Aloo Paratha(आलू पराठा )

Many people love eating potato in any shape and form.  And many of us like to eat paratha. This dish is great combination of both of them. You can eat this in breakfast or dinner. It is really great dish for kids lunch. The basic ingredients for this dish are potato,wheat flour, salt and oil.

Ingredients:-

For dough:-

(1). 2 cup wheat flour

(2). 1 cup chopped coriander 

(3). Salt to taste

(4). 1 teaspoon asafoetida

(5). 1tablespoon oil

(6). 1 teaspoon cumin seed

(7). 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

(8). 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

(9). 3/4 cup water for kneading dough

For filling

(1).  2 boiled peeled mashed potatoes

(2). Salt to taste

(3). Pinch of asafoetida 

(4). 1teaspoon lemon juice

(5). 2 teaspoon coriander  powder

(6). 1finely chopped green chili

(7). 1 tablespoon Chopped coriander leaves

For paratha:-

(1). Wheat flour for rolling

(2). Oil for frying

Recipe:-

Knead paratha dough using all ingredients mentioned for making dough.  Divide kneaded dough into 8 equal pieces and make each piece into round ball.

In one bowl take mashed potatoes and all other ingredients for filling and mix them well.

Using rolling board roll ball into medium round use little wheat flour if think dough is sticking to rolling board. Take 1 tablespoon of filling and put in middle of rolled round. Seal the paratha and roll it one more time until paratha is 1/4 or 1/2 inch thick. Roll it gently and roll from all sides.

Start the stove and  put greased non stick pan. Once pan become warm , put rolled paratha in it. Cook paratha on both side, once both side are showing light brownish mark, add 1 tablespoon of oil around paratha and cook on both side. Reapet same for remaining balls.

Serve paratha with fresh yogurt and green chilies. 

Stuffed Potato Paratha

Tips:-
If you like you can add 1 cup chopped spinach while kneading dough. You can use chopped Methi( Fenugreek) leaves also.
You can use microwave to boil potato, simply put potatoes in microwaveable  bowl with little water and heat it for approx 6-7 min. This time is for 2 potatoes. To check potatoes are cooked or not insert fork and if it goes smoothly in potatoes they are done otherwise cook it for additional time.

You can also use steamer to steam potatoes, simply peeled potato and cut them in big pieces and put in in steamer for 7-10 minutes.

Vegetable Biryani (वेजिटेबल बिरयानी)

I ate my very first biryani in one of the restaurant in Florida, I became fan of it. So whenever we went out in Indian Restaurant ,I would make sure I will order this yummy dish. I tried to make at home in pressure cooker, which is exactly not the biryani concept. Because biryani gets cooked in layer on dum which allows the all flavors and spices to blends gradually. So I decided to make this delicious dish in its authentic way, I read few cooking blogs and I really liked the recipe on  rak's kitchen. I used her recipe as my base with few modifications.

Ingredients:-

(1). 4 cup basmati rice

(2). 2 potatoes

(3). 10-12 pieces of cauliflower florets

(4). 1 cup cut green beans

(5). half cup green peas

(6). 1 cup cut carrots

(7). 1 and half cup cut green pepper

(8). 2 medium size onions

(9). 1 cup chopped cilantro

(10). 2-3 teaspoon chili powder

(11). 2 teaspoon turmeric powder

(12). salt to taste

(13). 4 teaspoon Bombay Biryani Masala

(14). 1 teaspoon black pepper powder

(15). 1 teaspoon asafoetida

(16). 4 cloves

(17). 1 small cinnamon stick cut into two

(18). 1 star anise seeds(badiyan)

(19). 2 green cardamom

(20). 8-10 water melon kernels(Magaj Tari seed)

(21). 2 teaspoon ginger paste
(22). 1 bay leave

(23). pinch of saffron

(24). 4 tablespoon milk

(25). 4 table spoon oil

(26). half cup yogurt (non fat or law fat is fine too)

(27). half cup melted butter or ghee

(28). half cup chopped cashew

(29). 1.5 cup croutons 

Recipe:-

Cut potatoes into big pieces. Cut onion length wise. You can use chopped onion too.

