One of my friends, who loves indian food, had came over for dinner recently. I just did not know what to make her when she came. I always want to make something special, or different, so I asked her what she wanted to eat and she replied parathas. As a result, for the evening, I created a menu around that, and instead of plain parathas I decided to make stuffed ones.

There are many different vegetarian options for making the stuffing, like mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, or just onions etc., but I decided to go with paneer. In the past I have made paneer parathas using  different recipes from various books. However this time I thought I thought – let me make my own spice mix so I just created my own concoction. Sometimes it is good to experiment with different spices and tastes that you may like, it could just work well together, I was pleasantly surprised with these parathas.

Paneer Stuffed Paratha

As mentioned above I just kept on tasting the paneer mix until I was happy with the taste, so add the various spices accordingly. You can also mix the paneer with some vegetables or even make a sweet version with sugar and spices like cinnamon (hum might have to try this idea out ).

Ingredients

Preparation time: 1 hr 20 mins       Cooking time: 30 mins       Serves: 6 to 8

For the Paratha

2 cups wholemeal flour

1 cup plain flour

3 tbsp sunflower oil

salt to taste

warm water

For the stuffing

250 g Paneer finely grated

1/4 tbsp finely chopped coriander

2 tbsp ground fennel (variali)

3 green chillies crushed

1 tbsp heaped plain flour

salt to taste

Method

1) Make a soft dough by combining all the paratha ingredients together, making sure to add the water a little at a time. Look to the rotli post for full instructions on how to make to dough. Leave it to one side to prove.

2) Into the grated paneer add the remaining ingredients and combine, taste to make sure it is to your taste, and add anything if necessary.

3) Divide the dough into 12 balls  about 3 cm diameter. On a board roll out each ball into a flat round shape about 5 cm in diameter.Place the rolled dough on the palm of your hand then in slightly cupped hands form a depression in the centre and place a heaped tablespoon of the paneer mixture. Surround the filling evenly with dough, cup hands together and pinch the edges so they meet to to cover the entire filling. Pat sealed area to get an even thickness of dough.

4) On floured board, roll the stuffed ball gently into a flat round shape about 16 cm in diameter. Keep on a lighlty floured surface and cover with a damp cloth. Continue with the rest of the dough, until all the dough is used up.

5) Heat a sauce pan (tava) on medium heat for 10 minutes, place the stuffed paratha on to the pan and cook for a minute or so. There should be a few light brown specks on the underside. Turn with a spatula and cook for the same time as the other side. Spread 1/2 tsp of oil (or brush with a pastry brush) all over the top surface. Turn over and cook for a few minutes, turn one more time. The paratha should be evenly browned on both sides this should take about 5 minutes in total. Place in a container which can keep the parathas warm. Continue cooking the remaining parathas.

Serve warm with yoghurt raita, or a curry of your choice.

Puris are flat bread that can be made savoury or spicy and puff up into balls when fried (if cooked and rolled out properly). Puris are considered to be a little treat, something different to the normal rotis. These savoury little balls were a little bit of naughty food, something that was not really healthy because it is fried as opposed to roasted. It used to be eaten mostly on special occasions or just to make a slight difference to the normal meal. Puris are good eaten as a snack or for breakfast / lunch or as a accompaniment to curries, or with sweet foods such as kheer (rice pudding) and shrikhand (made with yoghurt and sugar, saffron & nuts or fruit added to it). They also go well with mango pickle and equally with a nice hot cup of tea.

I remember my mother telling us to learn how to roll out small round shapes and allowing me and my sisters to make a few which used to be such an achievement when we actually came to eating them. Our father would help with the frying and always used to try and assure that each of the puris would become small round balls of yummy food. Last year while visiting my older sister in Hong Kong we made puris together and her younger daughter was helping us make little hearts and flowers shapes. My son enjoyed that, so now when ever I make at them at home he helps and makes little star shapes and ‘puri men’ and of course the cut-out of his hands. It is so much fun and then he says to everyone ‘I made them’

Puri (Fried Indian Flat Bread)

I use yoghurt and ajwain seeds (caraway) as it gives the puri an added flavour and richness. If you do not have the ingredients or do not like the taste of ajwain then you can remove these from the ingredient list. I like puris with some spices so make them as below, however you can also remove the spices and make them with just salt.  Another alternative, while combining the ingredients to make a dough, is to add cooked chopped spinach to make green puri’s, or finely grated beetroot to make red puris.

