I love making/eating parathas. It is one way I load up everyday rotis. There are no talks at the table when parathas are on the menu. I usually serve them with yogurt or pickle. I usually make a big pile of them so that we can enjoy them for next days lunch also  – I cut them into strips/squares, whatever he prefers, next day for Ishaan’s lunchbox.
Few days ago we visited Kansas zoo with our friends. That was the first time, we went there with lunch packed. I made a pulav and my friend Amrita brought these tasty parathas. I loved her parathas. I might have eaten Ishaan’s share of paratha also :). I got her recipe and wanted to make them at home. I followed whatever I remembered. They came out so well. My little chef helped me make them. I had only peas and carrots with me, but a lot of other veggies can be used in the stuffing.
Ingredients: 3 cups wheat flour 1 cup vegetables (like peas, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower) 1 cup crumbled paneer 1/2 cup onion 2 tea spns ginger-garlic paste 1/2 tea spn garam masala 1/2 tea spn chilli powder 1/2 tea spn cumin seeds A pinch turmeric 1/2 tea spn coriander-cumin powder 2 tbl spns chopped coriander leaves Salt
Method: Make a dough mixing wheat flour, water, salt and a little oil. Do not make the dough too soft or too hard. Cover it and keep aside for atleast 30mins. Cook all the vegetables and keep aside. I used carrots and peas only when I made these, but you can use some or all the vegetables mentioned above. Â Heat a little oil and add cumin seeds. Then add onion, ginger garlic paste and little salt. When onions get slightly soft, add garam masala, coriander-cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric, salt, mix well. Add the vegetables and mash them to remove any lumps. Now add paneer, coriander leaves, mix well. Adjust salt if needed. Make small balls from outer dough and vegetable stuffing. Make parathas. Roast them on hot tava. Serve hot with some butter/ghee and pickle/yogurt.
Serves : 4 Preparation time : 45 mins
Who doesn’t like corn? Although we find very good corn around the year here, I miss fresh babycorn. I haven’t seen it yet here in Kansas (not a fan of canned one). So when I found it in Bangalore during my last India trip, I had to try it. I made couple of dishes with it and loved to eat every last bit of babycorn.
Here is a simple pulav I made with babycorn. I used one of my favorite spices – Dagad phool. Please note, it is not same as star anise. This looks like dried flowers or lichens that are often seen on trees. It has a very strong smell.  Aayi uses this in her chicken curry, so for me, this spice has typical chicken curry smell  .
Ingredients: 2 cups basmati rice 1 cup chopped babycorn 1 cup vegetables like carrot, cauliflower, capsicum(bellpepper) 1 tea spn chopped ginger 1 tea spn chopped garlic 3 green chillies 1 tea spn coriander seeds 1 tea spn dagad phool 1 tea spn cumin seeds 1 tbl spn fresh/frozen coconut 2-3 cloves 2″ cinnamon 1/2 cup onion Ghee/oil Salt
Method: Heat a little oil and fry coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, 1/4 cup onion, dagad phool, ginger, garlic, chopped green chillies and fry for few minutes. Grind  this with coconut to a paste.
 Heat ghee and fry remaining onion. Now add the paste and fry till a nice aroma comes out. Add all the vegetables and saute for few minutes.
 Now add rice and fry it well. Pour in 4 cups of water, salt. Cover the lid and let it cook on a medium-low heat till done. Serve hot.
Serves : 4-5 Preparation time : 40 mins
