Food from waste: Paratha rolls

Well, i am of the opinion to use as much natural things as possible and to make sure the waste happens to minimum. To the extent, that i recycle my kitchen waste for composting (nothing big to brag about, as everyone should do this) and making sure to eat fresh and natural than the processed stuff. I am reading a lot about homesteading these days, and as much as i want to have my own kitchen garden here, i can't! All thanks to the cute 4 legged's i board who keep going to the balcony either to eat the leaves or at times even release their nature call. :P So, now i am trying to develop our fish room balcony into a kitchen garden. Though it's small, i am sure i can at least harvest some basic herbs in it. Just waiting for the weather to get a little better as it rained here today, and the wind chills have increased. So cosying up below my blanket, here i am writing today's post.

Cooking, i believe, is an art learnt by practicing. It's all about sharing, observing and practicing as compared to any other art of craft, drawing or music where people have an innate talent. I can say this, as through my 2 years of cooking journey (yes, if you have read my first few posts, you would have known that i started cooking only after marriage!), i have observed my own growth. The way food tasted when i cooked first and now, has improved tremendously and am sure 5 years down the line, i would have had much more expertise with experience.
Just as our mothers and grannies don't cook with 'measurements', but 'judgments', we too would reach that level with patience and practice. 

This recipe is just an example of how my journey has helped me to think of this innovation. I always used to wonder why we throw away the stems of all the leafy vegetables that we eat - like spinach, methi or even mooli. Is it because they don't taste well? or is it because they are bad for our health? or is it because they don't have any nutritional value? I don't think the reason is any of this, and neither did i find any answers to it in Google except for the fact that they are dirty and they are thick. So what? Wash them thoroughly and make a paste of it! Simple! I tried incorporating it in our diet and here is what was born...

Looks tempting, isn't it? We love it so much that now the stems will never see the compost bin, but our tiffin boxes :) Yes, this makes for a great breakfast or tiffin recipe. Now lets get to method :

Ingredients:

Stems of all leafy vegetables like spinach, methi, mooli etc. - i took remains of about 1/2 bundle of each

Whole wheat flour (Atta) - 1 n half cup (Add more or less depending on the puree that you get)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Corriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Ginger-garlic-green chilli paste ( Just chop them and make a coarse paste in mortar and pestle of about 5-6 garlic, 1/2 inch ginger and 1-2 green chillies )

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tsp in dough plus to fry

Mayonnaise - as needed

Tomato ketchup - as needed

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Ajwaiin - 1/2 tsp

Recipe:

Chop the stems and wash them thoroughly under running water so that no dirt remains.

Now in a mixer grinder, make a fine paste of these stems. Initially don't add water. Then add little water if needed. If the paste is a little coarse, not a problem.

Now in a mixing bowl, add all the dry spices, the stem-paste, flour, salt, ginger-garlic-chilli paste and 1 tsp oil and knead into a nice dough. Add flour little by little checking the consistency of the dough. The dough shouldn't be too sticky, hence add water accordingly too. Knead a nice soft dough as we make a roti or paratha dough.

The dough looks like this :

Now divide them in equal sized balls and roll out into a paratha.

Heat a tava and fry the paratha, adding oil on both sides and frying till you get nice brown spots on each side.

Now spread some tomato ketchup and mayonnaise on the paratha, and roll it. Now cut it in two halves.

You can also add any filling of your choice or even some leftover sabzi or aloo sabzi, just for a different taste.

Now, isn't that interesting? Food from waste!!! Let me know if you have any such more ideas.

Happy Cooking :)

Upma : Dabba Recipe

Recipe for Beginners : For those who haven't entered the kitchen, this recipe is a saviour when you are put in the situation ! Upma is a common breakfast dish in south India. Less oil, less time, less preparation !!!! It tastes great just as it is, or you can even serve it with pickle ( especially lime) or even with corriander or coconut chutney. Some even add sev or bhujia to it, just to add the taste ! Upma is a hot favourite as it can be eaten even as a snack, it surely fills you for long hours.

Fire in the Kitchen : Indian cooking = Onions !!! Onion adds taste to every dish we make :) Every curry, sabzi or daal does require onion as an ingredient. With the rising onion prices in India, poor cooks/chefs/mothers have to think of alternative recipes that can be cooked without onions. Onion is also an important ingredient in breakfast recipes including upma. I always made upma with onions and tomatoes, and sometimes adding 1 or 2 vegetable for nutritional benefits. Now that i have to pack breakfast tiffin everyday for my husband, i have to think of alternate recipes too without using onions! Managing monthly budget is hell of a task!!!!!!! So, here's Upma( cooked without onions ), a hot cup of coffee ( served in my favourite mug) and Newspaper.... A Lovely Morning is here :)

Ingredients :

Rava ( Suji ) - 1 cup ( dry roasted. You can even dry roast in bulk and store in air tight container and use as and when required )

Green chillies - 2/3 ( chopped finely )

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch piece (grated or chopped finely )

Peanuts - 2 tbsp ( roast and remove skin)

Carrot - 1 ( peeled and grated )

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Water - 2 cups

Coconut - 1 tsp ( grated ) Optional. To garnish

Corriander leaves - 1/2 cup ( this adds freshness and aroma to the dish ) to garnish

You can even add curry leaves, cumin seeds, split urad daal or split chana daal if u wish.

Recipe :

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the green chillies. (If adding curry leaves, and the daal, add now and saute till brown ). Saute for 30 secs and then add the peanuts.

Saute for a minute.

Add green peas and grated carrots and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Now add the water to the pan and let it come to a boil on high flame.

Reduce the flame to minimum and slowly add rava. Stir so that no lumps are found.

Keep stirring till the mixture thickens.

Garnish with grated coconut and corriander leaves. Always serve hot.. It doesn't taste great when cold.

Happy Cooking :)