Ingredients

Preparation time: 10 mins      Cooking time: 30 mins      Makes: 15 to 20 puris

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chilli & turmeric powder

1/2 tsp ajwain seeds crush slightly

1/4 cup yoghurt

water

sunflower oil for deep frying

1) Make a soft dough by mixing all the ingredients together, use water as required to make a fairly soft dough and let it rest for 10 mins.

2) If you are making traditional small round puris then divide the dough in equal parts and then roll into long  tubes (sausage like shapes), with a sharp knife cut into 2 cm pieces and keep aside. Roll on a flat surface with some oil to help you roll them make them about 4 to 5 cm in diameter. Make a few and keep aside ready to be fried.

3) Heat the oil in a wok and start to fry the puris 2 or 3 at a time, gently slide them into the hot oil away from you and with a skimmer (jaro or slotted spoon) gentle press them into the oil one at a time this will help them to rise. After a minute or so turn them over and cook on the other side until golden brown. Remove with the skimmer and place on kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil. You are ready to serve as you like.

In the past I have made many different kinds of bread. A few years back I found a wonderful recipe book from the library on breads, cakes and biscuits. I tried out quite a few recipes from it. This is one of the recipes from the book but I added the mixed seeds and lemon to make it my own. I also had a recipe from my aunt for courgette bread for some time but never actually got around to trying it. That was until I came across this similar recipe in the book from the library which reminded me to try it again. I liked this recipe as it did not have any eggs whereas the recipes that I have seen before did contain eggs. This bread goes well with all kinds of soups, especially tomato soup, or to eat on it’s own with some butter while still warm :p .

Courgette (Zucchini) Bread

This recipe makes a very large loaf, so if you wish to make it for two reduce the recipe to match.

Preparation time: 1 hr 45 mins       Cooking time: 30 mins      Serves : 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 lb courgettes

5 cups of strong white flour ( I used self raising)

2/3 cheddar cheese (the original recipe said parmesan)

20 g  fast action dried yeast

zest & juice of one lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/4 cup hand hot water

milk for glazing

sesame, sunflower, pumpkin seeds and linseed for topping

Method

1) Grate the courgettes in a colander, sprinkle with some salt and leave to drain for 30 mins, then rinse and pat dry with  tea towel.

2) In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, cheese, lemon rind, and season with black pepper. Pour the oil and lemon juice, and stir in the courgettes, add enough water to make a fairly firm dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 mins, place in the bowl again and cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for an hour.

3) Grease a 9” round tin, and preheat the oven at 200 ‘ C. Knead the dough slightly and then shape into 8 rolls, and fit into the round tin. Brush with milk and sprinkle the seeds on top. Allow the dough rolls to rise again and then place in the oven for about 25 mins or until golden brown.

Chapatti

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 tbsp oil

1/3 cup warm water

Some ghee (clarified butter for spreading) – optional

Method

1) In a bowl place the flour making a small well and add the oil and a third of the water in it, start mixing.

2) Add more water as required to make a soft dough (stop adding water before dough becomes wet and sticky).

3) Knead till the dough is smooth and elastic (about 2 mins).

4) Leave for a few minutes, pre-heat the griddle pan and start to divide the dough into 6 parts and form small round balls.

5) Flatten slightly and on a floured surface roll them out into flat round shape.

6) Place on the griddle pan and when bubbles start to form after a minute or so, turn it over. Leave for about a minute then turn it back.

7) At this point it should begin to rise which means it is done. If it doesn’t rise, either put it directly on the flame for a few seconds or press on the chapatti with a folded tea towel/cloth until it puffs up or the underside has brown specks.

8.) Remove and place on a plate and spread some ghee (clarified butter) on it.

9) Continue until all the chapattis are made and serve warm.