Spinach & Beetroot Pin Wheel Parathas

          Bored with the same old paratha for breakfast? Want to make something new and interesting? Then try these attractive & colourful parathas with the goodness of spinach and beetroot. Healthy and nutritious, they will be liked by young and old alike. 

          Serve them hot with any side dish. Relish them for lunch / dinner too with your favourite curry. So go ahead and make this tempting and appetizing parathas for a weekend breakfast by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare them.

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp. oil to knead
• pinch of baking soda (opt)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar 
• 1 small beetroot, boiled & pureed
• 1 cup tightly packed spinach, blanched & pureed
• salt to taste
• oil to shallow fry
• side dish to serve

          Mix 1 tbsp. oil, sugar and baking soda to the flour. Now divide into three equal portions. To one portion, add the spinach puree and knead into a dough. Add water if required. Keep aside.

          To the second portion, add the beetroot puree and knead into a dough with required quantity of water. Keep aside.

          Knead the remaining flour with enough water and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Roll all the three dough separately into a big circle, just like chapatti by dusting some flour.

          Stack them one over the other and roll them tightly from one end to the other. Cut into 1/2" thick rounds. Roll out each round into a round paratha.

          Heat a tawa and fry them on both sides till light golden in colour by drizzling some oil over it and around the edges. Serve them hot with any side dish.

                                Stack them one over the other.

                                Roll them tightly from one end to the other. 

                                Cut into 1/2" thick rounds. 

                                Roll out each round into a paratha.

                     Heat a tawa & fry them on both sides till light golden in colour by drizzling 
                     some oil over it & around the edges. 

                               Serve them hot with any side dish.

Sarva Pindi - (Crispy Rice-Flour Pancakes - Telangana Style)

          These crispy & savoury traditional pancakes is a common evening snack from Hyderabad / Telangana. They are made of rice flour, chana dal, peanuts, fresh grated coconut, sesame seeds and many other flavouring ingredients. Besides having them as a tea-time snack, they can also be relished for breakfast with coconut chutney or pickles. 

           They are usually carried during travelling and can be stored in airtight containers for a couple of days. So do give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy dish.

                        Though I was brought up in Hyderabad and spent most of my time there, yet I was unaware of this delicious snack. The moment I came to know about it, I decided to give it a try and it was a super hit. I enjoy it whenever I have those hungry pangs....So go ahead and give it a try. They can be shallow fried (like I did) or deep fried. Choice is yours.

• 3 cups rice flour 
• 1/4 cup chana dal (Bengal gram lentil), soaked overnight
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 sprig curry leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds, dry roasted
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder or to taste
• oil to shallow fry

          First mix together chana dal, onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts and cumin seeds.

          Combine the rice flour, salt and red chili powder. Then combine all the ingredients and prepare a dough with required quantity of water. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

          Divide into 4-5 equal portions. On a greased pan / tawa, spread into a big circle just like chapati with the tip of your fingers. Keep sprinkling some water while working on it. 

          Make few holes on it and drizzle oil in them. Cover and fry on a low flame till one side is done before flipping it over. 

          Make similar Sarva Pindis with the remaining dough and serve with coconut chutney / pickles or as an evening tea-time snack.


   

                Mix chana dal, onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, coriander leaves, curry 
                leaves, sesame seeds, coconut, peanuts and cumin seeds.

                                Combine rice flour, salt & red chili powder. 

                   Mix all ingredients & prepare a dough with required quantity of water. 

                               Cover with a damp cloth & keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

                 Divide into 4-5 equal portions. On a greased tawa, spread into a big circle
                 just like chapatti with the tip of your fingers. Keep sprinkling some water 
                 while working on it. 

                Make few holes on it & drizzle oil in them. Cover & fry on a low flame till 
                one side is done before flipping it over. 

                        Serve with coconut chutney / pickles or as an evening tea-time snack.

Smoked Veg. Galouti Kebab / Kabab

          This is a vegetarian version of the traditional Galouti Kebab. It is prepared with Rajma and with a smoky flavor. These are a melt-in-the-mouth delicacy and tastes very much like a non-veg. version. You can also add boiled potatoes and / or paneer to it. 

          Rajma is extremely healthy with the goodness of proteins, fiber, etc. So go ahead and dish out this amazing kebab. Enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney, as a tea-time snack or as a lunch box meal, wrapped up in a chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup rajma (Kidney beans), soaked overnight
• 2 tbsp. fried onions
• 10-12 cashews
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger, grated
• 2 fresh red chilies, chopped
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. ghee
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp.  garam masala powder
• 2-3 tbsp. roasted gram flour
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes 
• oil to shallow fry
• a small live charcoal

          Boil the soaked rajma with enough water for 10 minutes on a medium flame after the first whistle. Grind along with the fried onions and cashews into a smooth paste.

