Rumali roti.... very soft and yummy

Rumali roti means handkerchief like rotis... a soft and very thin roti that can be crushed and squeezed in your palm but still would hold itself without tearing like a kerchief. They are very thin and soft and are best enjoyed when served hot. This is one of my favourites in our very loved Indian bread basket. Pair it up with a spicy chicken curry or some silky paneer butter masala or some sweet shahi korma. It goes well with any gravy 

This recipe uses 50% maida and 50% atta for making the roti dough. I tried this recipe fro the internet though I dont remember which one. The first try was a huge hit at home and so I have been hooked on to this recipe ever since. I havent tried any other recipe for rumali roti as this seems fool-proof and yields really soft rotis

The trick to making this rotis very thin and soft lies in making a very very soft dough and also the rolling part. It has to be rolled out very very thin for best taste

Butter Naan without yeast

Homemade naan is a great option to make your simple dinner a little more exciting. Naans go really good with a lot of gravies and the options are endless. Also you can make it with different topping flavours .... simple butter or garlic or onions seeds or sesame seeds. Our family loves homemade naan and we enjoy it every time its made. I usually make the yeast version -> Naan using yeast. They turn out perfect every time

Sometime back I eyed another recipe of naan made without using yeast and the best part its made without the dough waiting/resting time. This sure is a saviour when you are running short of time or have sudden guests. just mix everything together and knead it into a soft dough. Rest for just 15 minutes (if you have) and you can roll them out and cook till done

I kept this recipe in mind for a long time and finally got a chance to try it. Loved the outcome. It turned out very soft and the taste was great too. We enjoyed it with some chicken curry and it tasted perfect. The recipe is sure a keeper

  

Soft and delicious naan... using yeast

Who loves naan?????  Well..... I guess almost all of us do. And if I say homemade naan is very simple to make and much tastier too then who would not love to try it. Our family loves to eat naan and we all have different liking when it comes to brushing the toppings. A rich gravy with soft and buttery naan makes an awesome and royal dinner. If planning a special evening dinner then why not make naan to make everybody happy. This recipe yields very soft naans which no one will be able to resist

My kids wanted to help me out when I wanted to roll out the naans so dont mind the odd shaped ones.... that was a lot for those little hands to make. They are just made with love so no complaints. And yes what a proud moment they felt when I took pictures of the ones that they rolled out. Love my kiddos for all that they are 

Coming back to the recipe, hands on time is almost the same as making chapathis or rotis but the dough-resting time is a little longer than usual. This is what makes it specially soft and tasty. Plan it a little in advance and enjoy a great dinner

  

Parotta... street-food style... Roatu kada parotta :)

Who likes road side shop parotta?? Sorry sorry I think I should ask the other way.... who doesnt like parottaaaaa????? cos counting would be easier this way. I think everybody loves parotta and especially the flaky malabar style parotta. Well we are no different and so we too fall in the same parotta-lovers list. Hot parottas with spicy curry is so very awesome. Definitely it is good to taste but is it really hygenic... the oil used, the place its made and so on. Thinking all this we have almost stopped eating our favourite sreet food

Kids are so fond of eating parottas that they started missing it badly. We had to think about making it which I didnt for a while thinking it was gonna be tough and time consuming. But then for kids sake I had to give it a try and yes I did. Well... I should say we did it.. it turned out great and enjoyed every bite of it. It was soft, flaky and nicely layered making it perfect for our meal. The first time I made I felt it was time-consuming (time was spent more on taking pictures). But now its as easy as I would make other regular flatbreads

Try this recipe and enjoy with your family  

Gobhi Paratha / Cauliflower Paratha

Gobhi paratha is my all time favourite. Have loved this from when i was a kid. Mummy makes the best parathas ever. She is just so good at it. We also make a lot of parathas at home but still whem my mom makes it for us I feel it divine... be it any paratha :). Moms are lovely ... aren't they???

This paratha is awesome to taste and so filling too. Everyone will love the taste of cauliflower in this avatar. My kids and mil are a big fan of it so its nice to serve it any day for dinner. Make the filling ahead and roll out the parthas at dinner time. It would be so much fun to enjoy your meal

Paneer Paratha.... 2

Paneer parathas are special. They taste good and they sound good and they look good. Play with spices and let the flavors seep in as per your taste  buds. The taste of paneer, potato and onions with a little blend of spices makes this a perfect breakfast/dinner menu
If you have excess milk and some whole wheat flour at home, this is the perfect dish you can think to make. It doesnt take too much time either. Make the dough and filling in advance and pull them all together just before serve time

I find this to be a perfect breakfast to pack for my kids school. They find it easy to handle and tasty to munch on. I send a small serving of thick fresh curd for the side and they enjoy it

Phulka... soft and all puffed up

Phulkas have been my preferred way of eating right from my childhood. Looking at my mom making all those phulkas perfectly puff up was always a scene to enjoy. I always used to pour a little ghee on top of hot phulkas to enjoy the full taste. Now my kids enjoy it the same way. I love making phulkas because that is the best way to serve my family.... dadda without oil, kids and me with a little bit of ghee and so it is easy to handle the requests better

Everyday dinner has to have different kinds of flatbreads to make it more inviting for the kids to get them to the dining table. Its not just that.... its about getting them to the table with a big smile on their face

Corn spinach paratha

A continuation from the previous post ................................

