TANDOORI ROTI ON TAWA

It's an Indian flat bread recipe prepared with wheat flour in a traditional clay oven. Tandoori roti's are usually consumed with Indian curries. It is also a staple food of north India especially north west and punjab. Originally, tandoori rotis are roasted in clay oven known as tandoor. At homes not all of us have tandoors, yet without a tandoor we can make a really good tandoori rotis on stove top.  It is a simple and addictive dish. The method of making the dough is same as the way we make our regular chapatti dough. What works here is the method or technique of preparing and roasting the rotis. You can prepare tandoori rotis in pressure cooker but I personally prefer the tawa option instead of pressure cooker. Once in a while, when we go out to dine in restaurants, we always order tandoori rotis or butter naans. Tandoori roti speaks of dhaba food and is a healthy Inadian bread made of whole wheat flour. Today, we are making tandoori roti at home, yessss...!! When you have craving for punjabi dhaba food; you can make it right in your kitchen..how would you like that ; homemade tandoori roti!! It's easy, simple and quick too. I hope you will love it and try it!!!

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tablespoon Oil
1 teaspoon Salt (as required)
3/4-1 cup Water, for kneading (as required)
Some Oil, Ghee or Butter for spreading (optional)

METHOD:
STEP 1 - Sieve the atta along with 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl or a large plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil in it.

STEP 2 - Then add water and mix everything together and begin kneading. Knead a smooth, soft and supple dough.

STEP 3 -  Make small medium sized balls.

Now on a rolling platform sprinkle some flour and roll the dough into a small to medium sized chappatis.

STEP 4 - Spread water evenly on the roti with a pastry brush.

STEP 5 - Heat a tawa on medium heat.

Place the roti, watered side down on a hot tawa. Use a cast iron tawa. Don't use non-stick as the roti will fall off in the next step. As soon as the roti, gets heated up you will see huge and sometimes even large bubbles on the roti.

STEP 6 - Allow to cook for a minute on a low to medium flame.
STEP 7 - Now carefully hold the tawa upside-down on the flame. The flame has to be on low to medium or else the roti might get burnt.
STEP 8 - Rotate the tawa for even roasting or you can directly roast the rotis on gas stove.

STEP 9 - This is our tandoori roti done and roasted very well.
STEP 10 - This is watered side of the roti, which has been cooked. The tawa will have a few bits of cooked roti, which you can scrape off.
STEP 11 - Spread some butter or ghee on the tandoori roti and serve it.

 Serve tandoori roti hot with any dal, vegetable or paneer curry.Here I served the north Indian tandoori roti with the south Indian Kerala Style chicken curry.

KERALA STYLE CHICKEN CURRY

Bored of eating regular chicken curries then try this Kerala style chicken curry which is packed with flavours of various spices and curry leaves. Kerala style chicken curry is creamy, rich  and spicy, all time favourite. Sunday is the perfect day to try this type of recipes and experiments at my home. There are tons of different variations to prepare chicken curry. This is spicy and very easy to prepare, excellent taste , goes well with chapatti, parantha, naan or steamed rice. Here is perfect weather for having something hot and spicy. So I decided to make this Kerala style chicken curry.  The recipe is unique because the using of chopped dry kashmiri chillies and coconut. It is spicy but rich and creamy, try this simple, spicy and aromatic Kerala style  curry and you will surely love this...!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Kg Chicken, cut and cleaned
To saute and grind, for the gravy:
2-3 teaspoon Coconut Oil
6 big Onions,medium sized, sliced thin lengthwise
4 Tomatoes, thin sliced
To marinate:   
3/4th teaspoon Turmeric Powder
3 Green Chilli, slit lengthwise
2 teaspoon Kashmir Red Chilli Powder
3/4th teaspoon Pepper Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 sprig Curry Leaves
To Grind a smooth paste (raw ingredients for the masala):
6-8 Garlic Cloves
3-4 teaspoon Ginger, chopped
2 Cinnamon Sticks, 1" pieces
5-6 Cloves
3 peeled Cardamom Pods
2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
2 tablespoon Black Peppercorn
1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
3 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice (optional)
Salt to taste
The Seasoning:
2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
3-4 Green Chilli, lengthwise slit
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
2 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
2 sprigs Curry Leaves
1 cup Coconut Shavings (grind to a smooth pasting adding enough water)

METHOD:
STEP 1 - Marinate Chicken with the ingredients given in the To Marinate List.

STEP 2 -Grind the masala  under the heading To Grind Smooth Paste.

STEP 3 - Heat 2-3 tablespoon Coconut oil in a wide kadhai and saute the sliced onions till translucent adding half a teaspoon salt.[see notes]

STEP 4 - Saute along the tomato slices.

Turn off when it cooks and turn to a mushy mass.

STEP 5 - Cool and grind to a smooth paste.

