Oats Cheela

INGREDIENTS

1. Oats - 150 gms
2. Rawa / Sooji - 50 gms (Roasted)
3. Curd - 2 tbsp
4. Coriander - 2 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
5. Onions - 1 large (Optional; Finely Chopped)
6. Green Chillies (As Preferred)
7. Water (For Batter)
8. Salt (To Taste)
9. Oil (To Cook)

PROCEDURE

1. Take Oats, Rawa/Sooji in a mixer and grind
2. Add Curd, Water, Salt and make a batter (Like a Dosa batter)
3. Take it out in a bowl and add Onions, Coriander, Green Chillies
4. Layer a Non-stick pan with a little oil and spread out a spoonful of the mixture 
5. Cook till golden and crispy from one side
6. Upturn and cook the other side till golden and crispy
7. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup or any Chutney of your choice  

NOTE: 

1. Additional vegetables like crushed boiled Peas, grated Carrots, Methi, etc. can be added to make a difference
2. Suji/Rawa can be replaced by Besan

Pav Bhaji with a Difference

Finding it a task to feed your kids Dal and Vegetables.... Here is a tried and tested quick solution!! ;)


INGREDIENTS

1. Cauli Flower - 100 gms (Chopped)
2. Cabbage - 100 gms (Chopped)
3. Peas - 100 gms
4. Corn - 100 gms
5. Beans - 100 gms (Chopped)
6. Carrots - 100 gms (Chopped)
7. Tomatoes - 3 large (Chopped)
8. Onions - 2 large (Chopped)
9. Coriander - 3 tbsp
10. Curry Leaves - 10
11. Green Chillies (As Preferred)
12. Ginger - 1 (2" stub; Grated)
13. Garlic - 6 cloves (Grated)
14. Toor / Masoor Dal - 100 gms
15. Tomato Puree - 150 ml
16. Salt (To Taste)
17. Pav Bhaji Masala (To Taste)
18. Water (To Cook)
19. Oil - 15/20 ml
20. Cheese - 50 gms (Grated)
21. Butter - 25 gms

PROCEDURE

1. Put all Vegetables, Dal and Salt in the pressure cooker and cook till well mashed
2. Take a pan and heat Oil in it
3. Add Curry Leaves, Ginger, Garlic and let it cook till golden
4. Add the Onion and fry till golden brown in colour
5. Add the Tomatoes and cook till mashed
6. Add Tomato Puree and Pav Bhaji Masala
7. Add the cooked Vegetables and Coriander to the mixture in the pan and keep mashing till the desired consistency is obtained
8. Serve garnished with Coriander, Finely Chopped Onions, Butter and Cheese

NOTE:

1. Serve with Buttered Pav, Bread, Paratha, Roti or Steamed Rice
2. Potato is opional as Dal has been used to replace the same

Paneer Paratha

INGREDIENTS

1. Wheat/ Mix Grain Flour - 250/300 gms
2. Paneer - 250 gms
3. Onions - 1 (Large; Finely Chopped)
4. Coriander - 2 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
5. Green Chillies -2 nos (Optional; Finely Chopped)
6. Salt (To Taste)
7. Oil (To Cook)

PROCEDURE

1. Knead the Flour and keep aside for half an hour
2. Grate the Paneer (If purchased from Dairy) or drain the Paneer (If Homemade)
3. Take a bowl and mix Paneer, Onions, Coriander, Green Chillies, and Salt
4. Take two small balls (1" diameter) of the Flour and roll them into small rotis and keep aside
5. Place one Roti on a plate and layer it with Paneer mix
6. Cover it with the other Roti and seal the periphery to avoid spillage
7. Put it on the Non-stick Pan and turn it when half done from one side
8. Apply Oil to the upturned side and turn it again when the other side is half done
9. Keep turning and fry till golden brown
10. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup or Pickle or pack it up in the lunch box

Sweet Khoya Paratha

INGREDIENTS

1. Wheat/ Mix Grain Flour - 250/300 gms
2. Khoya - 250 gms
3. Elaichi - 4 (Powdered)
4. Sugar (To Taste)

PROCEDURE

1. Knead the Flour and keep aside for half an hour
2. Take a pan and roast the Khoya till it leaves the Ghee and turns golden brown
3. Drain all the Ghee and use it for cooking the Paratha
4. Take a bowl and mix Khoya, Elaichi and Sugar
5. Take a small ball (1.5" diameter) of the Flour and roll it into a small roti
6. Spoon in about 50 gms of Khoya mixture on the center of the roti
7. Seal it and make a ball
8. Roll out the Paratha and put it on the Non-stick Pan
9. Turn it when half done from one side
10. Apply Ghee (Optional if the Paratha is releasing Ghee of its own while cooking) to the upturned side and turn it again when the other side is half done
11. Apply Ghee (Optional) on the upturned side again and fry till golden brown
12. Serve hot or pack it up in the lunch box

NOTE: If using the Khoya used for making Gulab Jamuns available at the local dairy, then it can be used without roasting since the Ghee has already been drained from it.

