Aloo Paratha

Aloo Paratha

Whatever paratha I make the first question I am asked is “aloo paratha?”

Half the times I say no and the complaint to you never make … blah blah is followed.

I make aloo paratha in 2 ways this is the simplest one. The only job here is grating the boiled potatoes. Mashing them makes them sticky and at times there are fine lumps which will make rolling out a bit difficult in this shortcut method that I generally follow,

Needless to say aloo paratha is filling and tasty.

Tastes best with pickle and curds!!

 Aloo Paratha

Ingredients:

For The Dough:

• 2 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

For the Stuffing:

• 2 ½ cups boiled potatoes peeled and grated tsp jeera/cumin powder
• 1 tsp dhania/coriander powder 
• 1 tbsp green chillies finely chopped 
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 2 tbsp dhania/ coriander leaves, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• whole wheat flour for rolling
• oil for cooking and greasing

Method:
For the dough:

• Combine the whole wheat flour, oil and salt in a bowl and mix well.
• Add enough water and knead into semi-stiff dough. Keep aside.
• For the stuffing:
• In the grated potatoes add the cumin powder, coriander powder, green chillies, chilli powder, coriander leaves, and salt.
• Mix well till it forms soft dough.
• Divide the stuffing into 12 equal portions and keep aside.
• Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
• Using the dry flour roll a portion of the dough into a circle about of about 4 inches.
• Place a ball of the stuffing in the centre of the circle and
• Fold the edges over stuffing and seal tightly.
• Roll again into a circle of 6 inches circle using the flour as needed.
• Heat a tava/skillet and cook the paratha using a little oil until golden brown spots appear on both the sides.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and stuffing.
• Serve immediately with fresh curds.

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Rose Water Brioche Rolls

Rose Water Brioche Rolls

Baking is something I enjoy!

It relaxes me!

So I did join quite a few baking groups but over a period of time but have tapered off due to health issues I have.

Baking is mostly appreciated at home so that’s fine. So fine that this April’2015 I hope I can join my Blogging Marathon doing our Mega Marathon of baking for 26 days!!

Interested then do visit some of our amazing bakers here!!

When I saw Swati’s challenge for this month I was dancing as I was just then thinking of a biroche that I had lost in my site crash last year. Kismat I am baking another biroche this year about the same time.  Also my friend Kalyani had sent me bread flour and instant yeast so things are definitely healthier and easier now.

In her write up Swathi has said, “Brioche is a kind of pastry or rich bread with eggs, butter and sugar. It is commonly used for breakfast and is easy to make. The first day you make dough and second day you bake. Brioche should be eaten fresh otherwise if you have leftover try making bread pudding.”

Swathi has used orange blossom water as original recipe suggested but as most of us do not have access to it she asked us to use rose water.

 

Rose Water Brioche Rolls

Rose Water Brioche Rolls

Recipe Source: Dominique Ansel: The Secret Recipes.

Makes around 20-25 rolls.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups/ 280g Bread flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup/ 51 g Granulated sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoon of instant yeast
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon/15g whole milk
• 11 tablespoon/153 g unsalted cold butter small dice
• ¼ teaspoon rose extract (optional)
• Zest of one orange
• 1 teaspoon /5g rose water
• Oil for greasing
• Maida or All purpose flour for dusting

Method:

• In a bowl combine the bread flour, salt, sugar, yeast and eggs and mix well using   your hand or the dough hook.
• Mix everything until combined. knead well so that it develops gluten you may be 10 -15 minutes. The test that the gluten has developed is that the dough will leave the sides and it will pass the window pane test. (When you pull a piece of dough you can extend the dough without breaking it, also you can make a see through sheet that is called window pane test).
• Then add cold diced butter, and mix again until all the butter is incorporated well.
• Then add rose extract, orange zest, and rose water and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
• The finished dough should be smooth, shiny and sticky.
• Lightly grease a medium bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on to the surface of the dough to prevent a skin from forming. Proof the dough at room temperature for doubled in size. It will take about 1 ½ hours.
• Remove the plastic wrap and punch down the dough by folding. Cover the dough again with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Refrigerate overnight to relax the gluten.
• When you are ready to bake, transfer the dough to lightly floured area and divide the dough into small pieces and shape it into balls/rolls or any shape you want. I made a braid too.
• Transfer to a greased muffin tin and transfer the shaped balls, set aside for 45 minutes or 1 hour until the rolls puffed up well.
• While the shaped rolls are proofing preheat oven to 400 F/205C.
• After 1 hour, brush the brioche rolls with egg wash (I used milk) and bake them for 10 minutes or until they become golden brown in colour.
• Leave the brioche for 5 minutes in the pan and carefully remove them and enjoy as much you want.
• Brush them with little jam or butter it is so delicious.

