Broccoli Paratha

Broccoli Paratha in Marathi

Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4-5 medium Parathas

Ingredients:
::::Stuffing::::
1 medium broccoli head
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
1 tsp chili paste
1/2 tsp amchoor powder
::::Dough::::
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oil
Other ingredients:
1/4 cup oil for roasting parathas
Some dry flour for dusting

Method:
1) First make dough. Take a mixing bowl. Add wheat flour, turmeric, cumin seeds, salt and oil. Add water and make semi soft dough.
2) Wash broccoli and cut into small florets. Grind coarsely. Add onion, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, chili paste, amchoor powder and salt to taste. Mix well.
3) Divide dough and stuffing into 5 equal portions. Heat a nonstick tawa.
Roll one dough ball into 3 inch circle. Put one portion of stuffing at the center. Gather the edges and seal. Dust with flour. Roll and make paratha. Spray some oil on one side. Place the paratha on tawa, oiled side down.
4) Roast one side, spray some oil and flip the paratha. Roast both sides well. Serve broccoli paratha with yogurt and butter.

Besan Dhirde

Besan Chila in Marathi

5 medium Dhirdehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup besan
2 tbsp rava
1 tsp green chili paste, coarse
2-3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 + 3/4 cups water
1 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp hing
2 pinches cumin seeds
salt to taste
some oil to cook the pancakeshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Method:
1) Take a mixing bowl. Add besan and rava. Add water little at a time and make a thin constancy batter.
2) Add in chili paste, cilantro, garlic paste, turmeric powder, hing, cumin seeds and salt to taste. mix well.
3) Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. drizzle some oil. Add a ladelful batter and try to keep round shape.
4) Cover and cook over medium heat till one side gets done well. Drizzle some oil and flip the side. Cover and cook till another side is cooked nicely.
Serve hot with or Dry garlic chutney.

Raagi flour dosa

Nachani Dosa

serves: 12 to 15 medium dosa
time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup Nachani Flour (Raagi flour)
1/2 cup Rice Flour
1/2 cup Urad Dal
7-8 Methi seeds
Salt to taste
Oil to drizzle while roasting dosa

Method:
1) Soak Nachani Flour and Rice flour in water for 5 hours. The consistency should be thick. Also soak urad dal and methi seeds together in water for 5 hours.
2) Grind urad dal to fine paste. Add very little water while grinding. Now mix urad dal paste and soaked flours together. Add enough water to get usual dosa consistency. Add salt.
3) Heat a nonstick tawa. Pour a ladleful batter and spread with spoon in swirling motion.
Drizzle a teaspoon oil around the dosa. After one side is done, flip the dosa and roast the second side.
Serve hot with - Coconut chutney, sambar, garlic chutney.

Tips:
1) Consistency of batter should be just like usual dosa batter. Nicely spreadable batter will make thin and light dosas.
2) Its a very good breakfast option. To make dosa for breakfast soak flour and urad dal overnight. Then grind urad dal in the morning and make dosas as per above method.
3) Cook the both sides of dosa. Uncooked Nachani flour doesn’t taste good.
4) To variate the recipe, add chopped cilantro, onion, tomato or green chili to your preference.

Jowar Flour bhakri

Jwarichi Bhakri in Marathi

Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4 to 5 medium bhakari

Ingredients:
2 cups Jowar flour
approx 2 cups hot water
1 tbsp ghee or Butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup dry jowar flour for dusting

Serve this healthy yet delicious Bhakari with - Bhogi Bhaji (Mixed Vegetable)

Method:
1) Boil 2 cups of water into a small pan. Add 1 tbsp ghee. Add 2 cups jowar flour into a big thali or a big mixing bowl. Sprinkle salt. Add the hot water little by little into jowar flour and mix carefully. Knead and make a soft, pliable dough.
2) Now divide the dough into 4 to 5 equal portions.
3) Heat a tawa over high heat for a minute and turn down the flame to medium high. Make a smooth ball of a dough portion, dip it into dry jowar flour and dust nicely. Gently roll with a rolling pin to a semi thick disc. Sprinkle little dry flour if required.
4) Put the bhakari over hot tawa. Apply some water to the surface carefully with hand or wet cotton cloth. The applied water will evaporate. At this time check the doneness of opposite side. Turn the bhakari and cook the other side. Dark brown spots should appear on both the sides. (Important tip 2)
Put a dollop of homemade butter on hot bhakari and serve with zunka, pithla or eggplant-potato curry.

