Gobi Matar Paratha Recipe (Cauliflower Peas Paratha)

     I had been crazy about stuffed parathas since long time. Long back the only stuffed paratha, I knew to be existing was aloo paratha :P Then it took me a some time to realise that there are n number of variations that can be made in stuffing the parathas. My addiction for parathas, in addition to their taste is for the reason that they dont need a separate side-dish  :D
     In my training days at TCS in Ambattur, I remember standing in the long queue for aloo paratha during those very short intervals given between the forenoon and afternoon sessions. :P 

Prep Time: 10 mins || Cook Time: 25 mins || Yields: 6 || Category: Paratha/Stuffed paratha

Ingredients:
1. Cauliflower - 1 small / 15-20 florets
2. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
3. Salt - as required
4. Green peas - handful
5. Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
6. Jeera (cumin seeds) - 2tsp
7. Green chilli - 1 small
8. Garam masala - 1 tsp
9. Cumin powder - 2 tsp
10. Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Asafoetida - 2 tsp
12. Wheat flour - 200 gm
13. Ghee - 2 tbsp (optional)

Method:
1. Add turmeric powder, salt, hot water in a tray and dip the cauliflower florets and leave it aside for 5 mins. Then wash and grate the cauliflower florets. 

2. In a pan, heat a tbsp of oil and temper with mustard, split urad dal, cumin seeds, finely chopped green chili. Add in the grated cauliflower and saute for 2-3 mins.

3. After the cauliflower has got partially cooked, add green peas, salt, garam masala, pepper powder, cumin powder, hing and salt. Mix well and keep covered for a min or two.

4. Mash all the ingredients well and cook for few more mins. Make regular chappathi dough with wheat flour, salt and 1 tbsp of hot oil. Make balls of desired size and press evenly with hand/ rolling pin to a small circle. Place a tbsp of the stuffing and cover it up with the chappathi dough. 

5. Seal the stuffing completely within the dough and spread it evenly into moderately thick parathas. Heat a dosa pan and cook the parathas with ghee/oil smeared on both the sides. If required, dab all around the paratha with a clean kitchen cloth and cook it evenly until brown spots appear.

Serve with curd topped with roasted jeera powder or pickle.

Rava Bread Toast Recipe / Sooji Bread Toast

     Mostly, people eat 3 meals a day. It has never been the case with us. As we always need something to munch on in the evening as as light tiffin, it makes the count to 4 a day :D But the evening snack or tiffin should be light so as to not spoil the dinner and at the same time should be a filling and interesting one for the evening.
     When I was deeply lost in thoughts about making some new recipe with bread, an episode from Samayal Samayal flashed on to my mind. In which the chef had made a toast by dipping the bread in a marination of onion, chili etc with rava, maida, buttermilk etc. Instead of just using onion, I have included some other veggies and slightly modified the recipe to suit my taste buds.

Prep Time: 15 mins || Cook Time: 10 mins || Yields: 8 triangles of toast || Category: Toast/Snack/Bread Recipes

Ingredients:
1. Tomato - 1 small
2. Capsicum - a quarter
3. Onion - 1 small
4. Ginger - 1 tsp
5. Green chili - 1 tsp
6. Curd - 3 tbsp
7. Rava (Sooji) - 3 tbsp
8. Salt - as required
9. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
10.  Hing (Asafoetida) - 1 tsp
11. Oil - for toasting

Method:

1. Take all the finely chopped veggies in a bowl. Add rava, curd, salt, chili powder and hing and mix well without adding water. Just sprinkle some water if needed while mixing and keep the rava veggie mixture aside for 10 mins.

2. Take the bread slices and trim the edges if desired. Apply a thin layer of the rava mixture evenly on the upper side of the bread slices. Invert and place the bread slices on a hot dosa tawa and drizzle some oil on all the sides. Cook until the mixture has got cooked with a golden brown crust. Switch off the flame after flipping and cooking the other side of the bread.

Suggestions:

• Can add any vegetable, but it should be finely chopped to enable faster cooking. The toast would be crunchy, as the vegetables are not pre-cooked.
• Chili flakes, coriander leaves, chaat masala etc can be added in the mixture.
• Can use either olive oil, any cooking oil or ghee for the toast.

Yummy hot crunchy sooji bread toast is ready !! Enjoy with tomato ketchup or any dip.