Lacha Paratha !

Lacha Paratha is a layered flat indian bread. The layering of paratha sounds little complex but it is not..and I am giving step by step with the picture. It is very simple, try it…you will enjoy the making & the paratha.

And, while making this Lacha paratha, I make 1 or 2 paratha with sugar & cinnamon mix (we love cinnamon flavor), it tastes yummy and if you have kids..they really enjoy this sweet Lacha.

Lacha Paratha

Ingredients :

Whole Wheat Flour  - 1 cup

Salt - 1 tea spoon

Oil - for mixing & pan frying the paratha

Water - As required

For Sweet Lacha :

Cinnamon powder - 2 tea spoons

Sugar - 1 table spoon

Method :

- In a mixing bowl add salt, 1 table spoon oil to the wheat flour & mix through the flour.

- Now slowly start adding water to the wheat flour and mix well. Make the fluffy dough & knead the dough thoroughly. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or napkin and keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

- take handful of dough to flat roll the paratha.

- Roll the paratha evenly & not so thick.

- Apply 1 to 2 drops of oil on the rolled paratha & start folding the paratha just like a paper fan.

- Hold the folded paratha on both the ends & stretch it length wise without breaking..

- Now spiral roll the folded paratha.

- Now, flat roll the paratha.

 - You can see the spiral flat paratha.

- Heat & grease the frying pan (tawa) & place the paratha on the taws and medium heat start frying the paratha.

- Once, the paratha is fried enough you can notice the bubbles on the paratha, apply little oil and flip to the another side and fry the paratha. 

Lacha Paratha

Lacha Paratha is ready :-) It's not that complex, isn't it? !! your answer is YES …I know :-)

Sweet Lacha,

- All the process is the same till, flat rolling the paratha.

- Coat the paratha with 2 to 3 drops of oil & add sugar & cinnamon mix on the paratha.

- and the folding & spiral rolling the paratha like Lacha paratha.

- Flat roll the sweet lacha & fry it on the frying pan (tawa).

You will love this sweet pacha as well. Try this & enjoy the Lacha Paratha..it tastes great with kurma !

Rava Idli Recipe

Didn't get the time to prepare your Idli batter? But feel like to eat Idli… ?!!! There is a solution…yes..& that is …RAVA IDLI…here is the recipe for you :-) 

Rava Idli

Ingredients :

Rava / Sooji - 2 cups

Curd / Yogurt - 1 cup

Grated Carrot - 1/2 cup

Chopped Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup

Grated GInger - 1 tea spoon

Chopped Green Chilli - 1 tea spoon

water - 1 to 1 1/2 cup

Baking soda - 1 pinch (optional)

For Seasoning :

Oil - 1 table spoon

Curry Leaves - 2 to 3

Urad dal - 1 tea spoon

Channa dal - 1 tea spoon

Moong dal - 1 tea spoon

Mustard Seeds - 1 tea spoon

Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon

Preparation :

- Heat oil in the pan & add all the seasoning ingredients & curry leaves and fry until slight brownish.

Seasoning 

- Once the seasoning is done, turn off the heat & add the sooji and let the sooji roast on the pan heat (no need to turn on the flame / gas again).

- Blend the seasoning with the rava / sooji well.

- Take the sooji into a Mixing bowl & keep it aside until it comes to room temperature.

- Once the sooji / rava is cool down, add the yogurt, grated carrot, chopped coriander leaves, chopped green chilli, baking soda & salt.

- Mix the batter thoroughly & make sure no lumps are formed.

- Start adding the water little by little and make a rava idli batter like the regular idli batter. It took 1 & 1/4 cup of water to my preferred consistency of Idli batter. 

- Once The batter is ready keep it aside for 30 minutes. After 1/2 hr batter is ready to use. Grease the Idli moulds and fill the idli moulds and steam like regular idli.

And, The RAVA IDLI is ready to be served & to enjoy …with your favorite side chutney :-)

We did with Ginger chutney & Peanut chutney powder !

Rava Idli

Kokum Rasam !

Hi ..here is one more variety of rasam recipe for you all…'Kokum Rasam' !

'Kokum' is a Tropical fruit…the dried kokum can replace the tamarind in the western ghats cuisine predominently  in various states of India like Karnataka, Kerala, Goa & Maharashtra. Kokum is a great source of Vitamin C & low in fats, calories and sugars.

You will love this recipe !

Kokum Rasam !

Ingredients :

Kokum - 5 to 6 pods
Jaggery - 1 to 2 table spoons
Tomato - 1 (optional)
Garlic cloves - 2 to 3
Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1 tea spoon
Curry Leaves - 3 to 5
Dry Red chili - 1 to 2
Oil - 1 table spoon
Chopped Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Black pepper powder - 1 tea spoon
Water - 2 to 3 cups
Salt - as per the taste

Preparation :

Dry Kokum

- Soak the kokum in a cup of water to extract the juice. Once extract from first round kokum juice, again we can soak the kokum in the water and get the extract.

Soaked Kokum !

- Heat oil in the sauce pan & add cumin seeds, curry leaves, garlic cloves & dry red chilli and fry.

- Now add the chopped tomato and fry for 5 minutes.

- Once the tomato is cooked little add coriander powder, cumin powder and give it a stir.

- Now add the kokum extract, water, salt & bring it to a boil.