Khoya Paratha

INGREDIENTS

1. Wheat/ Mix Grain Flour - 250/300 gms
2. Khoya - 250 gms
3. Onions - 1 (Large; Finely Chopped)
4. Coriander - 2 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
5. Green Chillies -2 nos (Optional; Finely Chopped)
6. Salt (To Taste)

PROCEDURE

1. Knead the Flour and keep aside for half an hour
2. Take a pan and roast the Khoya till it leaves the Ghee and turns golden brown
3. Drain all the Ghee and use it for cooking the Paratha
4. Take a bowl and mix Khoya, Onions, Coriander, Green Chillies, and Salt
5. Take a small ball (1.5" diameter) of the Flour and roll it into a small roti
6. Spoon in about 50 gms of Khoya mixture on the center of the roti
7. Seal it and make a ball
8. Roll out the Paratha and put it on the Non-stick Pan
9. Turn it when half done from one side
10. Apply Ghee (Optional if the Paratha is releasing Ghee of its own while cooking) to the upturned side and turn it again when the other side is half done
11. Apply Ghee (Optional) on the upturned side again and fry till golden brown
12. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup or Pickle

NOTE: If using the Khoya used for making Gulab Jamuns available at the local dairy, then it can be used without roasting since the Ghee has already been drained from it.

Oatmeal Pancakes

INGREDIENTS

1. Eggs - 4
2. Oats - 100 gms
3. Wheat Flour - 100 gms
4. Sugar - 50 gms
5. Milk - 100 ml
6. Baking Powder - 1 tsp
7. Baking Soda - 1 pinch
8. Vanilla Essence - 10 ml

PROCEDURE

1. Take eggs, sugar, vanilla essence and beat the mixture it till fluffy
2. Add half milk and mix
3. Sieve Wheat flour with Baking Powder and Baking Soda
4. Add Wheat Flour, Oats to the Egg mixture 
5. Mix till nice smooth paste is formed
6. Check consistency to a thick flowy paste or add Milk to adjust the batter
7. Take a non-stick pan and make small circles of 4" diameter with the batter and let it cook
8. Upturn the Pancake after it is golden brown from one side and let it cook till it becomes the same from the other side as well
9. Serve hot with honey

NOTE: For a diet Pancake, 

1. Remove the Yolk from the Egg
2. Instead of Sugar add Honey or Jaggery for sweetness

Cheesy Maggi

How to get fussy milk drinkers to get the nutrients of the same without having to drink it?? Here is a solution I came up with when my son was about 3 years old and relishing Maggi as his staple food!!


INGREDIENTS

1. Maggi -1 Brick
2. Milk - 150 ml
3. Cheese Slice / Grated Cheese - 1
4. Water 50 ml
5. Coriander - 1 tsp (Finely Chopped)
6. Maggi masala

PROCEDURE

1. Take a pan and add water and the Maggi brick in it
2. When it is slightly cooked add the milk and let it come to a boil
3. Keep stirring till the mixture has reduced to a nice cheesy texture
4. Add the cheese and stir till it has melted
5. Add Coriander 
6. Serve in a dish and garnish with more grated Cheese or a Slice

NOTE:

1. Cheese can be replaced by fresh Paneer
2. Maggi Masala can be replaces with white Pepper powder
3. Egg can also be beaten and rapidly stirred into the mixture to blend perfectly

Sweet Paneer

Many times it happens that when we boil Milk it curdles for one reason or other and we do not know what to do with such a small quantity of Paneer that is formed. Well... here is a quick recipe my maid came up with one fine day to pacify my son's supposed "emergency" hunger pangs... Albeit, the recipe is given with measurements for curdling fresh Milk!!


INGREDIENTS

1. Milk - 1 ltr (will give about 300 gms of Paneer)
2. Curd - 2 tbsp (To Curdle; It can be used even when Milk has curdled by itself) OR
3. Alum / Phitkari - 1 Small piece
4. Elaichi - 1 pod (Powdered)
5. Sugar (To Taste)

PROCEDURE

1. Curdle the milk and strain it till dry
2. Pour the 1/4th of the strained liquid into a pan, add Sugar and Elaichi Powder
3. Stir till the Sugar is dissolved
4. Add the Paneer and keep stirring till the mixture is soft but dry
5. Serve hot or cold

NOTE:

1. Do not use either the Paneer or the leftover water if tasting foul
2. The leftover water can be used to make Curries, Chaas or knead Flour for softer rotis

Cheesling Paratha

INGREDIENTS

1. Kneaded Wheat Flour
2. Cheese Slice - 1 nos
3. Coriander (Optional; Finely Chopped)
4. Oil - 100 ml (For Cooking)

PROCEDURE

1. Take a small ball of (1.5" diameter) of flour and roll it into an extremely paper thin roti
2. Place the Cheese Slice in the center
3. Fold all the four sides of the roti to form a square envelope
4. Seal all possible exits of the envelope so that the melted cheese does not flow out
5. Put the sqaure paratha on a Non-stick laced with oil
6. Cook till golden brown
7. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup or Pack it up in the lunch box

Vegetable Cheese Paratha

INGREDIENTS

1. Wheat/ Mix Grain Flour - 250/300 gms
2. Carrot - 1 nos (Finely Grated)
3. Curd - 2 tbsp
4. Cheese - 250 gms (Grated)
5. Coriander - 2 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
6. Green Chillies -2 nos (Optional; Finely Chopped)
7. Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Salt (To Taste)
9. Oil (For Cooking)

PROCEDURE

1. Knead the Flour with Carrot, Curd and keep aside for half an hour
2. Take a bowl and mix Cheese, Coriander, Green Chillies, Pepper and Salt
3. Take a small ball (1.5" diameter) of the Flour and roll it into a small roti
4. Spoon in about 50 gms of Cheese mixture on the center of the roti
5. Seal it and make a ball
6. Roll out the Paratha and put it on the Non-stick Pan laced with oil
7. Turn it when half done from one side
8. Apply oil to the upturned side and turn it again when the other side is half done
9. Apply oil on the upturned side again and fry till golden brown
10. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup or Pickle