 

Rose Water Brioche Rolls

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Pancakes

Pancakes

The girls are crazy about pancakes!

They are crazy enough to make them themselves.

If you know my girls, then you know that it’s something   that’s  once in a blue moon….

In my drive to feed them more protein I keep on encouraging to make egg based dishes and this was what I suggested to them. An egg-less one is here.

Actually this one needs fillings to make up a great tasting pancake, fillings like marshmallows and nutella, personally I will prefer tomato salsa and cheese.

Pancakes

Recipe source:BBC Good Food

Ingredients:

• 140g plain flour
• 4 eggs
• 200ml milk
• 50g butter, melted
• Oil, for cooking

Method:

First let’s make the batter:

Pancakes

• Add the flour into a bowl.
• Beat in the eggs until smooth.
• Add the milk gradually beat the mix is completely lump-free.
• Whisk in the melted butter.
• To make the Pancakes:
• Lightly oil a tawa/skillet.
• Over a medium heat ladle some batter into the pan.
• Cook for about 30 secs until golden.
• Flip over and cook on the other side.
• Pile the pancakes up and serve with your favourite filling.
• The girls had it with chocolate sauce they made.

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Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Spring Onion Pancakes

 Spring Onion Pancakes

When I took up international flat breads as my theme for this week’s theme the last thing I expected was the use of a rolling pin.

Not because I have anything against a rolling pin but its not my best friend. 

I cannot roll out chapattis, parathas! I know I have them on my site but they are not out of choice. I do not enjoy the job! When the push comes to a shove I make them but the difference shows especially when I eat them!!

Last month when we were at Foodology I was rolling out the chapattis needed for choor choor rotis and I was looking out for reassurance there. I mean I am among experts here and … but my friends were all support that I was doing well.

Buoyed by their reassurance here I am with Spring Onion Pancakes and they were loved at home.

 Spring Onion Pancakes

Spring Onion Pancakes

Recipe Source: Here and Here

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups wheat flour
• ½ cups Maida
• 1 cup warm water
• Oil for the pancakes, such as vegetable, sesame, or shortening
•  salt
• 1 cup spring onion greens, chopped fine

Method:

• Mix the flours well then gradually add the water and make a smooth dough. Knead a bit more till the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Coat this ball of dough lightly in oil and put it back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
• Mix the spring onion greens with salt in a bowl and set aside.
• Make balls out of the dough the size of which is bigger than a table tennis ball and smaller than a tennis ball.
• Roll out 1 ball until it is a thin circle. (Actually rolling it in a rectangle will make better sense but I am more used to a circle.
• Brush the top of the rolled out dough with oil, then sprinkle it evenly with chopped spring onion and salt mixture.
• Roll up the dough in a tightly coiled long snake of rolled-up dough.
• Coil the dough and let it rest for at least 15 minutes, while you repeat this process with the rest of the dough.
• Roll out the coiled dough bundle into a flat, smooth, round pancake with a rolling pin or with your hands.
• Heat a tawa over medium-high heat, and transfer the rolled out pancake to the tawa.
• Cooking is like you cook a chapatti just a little different, wait till you get small bubbles on the pancake.
• Once there are bubbles turn it around, increase the flame and spoon ½ tsp of oil around the edges. Smear the backside of the spoon to the pancake. Almost immediately you will get a delicious cooked smell. The pancake has brown spots on the underside.
•  Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown.
• Repeat steps for cooking the pancakes till all are done.
• Serve immediately with soy sauce or another dipping sauce.

 Notes:

•  This recipe calls for oil in two different places: Once to make the filling, and once to fry the pancakes I used the same rice bran oil both places.
•  If you would like to make a few pancakes but save the rest for later, you can save the dough in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just make sure the dough is oiled and well-covered. You can also roll out individual pancakes and stack them between well-oiled layers of wax paper.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#50

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!