Tips:
1) Instead of rolling bhakari can be made by patting it clockwise.
2) I have electric stove coil at home, So its not possible to roast the bhakari on direct flame. However, if you have gas stove top (with flame), roast one side on tawa. Flip the side roast for few second on tawa and now put it on direct flame. flip and turn the bhakari with a tong. It will puff up nicely on direct flame.
3) To make it on the day of Bhogi. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of sesame seeds on bhakari dough ball and roll. Sesame seeds will stick to bhakari and will get roasted with it.

Butter Naan

Naan bread in Marathi

Yield: 4 to 5 medium Naan
Time: Fermentation - Approx 1 and half hour । To make Naan 10 to 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups Maida (All purpose flour)
1 tsp dry yeast
1/4 cup Yogurt (Tip 1)
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste (approx 1/2 to 1 tsp)
2 to 3 tbsp Oil

Method:
1) In 1/4 cup warm water dissolve sugar and yeast. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. This mixture will become frothy within 10 to 15 minutes.
2) Take maida in a mixing bowl. Add salt, yeast water and mix nicely. Then add 1/4 cup yogurt and knead the dough. If required, use little warm water to knead the dough. Make a soft dough. Knead the dough until it becomes elastic. Use little oil while kneading. Cover the bowl with a plate and keep at a warm place for an hour to ferment.
3) After one hour, the dough will be fermented and doubled in size. Punch down the dough to remove air bubbles. Put the oven on Broil. Grease and keep ready a baking tray. Divide the dough into 4 to 5 equal balls. Sprinkle little dry flour on a flat surface and roll the dough ball into 1/4 inch thick naan. You can give any shape. But generally naan has uneven triangular shape or oval shape. Put the rolled naan on baking tray. Two naans would easily fit on the baking tray.
4) Put the tray on the top rack of the oven. Cook one side for one and half minute. If required, bake for 30 seconds more. Once you see brown spots on one side, remove the tray out and flip the side. Cook the other side for a minute.
Butter and Sesame Naan
Remove baked naan from the oven. Rub a teaspoon of butter on each naan and sprinkle roasted sesame seeds for garnishing. You can also sprinkle some chopped coriander. Serve hot.
Garlic Naan
Before baking the naan, keep ready a mixture of 2 tbsp butter and 3 garlic cloves (minced). Once naan is baked, rub 1 or 2 tsp garlic butter on the naan and serve hot.

Serve Naan with delicious North Indian curry dishes.

Note:
1) Do not use cold yogurt. It should be at room temperature. Cold yogurt slows down fermentation process. In winter season, use some hot water while kneading the dough.

Phodnichi Poli

Phodnichi Poli in Marathi

Serves: 2 persons
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
7 to 8 Chapatis (A day before)
For Tempering: 2 tsp oil, pinch of mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, pinch of asafoetida, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 2 curry leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp fried peanuts
1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
2 pinches sugar
Finely chopped Cilantro for garnishing

Method:
1) Grind chapatis coarsely.
2) Heat 2 tsp oil into a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, red chili powder and curry leaves. Add onion and saute until translusent. Add fried peanuts and saute.
3) Add ground chapati and stir over medium heat. Add salt and sugar, mix nicely and cook covered for 2 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice. Serve hot.

Tips:
1) If you don't want to grind chapatis, mince them with hands.
2) Accompany this dish with plain yogurt and mango pickle.
3) Along with peanuts you can add 1/4 cup frozen peas.

Tofu Paratha

Tofu Paratha in Marathi

Time: (25 to 30 minutes) 10 minutes for dough + 15 minutes to make parathas
Yield: 6 to 7 big parathas (each around 10 inches)

Ingredients:
150 gram Tofu (I used Firm tofu) (Tip 1)
1 Carrots, grated
1 and 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour (Tip 2)
Plain Yogurt (Tip 3)
3 to 4 green chilies, finely chopped
1/2 cup Cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp Coriander-cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
Pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil to roast the Parathas (approx 1/4 cup)

Method:
1) Squeeze the tofu gently to remove the excess water. Crumble in a mixing bowl.
2) Add wheat flour and mix lightly. Then introduce grated carrot, green chilies, coriander-cumin powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, cilantro and salt to taste. Mix nicely and use the yogurt as much as required to knead a medium consistency dough. Do not make a stiff dough, it will make parathas little dry.
3) Cover the dough for 10 minutes. Grease your palms and divide the dough equally into 2 and half inches balls. Heat the griddle (Tawa). Roll the parathas by using dry wheat flour and roast over medium heat. Drizzle little oil while roasting parathas.
Serve hot with yogurt, tomato ketchup, or green chutney

