Kulcha

These days I stock up my freezer with frozen roti and paratha. Don't know when I would need to use this treasure with two kids running around! Usually, I dig into it during weekend when we have lazy start of the day and I also have plans to cook elaborated curries. But once in a while, when I am in 'Good Food Mood', I go an extra mile to make them from scratch.

Today was my first attempt to make kulcha. This soft and butter loaded delicacy from Punjab region of India goes best with Chhole.  But we like them with any North Indian Curry. They are usually stuffed with potatoes/paneer/onions. But this being my first attempt,  I decided to play safe.

Final outcome was short of my expectations,  but definitely way better than frozen ones. I replaced half quantity of plain flour with whole wheat flour and I baked them. So here is my version of healthy kulcha.

Makes 6 kulcha

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup plain flour

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup yogurt

1 tsp kalonji

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp coriander leaves

Salt

Butter (I prefer Amul)

Procedure

1. Mix flour, salt, sugar,  baking powder,  oil and yogurt.  Knead soft dough using warm water

2. Let it rest for at least couple of hours

3. Knead again with little oil and divide into 6 equal portion

4. Gently roll it using your fingers

5. Apply kalonji, red pepper flakes and coriander leaves

6. Now roll it again using rolling pin. It should be little thicker than paratha

7. Pre heat oven at 350 F and bake kulcha till they puff up and turn into light brown color

8. Apply butter and serve hot

Naan

This was my long time due project and finally I could attempt it last weekend. We prefer variety food over the weekend that's filling (and no leftovers please!) so usually I end up making North Indian/Punjabi style curries. This itself is a bit lengthy process as compared to normal vegetables. And I am always running behind schedule during weekend so we finish the meal with store bought frozen Naan/Paratha. No matter how convenient they are, they cannot be compared against fresh ones. This last weekend we were forced to stay home due to extreme cold weather. Hence I had ample of time to finally check off this item from my to-do list.

Usually Naan is cooked in tandoor (clay oven) which is kind of impossible to do at home. So either conventional oven or gas stove is used. The beauty of it is that you just change spices/herbs and you have completely new variety. Usually only plain flour is used to make Naan. But I combined both plain and whole wheat flours. Not only it's healthy but also it prevents Naan from becoming hard and chewy after it gets cold.

Makes 8 pcs

Preparation Time: 10 Minute + 4 hours of fermentation time

Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup plain flour

1/4 oz packet of dry yeast

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp kalonji

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Butter

Salt

Procedure

1. Mix yeast, salt and sugar in  lukewarm water and keep it aside for 10 minute till it becomes frothy

2. Combine and sieve both flours

3. Add kalonji and red pepper flakes

4. Knead a soft dough and cover it with plastic wrap

5. After 2 hours, it would be almost double in size. Knead it with little oil and keep it covered.

6. Wait for 2 more hours and dough doubles in size; now it's ready

7. Divide it into 8 equal parts and roll it in thin sheet. Use dusting flour as if needed

8. Cook it on both sides on griddle (and not directly on flame like chapatti/roti)

9. Apply butter and serve hot. You can make them couple of hours in advance, but do not put butter. When ready to serve, warm up in toaster/conventional oven and then apply butter

Bhature

I am back! Things have been little hectic and I did not have time to write or experiment anything new. When I was making these Bhature I wasn't hoping high but to my surprise they indeed came out good.

Though Parathas are my favorite combination with Chhole, sometimes I give in to HIS requests and make Puris. Then lately when I made chhole, I thought to give a shot to Bhatura. They can be prepared with using yeast or baking soda. Ideally they should be prepared with only plain flour/Maida. But me being health freak, I used equal quantities of both plain flour and whole wheat flour. One advantage of using whole wheat flour is that it consumes/absorbs less oil while frying. And also they remain soft even after cooling down.

