Methi Chapathi

When you want a twist to your usual plain chapathis, you should try this. Adding methi and some spices to the chapathis makes it totally different and so flavorful.... The monotonous flat bread is gone and is replaced by something special... accompanied by a nice gravy, it makes for a special meal....

Here is how to make Methi Chapathis...

Methi Chapathi

Preparation time : 15 min Cooking time : 2 min per chapathi Makes : 8-10 Ingredients: Wheat flour / Atta - 2 cups Methi/Fenugreek leaves - 1 medium sized bunch or 2 small bunches Garam masala - ½ tsp Red chili powder - ½ tsp Salt - ½ tsp, or as per taste White sesame seeds - 2 tsp Water as needed Cooking Oil - 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp per chapathi Method: • Pick, wash and chop methi leaves finely • Mix wheat flour, salt, chili powder, garam masala powder in a large bowl • Add the methi leaves and mix in oil • Slowly add water and knead into a soft dough • Coat it with a little oil and keep aside for half an hour • Take the dough and pinch out lemon sized balls • Roll into thin chapathis and sprinkle methi seed on top. Roll again slightly so that the seeds stick to the rolled dough • Heat a skillet and cook on both sides drizzling a few drops of oil on each side. Remove when small brown spots start appearing • Repeat with the entire dough • Serve hot with one of the below lip smacking gravy as side dish Tips n Tricks: • Making very big chapathis out of this is difficult because of the addition of methi - so a lemon sized ball should be enough to make a 6” chapathi

Simple Gravy

If you want to fix up a gravy for your Jeera rice or Veg Puloa or Ghee rice etc, and do not want to go for an elaborate one with veggies and other ingredients, here’s an alternative. It is very simple to make, does not need any vegetables, other than onions and tomatoes, of course, and goes well with some rice.

Here’s how to make it...

Simple, Plain Gravy

Preparation time : 10 min Cooking time : 15 min Serves : 4 Ingredients: Onions - 3 medium sized, chopped, divided use Tomatoes - 2 medium sized, chopped Green chilies - 2, slit Garlic - 6-8 flakes Cashew nuts - 2 Tbsp, divided use Cooking oil - 3 tsp Curd - 3-4 Tbsp, optional Salt - ½ tsp or as per taste Sugar - ¼ tsp Ginger Garlic paste - ½ tsp Coriander pwd - ½ tsp Garam masala pwd - ½ tsp Red Chili pwd - ½ tsp Grated coconut - 2 tsp Method: • Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and sauté half of the cut onions, garlic till golden brown • Add the cut tomatoes and cook till done • Cool it, add to it coconut and half the cashew nuts and grind to a puree • Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in a another pan, and add ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies • Add the remaining cashews, chopped onion, and stir till golden brown • Add red chilli powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder • Now add salt, sugar and the ground paste prepared in 3 and bring to boil • Add water if the consistency is too thick and boil for 3-4 min, stirring intermittently. • Switch off the flame and add the curd if using and mix well. • Serve it with any flavored rice and enjoy Variations: • Curd is optional – It gives a different taste with and without it • Coconut can be omitted

Soya Manchurian

I picked up the pack of Soya chunks from the super market, and when we were home, little niece Hima asked to what it was. And D replied, it was what Chota Bheem ate and what made him that strong! And after that, for the next week I have lost count on the number of times she asked me to make ‘Chota Bheem’s food’ out of it!!! and I, incidentally was too busy at work that week and didn’t find time till the next weekend to make something out of soya chunks that she would eat.
Finally I decided to make Manchurian out of it, as D, me and Hima’s parents would love it, but for her I decided to give the fried soya chunks with just tomato sauce. And through out the cooking time I took, she has ran into the kitchen every 2 minutes asking if the ‘Chota Bheem food’ is ready!!
She ate it with delight and so we ate the Manchurian. It did come out pretty well, in a perfect consistency and taste.

Soya Manchurian

Preparation time : 20 min Cooking time : 20-30 min Serves : 4-5 Ingredients: Soya chunks - 2 cups Milk - 2 tbsp Crystal salt - ½ tsp Boiling water Oil to deep fry For batter: Corn flour - 2 Tbsp Rice flour - 1 Tbsp Maida - 2 Tbsp Orange food color - a small pinch, optional Red chili powder - ½ tsp Salt - ½ tsp Water For Manchurian sauce: Cooking oil - 1 tbsp Onion - 3 medium sized Capsicum - 1, slit into 1” thin strips Garlic - 4-5 cloves Green chilies - 8- 10 (I didn’t have chili sauce, so used chilies) Ajinomoto - 1 pinch, optional Salt - ½ tsp, vary acc to taste Vinegar - 1 Tbsp Soya sauce - 1 Tbsp Tomato ketchup - 2 Tbsp Pepper powder - 1 tsp, optional (adjust as per your taste) Corn flour - about 1 Tbsp, based on the required consistency Method: • In a big vessel, bring water to boil and when boiling, add crystal salt and milk • Dump the soya chunks into the vessel, cover and keep aside for 10 minutes • After 10 mintes, repeat the process in another vessel of boiling water for 10 more minutes. Check if they are soft, by breaking up one. • Drain the soya chunks and squeeze out the excess water. If needed, pat dry on a clean kitchen towel For sauce: • Meanwhile in a wide pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil and add chopped onion, garlic and green chilies • When done, add capsicum and sauté for a few seconds - don’t over cook the capsicum, retain the crunchiness • Add salt, sauces, ajinomoto if using and stir • Mix corn flour in water without lumps and add to the pan - adjust the consistency to your preference Frying the soya chunks: • In a skillet, heat oil for deep frying • Ina small bowl, mix the flours, salt and chili powder for batter and add water to make into a thin paste. It should be of running consistency - not too thick not too thin • Take the softened and drained soya chunks, dip it in the batter and deep fry in oil, 6-8 at a time on medium flame till golden brown • When done, keep on a kitchen towel to drain excess oil • Repeat with the rest of the chunks • When done, add these to the prepared sauce, heat slightly again • Adjust salt and pepper as per taste and optionally garnish with some more sautéed onions or chopped scallions and serve hot • Goes well with fried rice as an accompaniment, or as a starter as is Tips n Tricks: • The batter, if too thick makes the Manchurian balls hard, and if too thin, doesn’t get the crisp texture and may absorb more oil • The quantity of sauces used can be varied as per your taste - no hard and fast rule on the exact measures • Adding milk while soaking the soya chunks eliminates the odor in it