Healthy Roti

Everytime we mom's struggle to give healthy food to our kids and so I thought why not add little 'health' to our regular food like everyday chapati and everyday paratha's. And so I made these Roti dough, aloo paratha dough and other paratha dough by adding beetroot and spinach puree. Trust me the taste does not change and it looks colorful and nice.

Here is the recipe for making a simple Roti dough with Palak and Beetroot.

Palak Dough:

Wash spinach and cook spinach in very little water for 2 minutes as we do not want to waste any water. Let it cool down and don't throw any water. Puree the mixture and use this to knead the dough. Use this dough normally for the soft chapati's or for making any paratha's. 

Beetroot Dough:

Cut beetroot in small pieces and cook in pressure cooker with little water for 2 whistles. Let it cool down and don't throw any water. Puree the mixture and use this to knead the dough. Use this dough normally for the soft chapati's or for making any paratha's. Above I have shown pictures of my beetroot Aloo Paratha and Beetroot masala paratha.

Pizza Sauce

My husband always tells me your food is not complete untill you add your favorite dhaniye ki chutney LOL! Well upto an extent it is so much true.. Somehow I end up adding 'Dhaniye ki chutney" in even the non-indian dishes, be it Pizza or even Taco.. Haha..But trust me they taste amazing after you add The Coriander and Mint chutney! And so here I present my favorite Pizza sauce with special touch of 'Dhaniye ki Chutney' ;-)


Ingredients:
2 Onions grinded to paste
7-8 green chillies paste
1 tsp of ginger paste
5 medium size tomatoes grinded to paste
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cut tomato ketchup
1/4 cup green coriander and mint chutney
2 tsp of Italian seasoning
Salt to taste
pinch of cinnamom powder
pinch of turmeric powder

Method:
Heat oil. Add ginger and chilli paste. Cook for 2 minutes, then add onion paste. Let it cook nicely till it becomes light brown. Add salt, cinnamom powder and turmeric. Then add the tomato paste and cook it nicely till it gets a sauce like texture. Then add the italian seasoning and the green pepper and let it cook for another 5 minutes. You may cook more if you like pepper properly cooked. I like it crunchy soI cooked less. Let it cool down and then add tomato ketchup and the coriander mint chutney. Your pizza sauce is ready.

Cheeseee bread crisps

I had a whole packet of bread which was expiring next day. Didn't wanna throw neither wanted to spend hours cooking and then came this idea of fast and easy brunch snack.. they are quick to make, yummy and healthy too.

Ingredients:
Bread - 6 to 8 pieces
Rava 1 cup
Gramflour 2 tsp
Curd 1/4 cup
Salt and chaat masala as per taste
Black pepper 1/4 tsp
Oil for shallow frying
Finely chopped veggies ( I used whatever was at home, green pepper, tomatoes, onion, coriander and green chilles. You can add carrot, beat, cucumber, cabbage or anything of your choice) Around 1 cup
Last but not least cheese spread

Method:
1.Add rava, gramflour and curd with little water and let it rest for some time. ( the consistency should be thicker than idli batter)
2. By the time chop the veggies
3. Mix everything except oil and cheese and of course bread.
4. Spread cheese spread generously on bread and then spread the prepared mixture on bread. 

5. Heat a non stick pan and put some oil and shallow fry on slow to medium flame on both sides.
6. Cheesy bread crisps are ready. Serve hot with ketchup or chutney.

P's stuffed with P's

This is P's stuffed with P's....lolzz... well this is Paneer Peas Pepper (green) stuffed Potato and tomato.. easy peasy yummy..

Ingredients
4 medium potatoes little less cooked so they can be scooped. Keep the scooped out potato to be added in stuffing
4 Tomatoes scooped
1 small onion finely chopped
1 cup boiled and coarsely grinded green peas
5 green chillies finely chopped (increase or decrease amount as per your taste)
1/2 tsp of ginger finely chopped/grated
3-4 Garlic cloves finely chopped (Optional - I have not added in this)
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 cup grated fresh paneer
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp fennel powder
Pinch of hing
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp of chaat masala
Some chopped coriander
2 tbsp oil

1/4 tsp of sugar

Method:
Heat oil in a non stick pan add chopped ginger and chilli. Saute them for 2 minutes then add onion and a little sugar. Cook them till light brown then add salt and other dry masala. Add green pepper(capsicum) and cook them for 5 minutes. I don't overcook pepper as I like it little crunchy. Then add peas and continuously stir so it doesn't stick to bottom. Add the scooped out potato. Then add garam masala and chaat masala and lastly add paneer and coriander. Let it cook for 2 more minutes. Switch off the flame and let it cool to room temperature.

Fill the scooped out potatoes and tomatoes with the stuffing. (You may use green pepper also to stuff). Brush them with little oil. In a microwave pan put little oil and on high temperature cook them for 12-15 minutes, checking every 4-5 minutes.You can also bake them or shallow fry cook in little oil. Serve them hot with paratha or roti or anything. I made lachcha parathas.

Namak Para - Shakkar Para

Healthy Namak Para-Shakkar Para

I always remember any festive time when mom used to make snacks for the guests. The best among was the 'Besan ki chakki' which somehow could never replicate what mom used to make. Another favorite was crisp soft khasta namak para and shakkar para. So one day I was thinking why not add some health to the yummy snack and here I am with my recipe that replaces a part of maida (APF)
with Oats.

Namak para recipe:

Ingredients:
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup powdered oats
1/4 cup maida (APF)
1/4 cup rava
Salt as per taste
1/4 cup warm ghee
1/4 tsp ajwain
Little warm water

Method:

Mix everything and make dough with warm water. Dough should not be soft as of chapatis but little hard. Cover the dough and let it rest for 20-30 minutes. Then knead the dough again and roll like chapati and cut in thin strips. Let them dry a little for 20 minutes before deep frying. Heat oil and on low flame deep fry them till light brown.

Shakkar para recipe:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup maida (APF)
1/4 cup rava ( you may change ratio of wheat flour and maida)
Sugar 1/4 cup (you may increase sugar if u want sweeter)
1/4 cup warm ghee
a pinch of cinnamom powder (Optional)
2 tbsp milk
Kesar strands (optional).

Method:

Mix all ingredients except sugar, kesar and milk. Heat sugar and milk and let sugar get dissolved and add kesar. Mix everything to form dough. Sugar and milk mixture should be warm and not very hot. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes. Then roll it and cut in shape u like ( I made diamonds). Let them dry for 20 minutes before you start frying. Deep fry in oil on low flame.