A paratha that will win hearts of all our little friends .... oh yes alllll the kids. This recipe calls for corn and cheese which are simply classified as a hit among kids. I have to accept that this is not a recipe that I knew and I am sure it is not a new one out in the recipe world but for us it was a happy accident in our happy kitchen

"A lazy dinner time ...you look up at the clock and you realise its high time you get up and cook the meal...but still feel there is no mood to cook. The story doesnt end there ... I know mood doesnt help it but you still have to scratch your head and pointlessly look into the fridge longing to find something to the rescue for the moment". Does this sound anything familiar to you. Might be a no for you as you might not be as lazy as I am ;)  but Yes ...  for me this is usually a regular thing and one such "hunt for food" night, we landed up with this recipe. When trying to helplessly find something in the fridge, we found chapathi dough and a small container of corn-spinach filling leftover from morning after making a big batch of yummy sandwiches for breakfast

It was not my idea to make parathas for sure. I asked if I could make sandwiches again but lo there was no bread to the rescue. Next what... think think think ... my kids style and he suggested parathas with bright shiny eyes. Niks loves parathas. He can even enjoy it three times a day.  Finding it a good suggestion I thought "Why not give it a try". We made it and enjoyed it hot hot for dinner. You bet... it was such a hit that I have to jot it down to make sure it stays in my recipe book for a long while

Peas paratha... Matar Paratha

I have decided that when green peas is in season then these parathas are sure to be had. Parathas are always welcome at our dinner table and this special peas paratha is sure a lovely addition to the parathas menu. I have  never made it  before so it sounded new to me the first time. One day when I was talking to my kids friends mom she said that she would be making matar ke parathe for dinner. Quite amused I asked her how did she make it as I had never tried it before. She said that I would be missing a great dinner if I did not make it when peas are in season and laughed out aloud. Its a must in her home when theres fresh green peas all piled up in the market and thelas

Made it last week for dinner and everyone in the family enjoyed it including my 3-yr old kiddo. It tasted awesome... the taste, the softness, the spiciness .... hmmm just tooo good. The recipe is very simple and its worth jotting it down here

  

Aloo Paratha...

Who doesnt like parathas??? Most of us do and I sure love it.My family loves parathas all the time and aloo paratha is special. My elder kid is a big potato fan and he can eat it for all three meals everyday. I know thats not very good. But no worries as I give him in moderation so that he can enjoy it the right way. One such good way are these parathas

Stuffed parathas are more filling than regular chapathis. Good thing is I get to put in some ingredients which usually my kids dont entertain in a regular fresh way - say onions, green chilly, mint leaves, curry leaves and coriander leaves. I give it a quick pulse before adding it to the filling and it is loved in that form

Parathas can be made in 2-3 types. First you can roll out dough then put stuffing in the middle, cover and roll out again. Second we can make 2 chapathis, spread filling in one chapathi then top another and seal. Third we can put all the ingredients in the dough and finally roll it into chapathis. For aloo parathas we use the first method. Cook evenly on both sides and its done. Serve it with a side of pickle and fresh curd for best taste

Quesadillas with leftover rajma curry

Rajma curry is a great addition to regular menu and leftover rajma is a greater addition. Guess how?? I love making sandwiches and quesadillas-kind with leftover curry. I feel they taste really good when used as leftovers too. A sense of satisfaction that I did not waste food and a good treat to my tummy in a way that I love. Sometimes I want to eat it so much that I make extra rajma curry to deliberately have extra as leftovers

Making quesadillas with leftover rajma curry saves time and also gives a new taste to the same curry with a gentle and scrumptious twist. Add cheese and a few other toppings to give a refreshing taste

I always preferred quesadillas when opted at any mexican restaurant. I could never just have enough. My H always makes fun of me about eating too much of it. He says "what is in it that makes you love it so much". The simplest answer is "I dont know but i just love it". I dont make it the perfect original recipe way but love this kind-of version which suits better in my menu

I havent added any veggies topping in this post as I made this one for my kid who stays away from fresh cut uncooked veggies. I could not take pictures of my quesadilla... consider excuse #526 ... he he. Anyways try this and enjoy

Sugar chapathi... a little bribe to my fussy little eaters...

At ages of 5 and 3 I see my kids being very picky about what they eat. They are sometimes too choosy about the gravies they have with their rotis too. I dont like to force them to eat nor do I like to run around behind them to stuff their mouth when they are busy playing. I am not a mamma who would force or stuff into my kids mouth and ask them to gulp it down. I dont remember forcing them even at restaurants or outings.

I feel they will eat what they want and when they want. Instead of forcing and complaining I like to follow their own style but with a little trick here and there. I like them to sit and eat on their own making them wait for their special surprise which walks in at the end. Sugar chapathis are a special treat for my kids which helps them eat their dinner. It is an addition but not the main. I tell them that if they finish their whole bowl of curry with the first chapathi then I will treat them with one special sugar chapathi, believe me dinner job gets over in no time. Also I get to see happy faces at the dinner table 

Paneer stuffed paratha...

Paneer paratha is a simple and wholesome meal for a night that looks in for a change in the usual menu at dinner table. Just a conventional addition of curd and pickles for the sides makes it a perfect dinner to be enjoyed right. 

Making this doesnt need too many ingredients nor does it involve too much prep work. Start with milk boiling on one side and making chapathi dough on the other side and dinner shall be served in no time. I have paneer almost all the time at home so making these parathas is never a task.

Try this for a change and you are sure to like it. Kids will enjoy it too. Makes a perfect pack for school bags too :)