1,000 Indian Recipes (298 page)

Authors: Neelam Batra

BOOK: 1,000 Indian Recipes

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3.
Preheat the tava or griddle over medium-high heat until a sprinkling of the flour immediately turns dark brown. Wipe off the flour and proceed. While the tava is heating, with lightly oiled hands divide the dough into 10 to 12 round balls (depending on the size of the parantha you like). Cover with foil to prevent drying.

4.
Working with each ball of dough separately, place in the bowl with the dry flour, flatten it with your fingertips, and coat well with the dry flour. Transfer to a cutting board or any other clean flat surface and, with a rolling pin, roll into a 6- to 7-inch circle of uniform thickness. (If the dough sticks to the rolling surface, dust with more flour.) Baste the top of the dough with ghee and fold into a triangle, square, or circle, as per the directions in
Shaping Paranthas
.

5.
Place the rolled parantha on the hot tava or griddle. Turn over when it is slightly cooked and dotted with tiny golden spots on the bottom, about 1 minute. When the other side is covered with larger brown dots, turn it over, and brush lightly with oil. Flip it over again and fry the oiled side about 30 seconds. Similarly, baste and fry the other side another 30 seconds. There should be a total of 4 turns.

6.
Remove from the griddle and serve.

Griddle-Fried Oat Breads with Ajwain Seeds

Jaee aur Ajwain kae Paranthae

Makes 10 to 12 breads

In my continuing effort to eat healthfully, I am always experimenting with different whole-grain flours. This is the result of one of those experiments. This bread is one of my favorites: the whole wheat and oats make it nutritious, the ajwain seeds make it delicious. (It's my favorite spice.)

³⁄
₄cup stone-ground durum whole-wheat flour

¹⁄
₂cup oat flour

¹⁄
₄cup oat bran

2 tablespoons olive oil

¹⁄
₂teaspoon coarsely crushed ajwain seeds

¹⁄
₂teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

¹⁄
₃teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₂cup water, or more if necessary

1.
In a bowl, mix together the whole-wheat and oat flours, oat bran, oil, ajwain seeds, cayenne pepper, and salt.

2.
Add the water and mix again with your clean fingers in round circular motions until it starts to gather. Knead for about a minute, pressing your knuckles lightly into the dough, spreading the dough outward, then gathering then ends together toward the center with your fingers. Push down the center, then repeat pressing and gathering a few times until you have a soft and pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. If, while kneading, the dough sticks to your hands, put a little oil or water on them.

3.
Cover with plastic wrap or the lid of the bowl and set aside at least 1 and up to 4 hours. (This allows the wheat gluten to develop.) If keeping for a longer period, refrigerate the dough.

4.
To roll and cook the paranthas, proceed as per the directions for
Basic Griddle-Fried Breads
, from Step 3.

Griddle-Fried Legume Breads

Dal kae Paranthae

Makes 10 to 12 breads

I imagine this
parantha
was invented back before refrigeration existed, to use up any leftover
dals
from the previous day (although I often intentionally make extra
dal
so I can then make these breads). With little or no refrigeration, all leftovers had to be put to some use or simply given away.

These
paranthas
are normally served at breakfast with plain or cumin-flavored yogurt and a cup of milky cardamom tea. The quantity of the
dal
needed to make the dough will depend on how thick or thin the cooked
dal
you're using is.

1
¹⁄
₂cups stone-ground durum whole-wheat flour

2 scallions, minced

¹⁄
₄cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1 to 2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

¹⁄
₄teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹⁄
₄teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

¹⁄
₄teaspoon coarsely ground ajwain seeds

¹⁄
₄teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 cup any leftover cooked dal, such as
Yellow Mung Beans with Sautéed Onion and Ginger
, or
Yellow Split Chickpeas with Spinach
, or more as needed

1.
Place all the ingredients except the dal in a medium bowl and mix well with your clean fingers. Add
²⁄
₃cup dal and stir in round circular motions until it starts to gather into a dough. (Add 1 or 2 tablespoons more flour if the dough seems sticky, or some water if it seems too firm.)

2.
Knead for about a minute, pressing your knuckles lightly into the dough, spreading the dough outward, then gathering then ends together toward the center with your fingers. Push down the center, then repeat pressing and gathering a few times until you have a soft and pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. If, while kneading, the dough sticks to your hands, put a little oil or water on them.

3.
Cover with plastic wrap or the lid of the bowl and set aside at least 1 and up to 4 hours. (This allows the wheat gluten to develop.) If keeping for a longer period, refrigerate the dough.

4.
To roll and cook the paranthas, proceed as per the directions for
Basic Griddle-Fried Breads
, from Step 3.

Griddle-Fried Spinach and Red Bell Pepper Breads

Palak aur Laal Shimla Mirch kae Paranthae

Makes 10 to 12 breads

This bread, with ribbons of spinach and flecks of red bell pepper, has incredible flavor, and is nutritious, too. Make the dough by hand to ensure that the vegetables will remain intact and stand out like a garnish. (The food processor would purée the vegetables into the flour.)