Parathas are shallow fried Indian flat breads and it can be stuffed with different fillings. The most favourite filling amongst all is the spicy potato mixture. Aloo parathas are quite popular in Northern parts of India and prepared for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Punjabis are known to make best aloo parathas served with lots of makkhan.

You will come across different spices/masalas being used to pep up the bland potatoes as filling/stuffing and the flat breads rolled out in various shapes. The end result is a tasty yummy dish which is a wholesome meal in itself and can be enjoyed with accompaniments such as pickle, curd, chutney, curry or just like that with blob of butter on top.


My kids cannot resist parathas and when stuffed with potatoes, my elder one makes sure that he carries them in his tiffin box too.  I am more than happy to roll these easy to pack parathas for him because I know empty box gonna make its way back home.

The recipe that I usually follow is here


For Dough

Wheat flour 2 cups
Salt as per taste
Water [preferably lukewarm]
Oil/ Ghee 2 tsp


For filling
Potatoes medium sized boiled and mashed/grated 3
Onion grated 1
Green chilli finely chopped 1-2
Coriander leaves finely chopped, fistful
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp [ You can use finely grated ginger and garlic also]
Garam masala  1/2 tsp [or if chaat masala 1 tsp ]
Amchur powder 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee as per requirement

Method:
And the aloo parathas served hot with blob of butter on top ........ Yummm!!

Note:

• I always prepare a firm dough which helps me in rolling out the parathas with stuffing inside it.

• Sometimes, when I am short of time I just boil the potatoes, grate them and add different spices to it without cooking them. 

• I try different ingredients and experiment with the potato stuffing such as adding chopped mint leaves, anardana seeds, cumin seeds, kalonji seeds, ajwain, lemon juice,  kitchen king masala powder etc. With your imagination you can try different combinations as per family taste preferences and prepare the filling mixture.

Happy Cooking !
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This kadhi/curry is prepared from Avalo, a konkani word for  amla or gooseberry.



Recipe source: Utta Uphara by Jaya V. Shenoy

Ingredients

Avalo 7-8
Fresh grated coconut 1 cup
Red chillies 4 -6
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp 
Oil/Ghee
Garlic cloves 12-15 [We love the seasoning with lots garlic].
Salt


Method:

Wash and clean the gooseberry [avalo]. Immerse it in enough water, add salt and boil it. Once cooked enough, cut them along their line and remove the seed. Slice the amla into small pieces. Don't throw the water. [I use the water while grinding the paste and later to adjust the consistency of the kadhi]

Roast the red chilies in few drops of oil. Keep them aside and allow it to cool. Grind grated coconut, roasted red chillies and chopped pieces of amla. Now add dry roasted cumin seeds and give a turn in the mixie to a coarse paste. Transfer the paste to a vessel. Adjust the water to get the required kadhi consistency. [I added less water to keep the consistency thick]. Add salt as per your preference [Remember we have added salt while boiling amlas so check and then proceed to add]. Bring it to boil.

Heat ghee in spatula. Add crushed garlic in it and saute it till golden brown. Add this seasoning to the kadhi. Serve it hot with rice.

Happy cooking!
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A gap of almost 2 weeks between this post and last post :( ... That's because first I had been busy with my kids exams, followed by a busy schedule at office where in our department [Health planning and follow-up] was involved with organizing a conference on strategic planning in healthcare at national level under Ministry of Health, Kuwait. With consultants and speakers from different countries sharing their experiences and expert opinions about planning, it was helpful not just brushing up/ updating myself in the subject but getting the hands on experience to work at an individual level and in a team while arranging this event and I enjoyed every minute of it. Now back to my space/blog [a place that helps me in relaxing and this is what I am looking for post conference]

After the first successful attempt to prepare Tiramisu and Pannacotta [Cardamom flavored and Mango chocolate flavored], the next recipe on my "to do list" was a cheesecake. With mangoes in the season the flavor already got decided in my mind. Yes, it was a no-bake eggless chilled Mango cheesecake.


The recipes that I came across various food groups and blogs had different combinations of ingredients. I opted for the vegetarian version that had used either hung curd and paneer or cheese with cream besides mango puree and vegetarian setting agent in it as filling layer. I adapted from different recipes as per the availability of ingredients at my place.

