Paneer Kulcha - Stove top Method

We as a family are not very fond of flatbreads, so I usually avoid any kind of experiment regarding flatbreads and usually stick to a basic chapati or fulka.. Last week, one of my fellow blogger has thrown a question on her site asking for her next posting and this name, 'Paneer Kulcha - stove top method' caught my attention immediately. I followed the method described by her blindly and the result was really awesome. Just have a look and see.
For those who don't know, Kulcha is a fluffy round Indian flatbread typically stuffed with meat or vegetables,which is extremely popular in north India specially Punjab. 

Ingredients:

• Flour or Maida - 2 cups
• Curd - 3 tbsp 
• Club Soda - 1/2 cup 
• Carom seeds - 3 tbsp
• Cooking Oil - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp

For Stuffing:

• Grated Paneer /Cottage cheese - 1 Cup
• Boiled Potatoes, grated - 2
• Green chillies, finely chopped - 2
• Aamchoor Powder - 1 tbsp
• Ginger Paste - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Spring Onion - 1 cup, chopped
• Salt to taste

Take the flour in a bowl, then add salt, curd, 1/2 tsp carom seeds, cooking oil and mix well. Add the soda carefully and mix together with flour. Add little amount of water as required and knead the dough. keep it covered for half an hour.

Mix grated paneer along with grated potatoes, chilli, salt, aamchoor powder, chopped onion, ginger paste and 1/3 of chopped spring onion. Season well.

Take small amount of dough and make a ball. Flatten it a little, then put 1 tbsp of paneer mixture at the centre. Cover and shape into a round ball again, so that the stuffing is not exposed. Now press down the ball with your palm and flatten it to a small round bread. If the kneading is proper, you should be able to flatten it by hand only, the dough should be that soft. Sprinkle some carom seeds and chopped spring onion at the top and press a little so that they stick to the bread as shown in the picture below.

Now the most important process, you are going to simulate the Tandoor effect at home. Heat a wide mouth, heavy and round based Kadhai or wok, take a kulcha in one hand, pat a little water on other side of the kulcha and stick it the inner side of the kadai. Press lightly with a spatula to ensure that the kulcha is stuck properly.

After 30 seconds, flip the Kadhai upside down so that kulcha is exposed to direct flame. Be very very careful at this moment, increase the flame. Within seconds you will see tiny browns spots on top, just when you see it is cooked evenly, remove from the fire and keep aside.

Remove from kadai and brush with ghee or clarified butter. Serve immediately. Kulcha is at its best when hot.

Serve with 'Nimboo ka Achaar' !!!

Punjabi Aloo Paratha

This is in continuation of our  'Know your Kolkata Food Blogger Event' .. and this time it is Amrita.. who blogs from 'Sweet n Savoury' .While browsing through her blog I stopped at this incredible Aloo Paratha recipe..and immediately decided to give it a try. Received the best compliment from my son, who said, he feels like he is in Delhi, enjoying breakfast at some roadside dhaba. :-) So far, whenever I made aloo Paratha, it is something like everywhere it is roti and thin layer of potato at the centre. But Amrita taught me how to spread the potatoes evenly. Let's see how. 

Ingredients

• Boiled potatoes - 4
• Finely chopped onion - 2 tbsp
• Grated ginger - 1 tbsp.
• Chopped green chillies - 2
• Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.
• Jeera powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Garam masala 1/4th tsp
• Amchur powder - 1 tsp
• Prepared atta dough

  In a bowl mash the boiled potatoes and add onion, ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves, jeera powder, salt, garam masala and amchur powder. Mix them well.

Now take a handful of the atta dough and make a small round roti.Take a handful of the potato mixture (equal to the quantity of atta dough taken ) and put in the center of the roti.

Now cover it with flour on both sides and make a round shaped roti again .

Roll it to a roti once again. Now add a good helping of ghee on the roti and spread it with a spoon.

     Fold the dough from the edges to the center into a square shape .

Now add more flour and roll it into a square paratha.

  

 This double rolling of the dough (first round shape and then square) ensures that the filling has reached all the corners well.
Now put it on a preheated tawa and fry on both sides till done. Serve hot with Dahi / Curd and pickle.

Egg Parota

Planning for Sunday Breakfast is a big problem for me. 3 members in the family, different choices, different moods, to make them happy and at the same time keeping the health factor in mind is a real big challenge. However, I am saved this weekend, as I came across this recipe  in the net and tried my hand on this with slight variations.

Ingredients

• Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup    
• White Oil - 1 tbsp.  
  
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Capsicum, Onion, Spring Onion - chopped, 1 cup
• Eggs - 3
• Milk - 3 tbsp.
• Green Chilli - 1 , chopped fine
• Oil for Frying

Knead the flour with 1 tbsp oil and salt and keep covered for 15 minutes. Fry lightly the chopped vegetable with seasoning and let it cool.

Mix the cooled vegetable mixture with eggs and milk. season properly.

Roll the flour dough and make 4 roti out of it. Heat oil in a flat pan and put one roti onto it. Lower the heat.




Carefully pour the egg vegetable mixture onto the roti using a spoon and smear all over.

Immediately fold the sides of the roti and let it cook.

When one side done, flip over and cook the other side. You may need to sprinkle some oil if required.

Cook all the parotas in this way, one at a time.

Serve hot with tomato sauce.