Stuffed Paratha!

Paratha is an accompaniment to any Indian meal. Many different kinds of bread accompany meals: naan, chapati, roti...and paratha. This paratha is stuffed with a potato-spiced mixture, and can be eaten as a filling snack.


Prep time: 2 hours + 30 min.
Yields: 12 stuffed paratha

Ingredients:

for the dough:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
1 c. water
oil

for the filling:
4 russet potatoes, peeled and boiled
2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced
2 t. ginger, blended into a paste
2 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. garam masala
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt (or to taste)


1. Mix together the flours, salt, water. Knead for about 5 minutes until soft and supple. Form into a ball, and coat with oil. Cover in a bowl for 2 hours.

2. Boil the potatoes until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain. Mash the potatoes really well. Make a paste from the ginger and chiles by putting them into a blender with lemon juice and sugar and salt. Add ginger-chile paste with spices and cilantro to potato mixture.

3. Take the dough and form into 12 balls of 2-inch diameter. Coat your work surface lightly with flour. Dust the ball lightly with flour. Roll flat into 5-inch circles.

4. Place the filling in the center. Hold the circle in your hand, and gather the edges and pinch it in the center.

Slightly flatten with your hands.

5. Dust again with flour, and then gently roll it out into a 7-inch circle. Cook on medium heat on both sides for about 4 minutes each side. Brush with butter. Serve. Enjoy!

Leela's Spice Train: Sabudana Khichadi (pronounced kit-sue-ree)

Leela's Spice Train: Sabudana Khichadi (pronounced kit-sue-ree): "This is a delicious snack that can be found throughout India. It can be also eaten as a side. It is made from Sabudana or Sago, which is a k..."

Sabudana Khichadi (pronounced kit-sue-ree)

This is a delicious snack that can be found throughout India. It can be also eaten as a side. It is made from Sabudana or Sago, which is a kind of tapioca that comes from the stems of palm fronds. If you don't live in a metropolitan area that has Indian supermarkets, you can find it online here.

Serves: 4
prep time: 2 - 3 hrs.
cook time: 30 min.


Ingredients:
2 c. sabudana
1/2 t. greek yogurt
1 c. peanuts, ground (can substitute cashews)
1 large (or 2 medium) russet potato, peeled and diced thin
2 T. butter or ghee
1 t. cumin seeds
1 T. ginger, minced
1 serrano chili, seeded and minced
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. sugar
fresh cilantro to garnish
fresh coconut, or shredded dry coconut for garnish

1. In a large bowl, cover the sabudana with water, and stir with your hands and dump the water. Repeat until clear, about three times. Cover again with water, at least a couple of inches, and soak for two to three hours, or overnight. After soaking, drain excess water.

2. Mix ground peanuts with sabudana.

3. Heat one tablespoon of ghee or oil in pan over medium-high heat. Sauté cumin seeds for one minute. Add chilis and ginger and potatoes, stir for two minutes. Add the salt. Add the sugar. Add the sabudana. Lower the heat as low as possible. Stir constantly. Cover. Stir after a minute. Cover. Continue this process for about five minutes. If it gets too dry or sticky, add a tablespoon of water. Add remaining ghee or oil. Cook until it is a pinkish brown in color.

4. Garnish with shredded coconut and cilantro. Devour and enjoy!

Upama

Upama (pronounced "Oop-ma") is a spiced cream of wheat dish that comes from Southern India in the Madras region. It's like the comfort food of India. It can work well as a side dish, or as a nice meal by itself.

Serves 4
cook time: 30 min.
prep time: 15 min.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. cream of wheat*
1 med. red onion, chopped
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1 tomato, diced
1/2 c. cilantro
1/2 c. roasted cashews
1/2 c. shredded coconut
1 T. ginger, minced
3 chiles (de arbol.)
2 bay leaves or curry leaves*
2-3 T. ghee* or butter
2 t. mustard seeds
2 t. salt (or to taste)
pinch of sugar
2 c. water
fresh lemon juice to taste

* cream of wheat: soji (comes in thick or thin), is found in any Indian market, or you can just use American cream of wheat. If you use thick soji, you will need to add more water.
* curry leaves can be found in Indian markets, but if you can't find them, bay leaves are a fine substitute.
* ghee (clarified butter) can be found in Indian markets as well as Whole Foods, and a lot of higher-end markets.

1. Sauté cream of wheat dry in a pan over medium heat, until it browns, about 10 minutes.

2. Remove cream of wheat from pan, and put aside in a plate or bowl.

3. Over medium heat, melt ghee or butter in the same pan that you sautéd the cream of wheat, and add the mustard seeds until they crackle and pop open, about one minute. Add the bay leaves, ginger and chiles, another minute.

4. Add onions and stir until translucent, about five minutes. Add water. Bring to a boil. Add peas, tomatoes and cashews when water begins to boil. Add salt, and pinch of sugar. Bring water back to a boil. Add cream of wheat, stir and lower heat and cover. Simmer for three minutes.

5. Garnish with coconut and cilantro and squeeze lemon juice.

6. Enjoy!

Chhaya's Lentil Soup

 This blog is inspired by Leela, Chhaya's mother. Chhaya talks endlessly about the wonderful flavors she would conjure up while she was cooking. You can just picture the steam in the small kitchen in India, and smell the spices hitting the pans, their aroma becoming an olfactory extravaganza. Chhaya has her own inherent sense of how to tantalize your taste and come knocking down her door for more. The flavors you will experience here will be from a long train of Indian women's sense of spice. Enjoy!

What you need:

- 1 c. brown lentils
- 1 T. olive oil
- 2 medium red onions; 1 chopped for roasting; 1 diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 c. celery chopped
- 7 small carrots; 5 chopped in 1.5-in. chunks for roasting; 2 diced
- 1 T. ginger, minced
- 1 T. garlic, minced
- 2 Serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
- 1 c. red pepper, diced
- 2 c. water
- 1 13.6-oz. can of coconut milk

Spices:
- 1 T.  ground cumin
- 1 T. ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 T. garam masala
- 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
- pinch of brown sugar
- salt and pepper

- cilantro, lemon juice and sour cream (or greek yogurt) for garnish

1. Cover lentils with at least one inch of warm water. Soak for 2 hours. Drain and rinse.

2. Preheat oven to 375°. Chop 5 carrots and one medium onion. Coat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Place parchment paper on cookie tray, and place carrots and onions on tray. Roast for 30-45 minutes, or until carrots are soft. Place in blender or food processor with 1/2 cup of water. Purée.

3. In a dutch oven or large soup pot, sauté onions with carrots, celery, garlic, ginger and chiles. When onions are translucent, add the red peppers. Add the lentils, roasted carrot purée and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes.

4. Add spices. Add coconut milk.

5. Garnish with cilantro, sour cream or greek yogurt, a splash of lemon...if you're brave, some fresh chiles!

6. Savor the flavor.