Cauliflower-Paneer Paratha

Category: Chapati / Paratha   
Preparation Time: 15 mins      
Waiting Time: 30 mins      
Cooking Time: 20 mins      
Servings: For 2 persons

Cauliflower-Paneer Paratha

Ingredients: 

For dough:

• Wheat flour / Atta - 1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp for rolling
• Salt- to taste
• Ajwain / Omam-  a pinch
• Warm Water - as required 

For Stuffing:

• Cauliflower, grated - 2 cups (tightly packed)
  
• Paneer, grated -  1/2 - 3/4 cup (adjust as per availability)
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp 
• Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp / Green chilly, minced - 1 no
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Amchoor Powder - a pinch
• Salt - to taste 
• Oil - 1 tsp
  

Method:

1. In a wide bowl, take 2 cups of wheat flour and required salt, mix well and knead into a smooth soft dough by gradually adding warm water. Keep aside for atleast 30 mins and prepare the stuffing
2. Heat oil in a pan add cumin seeds and once it crackle, add the ginger-garlic paste, saute for 30 secs and then add grated cauliflower, saute for a min
3. Then add the dry masala powders and required salt, saute till the raw smell goes off
   
4. Add the grated paneer, mix well
   
5. Allow the stuffing to cool down
   
6. Divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls, dust them with flour, flatten them to a small thick circle
7. Place about 2 tbsp of stuffing inside, cover it up and then roll again to a thin paratha
   
8. Heat the tawa, place the parathas and cook till bubbles started to appear on the surface; Turn over and cook the other side
9. Once it's cooked, spread a little ghee / oil on the paratha and transfer to plate or place it in hot box till you serve
   
10. These parathas are soft and tasty; you can have it with plain curd / any raita
11. We can adjust the quantity of paneer based on availability; or even without it

Carrot Dhal Tadka

Category: Dhal Recipes  
Preparation Time: 10 mins   
Cooking Time: 15-20 mins  
Servings: For 3-4 persons
 

Carrot Dhal Tadka

  Ingredients:

• Toor Dhal - 1/2 cup
• Channa Dhal - 2 tbsp
• Moong Dhal - 3 tbsp
• Carrot, grated - 1 cup
• Tomato, chopped -1 no
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Water - as required

To Roast and Grind:

• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp

To Temper:

• Oil - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger, chopped - 1 inch piece
• Red Chillies - 3-4 nos (Adjust as per taste)
• Curry Leaves - few

Method:

1. Wash and soak Dhals in water till we prepare the other ingredients
2. Dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and pepper till we get nice aroma and grind it to powder (no need for very fine grinding)
   
   
3. Heat  1 tsp oil in a pressure cooker; saute tomato for a min and then add the carrot gratings and saute well 
   
4. Add the soaked dhals, turmeric powder and the ground powder, mix well
5. Add required salt and enough water; pressure cook for 2-3 whistles
   
6. Once the pressure releases, mix the dhal and transfer to serving bowl
   
7. Prepare tadka and pour it over the dhal
   
8. Serve hot with rotis or rice
9. If you want more spicy, you can even add red chillies while roasting for the masala powder
   

Chicken Pasta (with fresh ground Masala)

Category: Pasta / Macaroni / Chicken recipes
Preparation Time: 10 mins 
Cooking Time: 20 - 25 mins
Servings: For 2 persons

Chicken Pasta - This is my first chicken recipe in this blog. Actually I wont eat Chicken but will cook for my hubby and my kid occasionally; that's why non veg recipes make a rare appearance here:) As per the received feedback, the fresh ground masalas in this recipe heightens the flavor and makes it more delicious;)

Chicken Pasta

 Ingredients:

• Pasta - 2 cups (I used Gigli shaped tricolor pasta)
  
• Chicken, bite sized pieces - 1-1 1/2 cups
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1 no
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp 
• Coriander leaves - few

To Roast and Grind:

