In my earlier post of Green Parathas with Tomato chutney I mentioned about how making Indian Flat bread(Roti\Parathas\Chapathi) was our family tradition,we never missed(and never bored) having them for breakfast throughout the year,except on Eid.Every member of the family were involved in making these parathas[Dad or Bro kneaded it then ,Mom and sis rolled and roasted it],back then lazy me, usually opted for just eating them.Better late than never ,I did get serious about learning how to make the parathas after tying nuptial knot with an ever so health conscious person, who prefers whole wheat over white rice.I'm glad to be continuing this healthy tradition ,although my tiny tots are too little to help me in the process of making parathas(I'm hopeful they'll join in as they grow) ,I do get an occasional help in kneading the dough from my dear spouse with a busy schedule of work and workouts.At the end of the day ,a healthy family meal prepared by working together ,not only keeps us fit but also adds lot more love and affection in our relationships.
My persistent craving for spices led me to this spicy version of the plain roti.In this meal I used just about every spice(in moderate quantities of course) I commonly cook with .Nupur's Lasun Chutney is a blend of flavorful spices ,nuts and most importantly one of my most adored nature's best food,Garlic.This dry Lasun(garlic) chutney along with some cooling whipped fat free yogurt was my choice on the side for these parathas,nevertheless you could served them with any of the curries or lentils\legumes.
Recipe Methi Masala Roti
Ingredients
2 cups Whole wheat flour
2 tablespoon flax seed meal(optional,for added nutrition)
2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil(EVOO)
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 cup fenugreek(methi) leaves or spinach[fresh or frozen],chopped
1/2 teaspoon each of Cumin and coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Method
Step 1 Blanch the leaves
Blanch the methi leaves by simmering them in hot water for a minute. drain and keep aside.
Step 2 prepare the dough
Take a mixing bowl or round wide and deep platter ,combine all ingredients,make a well in the middle of mixture ,pour in the water and about tablespoon of oil. Mix until the dough is of right smooth consistency.
knead for couple of minutes and let rest for about 15-20minutes before rolling it.
Step 3 Rolling the Roti
Divide the dough in to about 12 portions and roll in to balls. Sprinkle a little flour(I prefer All purpose flour) on the rolling surface. Use a rolling pin to roll them in to round roti.
Step 4 Roast the roti
Preheat an iron pan(Tava) or non stick pan at medium high flame. Roast the roti,flip once and spread some oil and flip again after few seconds. For softer roti use a spatula or a kitchen towel to lightly press and roll them around the pan. Roti is ready to serve when slightly brown on both sides.
Recipe Lasun Chutney
Ingredients
6-8 big cloves of garlic
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 cup dry shredded coconut,unsweetened
3 dried red chillies
1 teaspoon tamarind,dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method
Roast all the ingredients except salt on store top on low heat or in oven at 250F.Stir occasionally and let roast until completely dry about 30-40 minutes.
Dry grind them to a coarse powder in a coffee grinder or a food processor,store in air tight container.Is best with bread or rice .
This healthy family meal is off to Meeta's Monthly Mingle : Healthy Family Dinners.Hosting this month's MM is Michelle of What's Cooking Blog, a blog dedicated to "cooking with kids for a better body, planet and community".
Spice up with Spices!
The Spices don't just add heat to your food but also protect our body in many ways.Think beyond salt and pepper,potent spices can help in boosting immunity,fighting cancers and heart disease,to name a few.Read my post about Nature's best spices and ingredients.
A peak in to a typical Indian spice box
1.Mustard seeds,usually used for tempering the lentils or vegetable stir fries.
2.Coriander Powder
3.Garam Masala ,ground cinnamon,cloves,cardamom and cumin
4.Fenugreek seeds,used for tempering the lentils or vegetable stir fries,also its sprouts are very nutritious
5.Cumin seeds
6.Hot Indian chili powder
7.Turmeric,the golden spice of Indian cuisine
8.Cinnamon sticks
9.Pepper corns
10.Cardamom
11.Cloves.
Its better to store the ground spices(2 and 3) in air tight container to preserve its potency.Just for illustration I placed them in my spice box.
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