Ingredients

For the crust
Digestive biscuits 250 gm  + 4 biscuits
Butter 100 gms
2 tbsp cocoa powder

For the filling
Philadelphia cheese 200 gm
Whipping cream 250 ml
Mango puree 1 3/4 cup
Sugar 1/2 cup
Agar Agar 15 gms * [See notes]
Water: to soak as well as prepare the agar agar solution.

For the glaze topping
Mango puree 3/4 cup
Agar Agar 5 gms
Sugar 1 tbsp
Water 1/4 cup water
Mango diced for garnishing
Few fresh mint leaves
Cake Sprinkles [optional]


Method: 

Crush the biscuits with hands on a plate. [You can even put them into a ziplock and use a rolling pin to crush these biscuits or whiz them in food processor to coarse powder]. Now add melted butter and blend well until the mixture comes together. Divide this mixture into two parts and add cocoa powder to one part.

Press the plain biscuit powder mixture into the bottom of 8 " springform pan [Alternately you can use individual glasses and divide the mixture equally into all the glasses]. On top of this mixture press the cocoa biscuit mixture firmly using back of your spoon [You may omit dividing the mixture and adding the cocoa powder to proceed further as mentioned below]. This mixture will form the base of the cake. Refrigerate the mixture for 30-40 minutes while you proceed to prepare the filling.

Prepare agar agar solution as per the packet instructions depending upon the brands that you use. [I had to soak agar agar flakes for 10 minutes, drain the water]. Take enough water to immerse the agar agar and warm it. Warm up mango puree in another vessel. Once the agar agar gets dissolved in the water, reduce the flame and add the mango puree stirring continuously on sim flame. Switch off the flame after 2-3 mins. Allow it to come to room temperature.

Meanwhile, whisk the whipping cream in a large deep vessel until soft, then whisk in the Philadelphia cheese and sugar. Add the mango- agar agar mixture into cream mixture. Beat gently with a hand held wire whisk until well combined. Pour this mixture over the prepared crust, level with the back of spoon. Chill for 3 - 4 hours in the fridge.

For glaze, soak the agar agar as per packet instructions and warm it up along with water and sugar. Prepare the mango agar mixture using the same steps as mentioned above. (optional step: you can add 1 tbsp lemon juice). Allow it to come to room temperature. Now spread the glaze over the set cream layer and refrigerate it for 2-3 hours or till you serve it.

Keep the cake at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving. Now slowly release the cake from the pan. Garnish with mango cubes/pieces, cake sprinkles and mint leaves. You can also top the cake with chocolate sauce and strawberry.



And that's a slice of delicious cheesy cake, a virtual treat to my readers and friends.

* Notes :
I am still experimenting with agar agar and the measurement may differ little-bit with respect to the brands that are used or the form [powder/ flakes] that we use. Its bit tricky but once you get the real science, then you would know the correct ratio of the setting agent that should be used. Read more about properties of agar agar and the steps required to cook it from here

Update: Thanks to Meena Dhage, who messaged me and gave the equivalents of agar agar if flaky or powdered and her experience to get the cheesecake (with hung curd and paneer) right using the below formula -
"4 tablespoons agar agar flakes = nearly 3 tsp agar agar powder "

Happy cooking!!!
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With start of the new academic year for my elder one, much of my time is diverted to concentrate on his new activities, new lessons and not to forget his exams in the first month itself ! In such a scenario, when I am pressed for time or have less time to cook/blog, I see to it that my cooking menu remains simple and I opt to blog for quick and easy recipes. Now without doing much blah blah, I go directly to write down a simple yet tasty thoran recipe. Thanks Gayatri Praveen Kamath for this recipe.



Ingredients

French beans - 250 gms [ The original recipe mentioned use of Long beans]
Coconut grated /frozen 1/2 cup
Onion chopped 1/2 cup
Small onions sliced 1/4 cup [ I didn't have them hence not added to this recipe]
Green chilli 1 [ You can increase them as per your preference]
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Salt as per taste
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Red chillies 2
Coconut oil 2 tsp



Method:

Wash the beans, remove the ends and chop them finely. Chop onions and green chillies. Keep them aside. Grind grated coconut [ you can use frozen coconut too], green chillies, onions, turmeric powder and curry leaves coarsely. Do not add water while grinding. Mix together the chopped beans and ground coconut onion mixture. Add salt as per the taste.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and as they splutter, add dry red chillies, curry leaves, sliced small onions [I didn't add the small onions] and saute them till onions turn translucent. Add the beans mixture and stir well. Sprinkle some water at this point if needed. Cover and cook on a low flame for 5 minutes or till the beans gets cooked. Place it in a bowl and serve it warm as a side dish to chappatis or with rice and rasam.