In big bowl take potatoes,carrots,green pepper and cauliflower florets add 2 teaspoon biryani masala, turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper powder. Mix all well so that vegetables are nicely get coated with spices.

In a cup take milk and add saffron and warm it in microwave for 15-20 seconds.Mix saffron well in milk.

Soak rice in water for 30 minutes. If you are running out of time , you can soak the rice in hot or warm water for 15 minutes. Cook rice in rice cooker by adding pinch of salt, 2 cloves ,1 cardamom, 1 bay leave and one cinnamon stick  remove the plug just before you think it will go to warm mode. This will make sure rice has little moisture it is not too dried.

Start stove and heat 1 table spoon oil and add onions and pinch of salt. Cook onion till they are golden browned. Add cashew and croutons in it and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If needed add add one table spoon of oil.  

Start stove, in same nonstick pan take 3 tablespoon oil. Once oil become warm add asafoetida, 2 cloves, 1 cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise seed, water melon seed and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Now add coated vegetables with spices and little water. Cover the pan with lid, let it cook on medium flame 7-8 minutes. Take toothpick or fork and insert in potato and see it is soft or not. Once potatoes are cooked add green peas and green beans. Mix all vegetables , let it cook on medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Now add  yogurt and mix it well in vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame. Switch of the stove.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and  oven safe pan,  make first layer of rice, on top of it add 2 teaspoon saffron milk and 2 teaspoon melted butter randomly. Layered the rice with seasoned vegetables. Add some fried onions, cashews, croutons and cilantro on top. Repeat this procedure until you are done with vegetables and your last layer is should be of rice. Add remaining saffron milk and butter. Add remaining onions, cilantro, cashews and croutons on top of rice. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes.

Once done , remove from the oven mix rice ,vegetable and garnishing well and serve it with raita and any Indian pickle. You can also serve with any curry or dal fry.

Vegetable Biryani

Tips:-

• I didn't use garlic paste but if you want you can certainly add 1 teaspoon  with ginger paste. 
• Instead of using oven you can make same layers in slow cooker and cook it slow on medium or low setting for 15-20 minutes. 
• To bring more fun in color throw some sliced beet root while cooking vegetables. Add them before adding peas and green beans. 
• You can also add half cup tomato puree with coated vegetables in cooking to bring more flavor and sour taste.
• If you don't have cauliflower florets handy, you can always replace it with broccoli, add broccoli with peas and green beans not before, to keep its crunchiness.
• You can also use basil leaves to bring aroma to dish. Just use 3-4 leaves on very top layer.
• You can also use food color to make biryani spectacular.

Vegetable Pilaf(पुलाव)

This is very easy recipe for making vegetable pilaf for any occasion. I learned this from my Mother-in-law.

Ingredients:-

(1).2 cup soaked basmati rice

(2).2 cup cut vegetables (carrots, peace, green beans,cauliflower,potato)

(3).3 teaspoon pilaf masala

(4).1 teaspoon cumin seed

(5).Salt to taste

(6).1.5 tablespoon oil

(7). half cup cashews(optional)

(8). half cup raisins(optional)

(9).big deep pot(like pressure cooker)

(10).5 cup water.

Recipe:

Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes.In cooker/pot add 1.5 tablespoon oil and start the stove. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seed and pilaf masala , let it cook for 2 minutes, now add cashew, raisins, mixed cut vegetables and saute for 4-5 minutes. Add rice and mix it well with other spices and vegetables. Now add 4 cup of water. Make sure you use same measuring cup for rice and water. Add salt to taste and mix everything one more time. Keep stove on medium flame. Wait for 12-15 minutes for water start evaporating , stir in between. If you think that rice is hard and there is no water in rice add  half cup more water and stir it. Don't add more water at once otherwise rice will become sticky.Once rice is cooked  turn off  the stove. There should be no water remained in the rice. Now remove the rice from the cooker and put it in big serving plate.

Serve Pilaf with Raita and  fried papad.

Tips:- If you think that rice is cooked but water is remained then remove excess water in sink by cover lid on pot that way you will not loose rice. You can make pilaf masala at home, you need 3-cinnamon stick, 7-8 cardmom seeds, 4-5 whole blackpeppers, 2-3 clove. Grind all of these in mixie or using pestal/mortar.

Vegetable Pulav