          Add rest of the ingredients (except oil) to the ground rajma and mix well to form a dough. Place a small live charcoal in a steel container and pour a tsp. of oil / ghee in it. 

          Cover for 5 minutes so that the smoky flavor gets infused in it. Form small flat round shape patties by wetting your hands.

          Shallow fry on both sides by adding a tbsp. of oil. Carefully flip them as they are very delicate. Enjoy with green chutney or any dip.

         

                                  Grind soaked rajma, fried onions & cashews....

                                 .....into a smooth paste.

                       Add rest of the ingredients (except oil) to the ground rajma & mix well 
                       to form a dough. 

                      Place a small live charcoal in a steel container & pour a tsp. of oil / ghee
                      in it. Cover for 5 minutes so that the smoky flavor gets infused in it.

                 Form small flat round shape patties by wetting your hands. Shallow fry on both 
                 sides by adding a tbsp. of oil. Carefully flip them over as they are very delicate. 

                                  Enjoy with green chutney or any dip.

         

Baked Veggie Spring Rolls with Indian Flavours - Fusion Style

          Here are some very easy and delicious crispy Chinese style baked Veggie Spring Rolls. They are great as appetizers with green chutney / sauce / dip or as a tea-time snack. Choice is yours. Absolutely healthy with all the goodness of colourful veggies, it is bound to be a hit at any in-house party. 

           You can add any of your favourite veggies too. They can also be served as an after school snack for the kids. So do give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          I went out of the beaten track and instead of adding the usual soya sauce, pepper and chili sauce, I experimented with our very own Indian flavours. 

          I added fresh grated coconut, crushed roasted peanuts, roasted gram flour (to absorb the moisture), curry leaves, sambar powder and chili flakes to make it more spicy. 

          I should admit it turned out lip smacking. So go ahead and bring out a different flavour each time you bake these yummy goodies and impress your near and dear ones. 

          Frankly speaking I really enjoyed baking them and equally relished as a tea-time snack. Try baking along with your kids. They will have a wonderful time creating these spring rolls.

• 1 cup each of cabbage, carrots, red, green & yellow bell peppers, sliced
• 1-2 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, crushed
• 1-2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tbsp. roasted gram flour
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1-2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tbsp. spring onion, chopped
• 10-12 spring roll sheets
• oil to brush

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the garlic and fry till it changes colour. Then add the onions and curry leaves. Sauté till it turns slightly brown.

          Then add the carrots first and stir fry for a minute. Next add all the veggies and salt. Continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes.

          Add the crushed peanuts, roasted gram flour, coconut, sambar powder and chili flakes. Mix everything well and switch off the flame. Set it aside to cool down.

          Take one spring roll sheet and place 1-2 tbsp. of the veggie filling on one corner of it as shown. Roll it over till the middle.

          Apply some water on either sides and tuck them in from both ends. Then roll over again till the end and apply some more water at the tip of the sheet to secure it firmly.

          Brush with some oil and arrange all the rolled up spring rolls over a greased baking tray lined with butter paper.

          Bake at 180 degrees C. for 18-20 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack to cool down. Garnish with spring onion and then enjoy as a tea-time snack or as an appetizer with sauce, green chutney or any dip.








Note-
1.  Defrost the spring roll sheet pack for 1-2 hours. 
2.  While working on them, keep them covered with a damp cloth to avoid drying up.
3.  If you desire a garam masala flavour, then skip the mustard seeds, sambar powder and curry leaves. Instead temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Kasuri methi along with garam masala powder can be added here for an intense flavour. 
4.  Best of Luck!!!!!!

                                 Slice all the veggies.

                 Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Add garlic & fry till colour changes.

                                Add onions & curry leaves. Sauté till it turns slightly brown.

                                 Then add carrots first & stir fry for a minute. 

                                 Add all veggies & salt. Continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes.

                   Add peanuts, roasted gram flour, coconut, sambar powder & chili flakes. 

                                  Mix well & switch off the flame. Set it aside to cool down.

                    Take one spring roll sheet & place 1-2 tbsp. of the stuffing on one corner 
                    of it as shown. 

                                  Roll it over till the center.

                          Apply some water on either sides & tuck them in from both ends. 

                    Roll over again till the end & apply some more water at the tip of the sheet. 

                Brush with oil & arrange them over a greased baking tray lined with butter 
                paper.

Bake at 180 degrees C. for 18-20 min. Set aside on a wire rack to cool down. 

Garnish with spring onion & then enjoy as a tea-time snack or as an

                          appetizer with sauce, green chutney or any dip.