• Oil - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds -2 tsp
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch 
• Cloves - 2
• Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic cloves - 3 nos
• Red chillies - 1-2 nos (Adjust as per taste)
• Small Onions - 4 nos
• Tomato, chopped - 1 no 
• Curry leaves - few
• Coconut - 3 tbsp

 Method:

1. Cook pasta as per the package instructions; (Boil water; add pasta with little salt and few drops of oil and cook for 11 -13 mins until slightly soft yet crunchy enough to bite). Drain and wash with cold water and keep aside  
   
2. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and roast the coriander seeds, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, red chillies and fennel seeds. Once they become golden brown and gives nice aroma, add garlic, curry leaves and onion; saute for a min. Then add the chopped tomato and saute till it turns mushy and finally add in the coconut and switch off
   
3. Allow the masala to cool down and grind to a smooth paste with little water
4. Heat oil in a pan and add Bay leaf; fry for 30 secs
5. Add the chicken pieces with turmeric powder and saute for 2-3 mins till the colour changes
   
6. Then add the ground masala along with required salt and water, allow to cook in medium flame till the chicken is done
   
7. The consistency should not be very dry, needs to be semi-gravy so that the pasta gets coated nicely
8. Once its get cooked and oil separates, add the cooked pasta and mix well
   
9. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes in low flame and switch off
10.  Garnish with coriander leaves and serve!
    

Kala Channa Masala Sundal

Category: Sundal  
Preparation Time: 10 mins + overnight soaking  
Cooking Time: 15 mins      
Servings: For 2- 3 persons
 

Kala Channa Masala Sundal

 Ingredients:

• Kala Channa / Brown Kondakadalai - 1 cup
• Oil- 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dhal (split) - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Green chilly - 1 no
• Ginger - 3/4 inch piece
• Onion, finely chopped - 1 no (Optional)
• Curry leaves - few
• Coconut, grated - 1/4 cup

To roast and powder:

• Oil- 1/2 tsp
• Chana dhal - 1 tbsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Red chillies - 1-2 (adjust as per required spiciness)
• Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
• Pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few 

Method:

1. Soak the channa for 7-8 hrs or overnight and then pressure cook it with required salt
   
2. Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan and roast all the ingredients given in the above list (adding one by one in the same order) and grind it to a powder
   
   
   
   
3. Heat 1 tsp of oil in the pan, once hot add mustard seeds, followed by Urad dhal, asafoetida, Curry leaves, ginger,  green chilly, and onions
   
4. Saute well till the onions become golden brown and then add the cooked channa, saute for a min
   
5. Then add the ground powder (add the required amount as per your taste) and grated coconut; fry for 2 mins 
   
6. Switch off and serve hot with Hot cup of tea:)
   
7. If you think it's so spicy, you can reduce the amount of powder and store the remaining powder in an air tight container and can be used later

Wheat-Ragi Dosa (Instant Dosa)

Category: Instant Dosa  
Preparation Time: 5 mins     
Cooking Time: 15-20 mins    
Servings: For 2 persons
 

Wheat-Ragi Dosa

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour - 1/2 cup
• Ragi flour - 1/2 cup
• Rice flour - 2 tbsp
• Curd - 1/4 cup
• Fine Rava - 1 tbsp (Optional)
• Ginger, finely grated - 1 tsp
• Carrot, finely grated - 2 tbsp (Optional)
• Green chilly, finely chopped - 1 no (Optional)
• Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp or Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped - 1 tbsp (Optional)
• Water - Around 1 1/2 - 2 cups
• Sesame oil - for making dosa

Method:

1. In a wide bowl add all the ingredients except oil and mix well using a whisk; The batter should be thin like rava dosa batter. If making for kids, we can omit the green chillies
   
2. Heat the dosa tawa and once its hot start pouring a laddle of batter from outside corners of the tawa to inside and fill in the gaps if any
   
3. Drizzle few drops of oil around the dosa and cover it with lid
   
4. Once it becomes golden brown, transfer to plate and serve
   
5. If not closing with lid, flip it over to cook the other side
   
6. Once done, serve hot with favourite side dish