Tips:
1) To make these parathas, any tofu (Silken or Firm) will work nicely. I used firm tofu because it was available at home. However, Silken tofu has very soft and smooth texture. So if you are going to buy tofu specifically to make parathas, go for silken tofu.
2) You may need little extra wheat flour to adjust the dough consistency.
3) Quantity of yogurt depends on the texture and moisture content of the tofu. For the above quantity of the ingredients, I used around 3 tbsp yogurt.
4) Paneer can be used instead of Tofu.

Layered Chapati Ghadichya Polya

Ghadichya Polya in Marathi

Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 5 to 6 chapatis



Ingredients:
Dough made of 1 cup Chapati atta (Divided into 5 to 6 equal portions)
Little oil or ghee
1/2 cup dry chapati atta

Method:
1) Heat the tawa and then put the flame over medium high heat.
2) Take one portion of the dough. Dust it with dry flour. Roll it into 4 inches circle. Spread little oil with hand or with the spoon. Sprinkle little dry flour over it.
3) Fold the circle into half. Apply some oil and sprinkle little flour. Again fold and make a triangle.
4) Dust it with flour and start rolling from one of the angles. Roll nicely and turn the triangle into a circle.
5) Place it on the heated tawa. Turn the one side immediately after 5 to 6 seconds. Roast the other side until brown spot appears. Flip the side and roast it nicely.
Once both sides are cooked, remove from the tawa. Apply little oil or ghee. Serve hot or put it into insulated Chapati container (to keep chapati warm and soft)

Tips:
1) To save the time, do not heat the tawa in the beginning. First, follow step number 2 and 3. Keep all the triangles ready. Then heat tawa, roll one triangle into chapati and roast.

How to make Chapati

Chapati in marathi

Yield: 5 to 6 medium rotis
Time: 10 to 15 minutes

Ingredients:
Dough made of 1 cup Chapati atta (Divided into 5 to 6 equal portions)
Little oil or ghee
1/2 cup dry chapati atta

Method:
1) Heat tawa over medium high flame.
2) Take 1 dough portion. Make it smooth and round. Make it little flat by pressing between the palms. Dust it with dry flour and roll into evenly thin round Chapati.
3) Place the rolled Chapati on heated tawa. Flip to another side immediately after 5 to 6 seconds. Roast this side till brown spots appear. Press gently with clean cotton cloth to roast the chapati evenly.
4) Flip to the other side and roast this side nicely.
Remove from the tawa. Apply very little oil or ghee. Serve hot or put in the insulated chapati container.

Tips:
1) If you are staying in cold region and you want to carry chapatis in your office for lunch. Then better use oil instead of ghee to smear on chapati. Due to the cold ghee thickens on chapati and it won't taste good.
2) Roll chapati and roast one at a time. If you roll all the chapatis and then roast them one by one, it will make the chapatis very hard. If you practice you will learn to roll and roast the chapati simultaneously.
3) If you want to keep the chapatis ready for any function or get-together and to keep them soft as they are cooked, place them in a towel-lined chapati and fold over the sides of the towel.
4) You may vary the thickness of the chapati to your preference. The only thing is, it should be rolled evenly. So that, it will get cooked properly.
5) Tawa should heated over medium high heat. Very hot tawa will burn the chapatis. Also, do not cook chapatis over low heat as chapatis will remain undercooked.
6) Use tawa without vertical outer edge. However, you can use shallow pan. Tawa should be large enough to fit the whole chapati in.

How to knead dough for chapati

Dough for Chapati in Marathi



Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat flour (Chapati Atta)
1 tsp Oil + some more oil
Pinch of salt
Warm water

Method:
1) Take 1 cup chapati atta in a mixing bowl. Add 1 tsp oil and pinch of salt. Mix nicely. Then add water little at a time and knead to medium consistency dough. Use little oil, if required.
2) Cover the dough for 10 minutes. Again knead the dough. Divide the dough into 6 to 8 equal portions.

Tip:
1) Dough consistency should not be too stiff or too soft. Chapati made of stiff dough becomes hard and chewy. Very soft consistency dough is difficult to handle while rolling the chapati.
2) The number of chapatis depend on size and thickness of the chapati.