Makes 7-8 Bhature

Preparation Time: 10 Minute + rising time

Cooking Time: 20 Minute

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour, sifted

1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp dry yeast

2 tsp oil

1/4 cup yogurt

Salt

Oil for frying

Procedure

1. Mix yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water and keep it aside for 30 minute till it becomes frothy

2. Mix both flours and sieve with oil

3. Add salt, sugar, yogurt and knead dough using yeast mixture (No need to add extra water)

4. Cover the dough and keep it aside for about 1-2 hour till it gets doubled in size

5. Knead again with little oil, divide it into equal balls and roll into thick Bhaturas (About 8-7' in diameter)

6. Deep fry and serve hot

Cheese Methi Paratha

Another variation in paratha that uses some greens along with cheese

Makes 12-14 Parathas

Preparation Time: 30 Minute

Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients

1.5 cup whole wheat chapatti flour

¾ cup corn flour

2-3 cup methi leaves

1 tbsp ginger-chili paste

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp oil

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp sesame seeds

¼ tsp garam masala

2 tbsp curd

¼ cup shredded cheddar

Wheat/rice flour for dusting

Oil for making paratha

Procedure

1. Finely chop methi leaves, wash and keep them aside

2. Mix both flours, sieve using oil and add all spices

3. Add curd and methi leaves and knead soft dough

4. Divide dough in balls, roll it, add cheese stuffing and roll into a paratha

5. Serve hot with pickle/curd/chutney

Alu Methi Paratha

We both just love parathas, be the stuffing contains Alu, Gobi, Cheese, Corn, Paneer, Spinach or Methi. Even when I was in Mumbai, ‘Only Parathas’ in Bandra was one among my favorite restaurants. I try to have lunch/dinner once a week that includes Methi and/or Spinach. And sometimes, you get tired of Methi Thepla, Alu Methi or Methi Malai Mutter and then you have to come up with creativity. I thought to prepare stuffing for parathas using Alu and Methi.

Make 10-12 parathas

Preparation Time: 20 minute

Cooking Time: 30 minute

Ingredients

For stuffing

2 cup washed and chopped Methi

2 large potatoes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp oil

2 tbsp grated cheese

½ tsp aamchur

½ tbsp chili-ginger paste

½ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp cumin seeds

Pinch of asafetida

Salt

For Dough

2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp oil

Salt

Oil for making parathas

Procedure

1. Sieve the flour in oil and make roti like soft dough

2. Boil, peel and mash potatoes. Make sure not to leave any lumps. Keep them aside

3. Heat oil in skillet and add cumin seeds, asafetida and onions

4. When onions turn lightly golden brown, add Methi and salt

5. Cook it uncovered on low flame until mixture becomes dry

6. Let this mixture cool down for a while and add it to mashed potatoes

7. Add rest of the spices, cheese and mix well

8. Divide dough in equal balls, add stuffing and make parathas

9. Serve with chutney, raita or pickles

Gobi Paratha

I had bought cabbage from farm and I did not know any other full-fledge use of it except Gujarati style vegetable. So I thought to use it little different way, to make paratha. Anyway we both love paratha. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, we would never say no to paratha.

Makes 16-18 parathas
Preparation Time: 30 Minute
Cooking Time: 45 Minute

Ingredients
For Stuffing,
1 medium cabbage
2 medium onions
1 tsp green chili paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp coriander leaves
½ tsp garam masala
¼ tsp clove-cinnemon powder
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp red chili powder
2 tsp oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
¼ cup freshly grated cheese (if you are diet conscious, use paneer instead)
Salt

For Dough,
4-cup wheat flour
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp oil
Salt

Oil for making parathas

Procedure

1. Mix all ingredients for dough and kneed roti like soft dough and divide it into balls, keep them aside
2. Finely chop cabbage and onion
3. Add salt to this mixture and leave it aside for 15-20 minutes
4. Squeeze the mixture to remove access water (this is very important)
5. Heat oil in skillet and add sesame seeds, when crackles add cabbage-onion mixture
6. Add remaining spices and cook uncovered till water evaporates and mixture becomes dry
7. Once cool down, add cheese/paneer and mix well
8. Now take each ball, put the stuffing and roll it into a paratha. Fry golden brown on both sides

Missi Roti

I have fond memories of a nearby restaurant during my school days. They used to serve missi roti and gujarati style bhakhri with punjabi curries. May sound little strange, but eventually we would go there just to have these rotis. Mainly, to avoid maida and secondly, I could have it more than one as opposite to naan or butter roti where I am full just in one piece!

Makes 12-14 rotis
Preparation Time: 10 Minute
Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients
2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup corn flour
1/2 cup besan
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp kasoori methi
1 tsp ajwain
Salt

Procedure

1. Mix above all ingredients and make a dough. Should be harder than regular roti dough, so you can make roties without using dusting flour
2.  Divide dough into equal portions and make rotis. Apply butter in the last.

Hot or cold, these rotis taste delicious and leftover would be a good opton for breakfast as well :)