STEP 6 - Heat 2 tablespoon oil (refer The Seasoning List) in the same kadhai,splutter the cumin seeds and saute the green chillis and curry leaves.

STEP 7 - Followed by the ground masala.

STEP 8 - Saute till the raw smell disappears and aroma of masala spread around. You may drizzle a bit more oil if you aren't using coconut oil or even otherwise. Take care not to burn the masala as it tends to stick the bottom of the pan.

STEP 9 -  While it turns dark brown in color, add the 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and 2 teaspoon chilli powder.

STEP 10 - Saute along with the masala for a few seconds. Stir in the onion-tomato paste along with 1-1 1/2 cup of water.

You may use the water used to rinse your mixie at this point.

STEP 11 - Dump the chicken pieces carefully when the gravy starts simmering.

STEP 12 - Check salt and close the curry with a lid. The gravy splutters and it is always safe to close the curry allowing to simmer further.

STEP 13 - Grind coconut to a thick paste adding enough water.

STEP 14 - After 5 minutes add the ground paste to simmering curry.

STEP 15 - Combine gently. Let it simmer again until the pieces turn soft and cooked. Check the salt again if needed.

STEP 15 - Simmer it in a closed pan until the pieces turn tender.

STEP 16 - You will find oil separating on top. When the curry attains the right consistency. Not too thick nor watery. Switch of the flame and your curry is ready to serve.

Serve it with chapatti, parantha, or steamed rice.

NOTES: I don't have coconut oil so used regular groundnut oil.

CAPSICUM PANEER SANDWICH

Paneer, capsicum sandwich sounds so tempting, no one can refuse. Bread slices are crisped to perfection and arranged together with the filling of finely chopped veggies, paneer and few spices. This is really delicious, easy and kid’s favourite sandwich. It can also be a quick fix for a filling tea time snack for your whole family. It is tasty as well as healthy stuffing to sandwich between breads and make snack. This is the first time I am making paneer sandwich. I always had a thought paneer sandwich could be dry and not as tasty as sandwiches with cheese. But this one was tasting really great and my gals too loved it. These are not much spicy and hence kid friendly, they are fairly easy to assemble and prepare. Serve them with tomato ketchup, chilli sauce or your favourite sauce. Please check below for step-by-step instructions and pictures for preparing easy and quick breakfast Capsicum Paneer Sandwich.  

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Grated Paneer [cottage cheese]

½ Cup Finely Chopped Onion

½ Cup Finely Chopped Capsicum

½ Cup finely Chopped Tomato

½ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder

2 Green chillies, Chopped Finely

1 tablespoon Mozzarella Cheese

2 Cheese Slice [optional]

1 tablespoon Chopped Coriander

2 teaspoon Butter

4-6 Sandwich Bread

1 tablespoon Green Coriander Chutney

1 tablespoon Tomato Sauce

METHOD:

STEP 1 – Take a bowl, add all the veggies in it with grated paneer and other ingredients except butter and chutneys.

STEP 2 – Mix it well with a spoon, check the taste and keep aside.

STEP 3 – Apply green chutney on one side of one bread slice and tomato sauce on other slice.

STEP 4 – Then spread the paneer mixture evenly on bread slice. Keep cheese slice on the mixture if using.

STEP 5 – Keep another bread on the top and brush little butter on bread.

STEP 6 – Heat a non- stick tawa or grill pan on medium heat.

STEP 7 – Grill  the sandwiches on non-stick tawa till golden brown and crisp.

STEP 8 – When done from one side, turn over carefully and roast from the other side.

STEP 9 – When done cut the sandwich into halves and serve hot.

Serve hot capsicum paneer sandwiches with tomato sauce or your favourite sauce.  

GREEN MANGO CHUTNEY

Summer is the season for mangoes, ripe mangoes are a treat in themselves but raw mangoes has a taste of its own. Just thought of raw mangoes, makes ones mouth water.

We know that ripe mangoes are used to make the variety of dishes and refreshers. But what about the tangy raw green mangoes???? They are also equally tasty and flavorful as the ripe mangoes. The green mangoes have equivalent use in making a variety of food as they also are tremendously tasty, tangy and sour. The green mango chutney recipe is surely a sweet sibling for the spicy mango pickle. This chutney is prepared with raw mango and coriander leaves. Tastes delicious with any dry snacks.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Raw Mango
2 cup Coriander, chopped
1/2 cup Mint Leaves
Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Salt
1 teaspoon Roasted Cumin Seeds
1 inch Ginger
3-4 Green Chillies

METHOD:
STEP 1 - Remove the skin and cut the raw mango into cubes.

STEP 2 - Mix all the ingredients in mixer grinder. With a pinch of asafoetida and 1/2 cup of water.

STEP 3 - Remove it from mixer pot and ready to serve.

STEP 4 - Use it with Samosa, Kachori or Pakodas.