cup of tea and your friend got vegetable puff with hot cup of tea(cutting chai). Surely I will call her/him Best Friend (Ha ha ha :)

In my college days we used to go to the bakery just outside of the campus for some veg puffs, sandwiches,pastries.Couldn't resist the temptation of hot puff- the buttery aroma always won.

So here I am with my version of Vegetable puffs.

Ingredients-

• 2 Puff pastry sheets
• 1/2 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup small cubed paneer / cottage cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dabeli masala or 1/2 teaspoon cumin & coriander powder, 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon tamarind-date paste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 egg (Optional)

Method-

1. Pre-heat the oven at 350 ⁰F.
2. Take 2 sheets of puff pastry and thaw it for 10 minutes at room temperature.
3. Heat oil in a pan;add pinch of asfodia powder.
4. Now add chopped onion and saute it for couple of minutes.
5. Add Mashed potatoes and paneer and with the spoon mix it well with little mashing.
6. Now add red chili powder, dabeli masala and salt and mix it.
7. Add peas and stir the stuffing for 1-2 minutes
8. Turn the stove off and add tamarind-date paste and mix well.
9. Crack one egg and add little water and mix.
10. Now cut the pastry sheet in half and apply the egg & water mixture (only water can also do the trick ) on four sides leaving the center space to put stuffing; put the 1 tablespoon stuffing at the center.
11. Now close the edges and with fork press a bit a the closed edges; creating a nice pattern.
12. Put butter paper in a cookie sheet(for easy clean up) and put the puff and apply egg wash.(Or you can apply little oil)
13. Bake it for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Serve it hot with ketchup.

Falooda Ice cream

We were missing summer holidays used to have back in India when we were kids. Summer and ice cream are like couple made for each other and I bet everybody will agree with me. Though there is fun to eat ice cream in winter but can't beat the perfect duo.

Final exams are over and now kids are free to have fun; go to movies, park, traveling but one thing will remain constant is ice cream. I remember the final day of final exam of every year; we used to plan that in advance and for sure we ended it on sweet note.

Our friends were coming for casual get together and we thought what could be better than good old falooda. So here is my attempt with extra few touches to take you back down the memory lane...

Ingredients-

• One pack falooda mix (got it in Indian store & it contains noodles and sabja seeds)
• any two flavors of ice cream
• whipped cream
• cashew nuts
• strawberry or any flavor of jam (optional)

Method-

1. Follow the directions on pack of falooda mix and prepare it in advance. [ Tip- It may take more time than mentioned on packet to get thick and it gets thicker when you put it in refrigerator for cooling]
2. Take out ice cream from freezer 10 minutes before serving.
3. Take two tablespoon of jam add little water and put it in microwave for few seconds.Mix it well and strain it using tea strainer and chill the sauce(This is totally optional)
4. In ice cream cup put a layer of falooda mix put one scoop of ice cream and mix it little bit. Then put second scoop and do the same procedure. (for those who have sweet tooth like me put extra one scoop)
5. Then top it with some whipped cream(optional)
6. Garnish it with some cashew nuts and and some sauce that we made earlier and it's ready to dig in.