- Add the Jaggery powder & black pepper powder to the rasam and adjust the salt.

Kokum Rasam !

- On a low heat, boil the rasam for 5 to 10 minutes. adjust the salt & jaggery. Once done switch off the heat. Add the chopped coriander leaves.

Kokum Rasam !

The sweet & sour kokum rasam tastes …..delicious !

Eggplant Fry !

I am posting a very simple yet mouth melting Eggplant / Brinjal Tawa fry recipe for you all !

Eggplant Fry !

Ingredients :

Eggplant / Brinjal - 1 Big sized

Red chili powder - 1 table spoon

Coriander / Dhaniya powder - 1 table spoon 

Jeera / Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon

Salt - As per the taste

Oil - for shallow fry 

Preparartion :

- Slice the eggplant / brinjal in to round shaped slices.

- In a bowl take red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder & salt.

- Add 1 to 2 table spoons of water & make the marination mix out of all the spices.

- Now, take each eggplant slice and coat with above marination on only one side.

- And heat oil in the frying pan and place the spices mix coated eggplant piece in the pan. Remember, keep the non-coated side of the eggplant slice intact with the pan.

- Once, fried on one side slowly flip on the second side..fry for 5 to 6 seconds and take it out on to a serving plate.

Garnish with chopped coriander & enjoy ! 

Pineapple Lassi / Pineapple & Yogurt Drink !

Bright & Sunny in the mid march ..out there 50 deg. fahrenheit … 30 minutes jog on treadmill and a trip to Costco left us so thirsty…& a bottle of water really wasn't helpful.

Times like these, to quench the thirst …the immediate coolers comes to our mind are Lemonade & Lassi / Yogurt drink :-) ! Yeah , I quickly inclined towards Lassi / Yogurt drink but with Pineapple !

Pineapple Lassi !

Ingredients :

Pineapple chunks - 1 cup

Yogurt - 3 table spoons

Sugar - 1 table spoon (optional)

Salt - 1 pinch

Ice cubes / Cold Water - 1/4 cup

Preparation :

Add pineapple chunks, yogurt, sugar, salt & ice cubes / cold water in mixer juicer / blender  and blend until pineapple chunks are finely blended.

And that is it, The chilled & yummy Pineapple Lassi / Pineapple Yogurt drink is ready !

Pineapple & yogurt smoothie !

Mango Custard !

The thought of the festival - UGADI making my thoughts go around mangoes & indian summer :-) !

Here, I come with a delicious & yummy Mango Custard recipe for you all !

Mango Custard !

Ingredients :

Milk - 1 1/2 cup

Custard powder - 2 table spoon (preferably mango flavored)

Sugar - 3 to 4 table spoons

Ripe Mango pieces - 1cup

Slice strawberries - 1/2 cup

Diced Pineapple - 1/2 cup

Sliced Banana - 1

Preparation :

1. Add custard powder to 1/2 cup cold milk (no need to boil).

2. Mix the custard powder with milk without any lumps & keep it aside.

Note : I bought the custard powder with mango flavor. Don't worry, If you don't have mango flavored

custard powder. You can use mango pulp, instead while 'mixing the fruits with custard'

3. Boil the remaining 1 cup milk on low heat & add sugar. Once milk is boiled, reduce the heat to lowest and add the custard powder - milk mix which we already prepared to the boiled milk. And, while adding keep stirring the milk..so that no lumps should form.

4. With in few seconds you can notice the thickening texture of custard. Turn off the heat and take the custard in to a bowl.

4. Let the custard come down to the room temperature.

5. Add all the cut fruits to the custard. At this point, As I said earlier if you are not using mango flavored custard powder, add 4 to 5 table spoons of mango pulp to the custard along with cut fruits.

5. Cover the custard with a lid or cling wrap & keep it in the refrigerator to serve the chilled Mango custard.

While serving the custard, you can serve topping it with honey, roasted almonds & nuts or a scoop of vanilla or any of your favorite flavor of ice cream on the side.

Enjoy the chilled Mango Custard !

Crispy Chicken Pakora (Pakodi) !

The crispy chicken pakora recipe that I am sharing today….would win any Non-vegetarian / Chicken lover's heart !

The spicy & crispy chicken pakora recipe for you all…

Chicken Pakora !

Ingredients :

Boneless chicken - 1 lb ( or ) 500 gm

Corn flour - 1 table spoon

Red chili powder - 1 table spoon

Coriander / Dhaniya powder - 1 tea spoon

Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tea spoon

Garam malasa powder - 1 tea spoon

Oil - to shallow fry

Salt - As per the taste

Preparation :

- Cut the chicken into small pieces & wash thoroughly in the running water and strain all the water using a colander. 

- Take the cleaned chicken into mixing bowl and start adding corn flour, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, ginger & garlic paste and salt.

- Mix well the chicken with all the spices & no need to add any extra  water while mixing.

- Keep the marinated chicken aside, for 1/2 hour so that, chicken will be settled & absorbs all the spices.

- Take a shallow , thick bottomed frying pan and heat the oil on a medium heat.

- Slowly start adding the marinated chicken to the oil & fry well until turns into deeper color.

- Once done take the fried chicken pakora in to a bowl & coat with lemon juice (optional)

& serve with a carrot & kheera (cucumber) salad on the side.

I am sure, you love this spicy & crispy chicken pakora recipe !

Chicken pakodi!