Happy cooking !!!
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Indian spinach or malabar spinach, [Basella alba] a leafy vegetable is a perennial vine known as 'Vali ' in konkani, ' Basale ' in kannada or ' Mayalu ' in marathi. You will find this creeper grown mostly in the backyard of the houses across the konkan region or coastal Karnataka. This can be grown easily by planting its stem in the soil. The leaves of this greens are broader and thicker than the regular spinach. 

We prepare different dishes from this greens such as ambat, bendi, randayi with different combinations such as addition of raw papaya or jackfruit seeds. The use of tender stems of this leafy vegetable in any dish makes it even more tasty. The seasoning can be with onions or mustard seeds and curry leaves. Today, I post the recipe of popular konkani curry "Vali Ambat"

Ingredients

Vaali/ Chinese spinach 1 bunch
Tur dal 1/4 cup
Coconut, fresh or frozen 1 cup
Red chillies roast in few tsp of oil
Tamarind marble sized 1
Turmeric pinch
Onion 2
Jaggery 1 tbsp [optional]



Method:

Pluck the leaves from stems. Use the stems if only they are tender. Wash and clean the leaves as well as stems. Roughly chop the leaves and cut the tender stems 1 inches long.

Wash toor dal and pressure cook it. Mash the cooked dal and keep it aside. For masala/ gravy, grind roasted red chillies, tamarind and coconut to a smooth paste. Meanwhile, cook the chopped leaves along with stems and one diced onion separately in a vessel. Mix the ground masala, jaggery, salt as per the taste to the above vessel and add enough water to get desired consistency. Mix well and cook for some more time.

Now heat coconut oil in a spatula on low flame and add finely chopped onions. Saute it till the onions turn brown on low flame itself. Add this seasoning to the cooked curry, switch off the flame and cover the vessel with lid. Alternately you can use mustard seeds and curry leaves for seasoning in place of onions. Serve it hot with rice. 

Happy cooking!
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Kids at home love to eat pastas and often I prepare this dish with regular pasta sauces. This time I thought to try some fusion and cook them in traditional Indian way by blending it with Indian spice powders. [at the nth minute I realized the stock of required sauces had got finished and hence this daring idea !!! :)]. So here's the easy peasy recipe for this dish.



Ingredients

Shell shaped pasta 1 cup [ U can use any other type of pasta/ macaroni of your choice]
Soya chunks shredded 1 cup
Mixed vegetables 1/2 cup [I used frozen ones, thawed and boiled with salt]
Capsicum chopped 1
Onion large sized 1
Tomato medium sized chopped 1 
Tomato Ketchup 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste 2 tsp [ U can used freshly crushed/ finely chopped garlic ginger instead of paste]
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp [ Since I cooked for kids I used 1/2 tsp, you can increase this as per  your preference]
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Pepper a pinch
Coriander leaves for garnish
Oil

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions, drain it and keep it aside. Meanwhile cook soya chunks in boiling water with salt [as per taste]. Drain and squeeze excess water out of them completely. Grind it in mixer/grinder or you can shred them with hands into thin pieces [which is what I did here]

Heat oil in a deep frying pan, add cumin seeds. Once they splutter add onions and ginger garlic paste. Saute them till the raw smell disappears and onions turn golden brown. Add dry spice powders and fry for a few seconds. Now add chopped tomatoes, capsicum, salt [very little] and saute it till  tomatoes become mushy. Add in the boiled veggies, shredded soya and boiled pasta . Toss to combine well with spices. Keep it on medium flame for a minute or two. Finally, add tomato ketchup, mix well . Sprinkle some pepper powder and garnish with coriander leaves just before serving.



Do try this delicious fusion and let me know. Happy cooking !!!
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