Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Pizza Kati rolls

Ahh, Kati rolls. Reminds me about my college days when I used to sneak away with my sister to get kati rolls from the vendor outside the big retail store. Kati rolls are said to have originated in Kolatta, where Kati kebabas were enclosed in a paratha. In India, Kati roll is a popular street food available at any mall and street corner. It usually comes with different fillings topped with cheese, marinated green chilies and spicy sauces.

Pizza Kati rolls
I made these Kati rolls using toppings from leftover pizza party at my house and its is like biting into a wrapped pizza! These wraps are easy to put together as u have the pizza sauce ready and vegetables sliced and chopped. They are perfect for a lunchbox meal at work, or an afternoon snack. You can even make a meal out of them by serving with a side of soup or salad.

The recipe is only a guide , please adjust the seasoning and ingredients to your liking.

Ingredients:

Left over pizza sauce - tomato, alfredo, pesto and sauce you might have.
Wraps - Rotis, Parathas
Left over Vegetable toppings
 - sliced mushrooms
 - sliced onions
 - green peppers
 - jalapeños
 - grated chesse
 - cubed paneer
Olive Oil
Soy Sauce
Hot sauce
Cilantro a handful - chopped finely
Chaat Masala

For the filling:

* In a pan add a tsp of olive oil and add all the vegetables and paneer. Cook on high for 3-4 mins. Add soy sauce and hot sauce and stir for another 2-3 mins.
* Switch off the stove and take the pan off the flame.

Assembly station:

* Create an assembly station by keeping a large chopping board on the table and arranging the  filling, sauce, Chopped cilantro and chaat masala around it.
* If you are using frozen parathas or rotis, it will be a good idea to cook them now and keep them ready.

* Cut a small rectangular piece of wax paper and place it on the chopping board and place the cooked roti/paratha on it.

* Spread a spoonful of the pizza sauce on the roti and spread the filling in the centre.

*Top it off with chopped cilantro , cheese and a dash of chaat masala.

* Fold 1/4 of the roti from the end toward you to the top, in such a way so to secure the filling from dropping out from below.

* Now gently fold the roti from the left and then the right. Roll the wax paper around and below the wrap.

* Repeat for remaining rotis.

This video shows another easier technique to fold the wraps, my wraps were too small for this technique.








Monday, November 18, 2013

Broken Wheat Vegetable Delight

How has your weekend been? Mine was good. We did quiet a few things, caught up with friends, went on a long hike after a long time, went shopping at IKEA and tried to watch a movie using Chromecast. Every time I go shopping at IKEA I have to buy a few more air-tight jars for my pantry. I have an obsession for jars, any size, shape and color jar and have quiet a collection in my pantry.


Broken Wheat also called Bulgar wheat, Fada, Dalia is high in fiber and is made from whole raw wheat kernels. I am not a big fan of broken wheat and enjoy it if its cooked the right way and eaten hot. This is an easy one pot meal. Broken wheat can be substituted with rice as well in this recipe.

I had a small cauliflower, one potato and one carrot lying in the pantry and were used up in this dish. The recipe is a good way to finish up leftover veggies and also eat healthy.

Recipe:

Serves: 2-3 adults

Time: 20 mins

Special Kitchenware: Pressure cooker or  Electrical Rice Cooker.

Ingredients:
1 cup broken wheat / rice
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 tsp ginger garlic paste *
2-3 green chillies
1-2 cup mixed vegetables ( potatoes, carrots, french beans, peas)
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp chili powder/paprika
Cilantro chopped finely to garnish.

Tempering:
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Olive Oil


* If you do not have ginger garlic paste. Add finely chopped garlic and grated ginger where the recipe calls for this ingredient.

    Broken wheat vegetable delight
  • Wash the broken wheat thoroughly in a bowl and keep it aside. 
  • In a thick bottomed vessel / pressure cooker add olive oil, mustard and cumin seeds. The mustard seeds will start sizzling in the hot oil. 
  • At this time add the chopped onions, Sautee for 2-3 mins with a pinch of salt. The ginger-garlic paste should be added now. Cook until the raw garlic smell goes away. 
  • Add all the vegetables along with green chillies to the pot now. Let them cook for a minute or two and then add the spices - turmeric, chili powder and salt. Stir until the spices and vegetables are blended together. 
  • Now add two and half cups of hot water to the pot or pressure cooker. If you are using an electric cooker, transfer the mixture to the electric cooker now. For a pressure cooker cook on medium flame for 2 whistles.
You can see my reflection and that of the food on the spoon
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with papad or raita. Make sure to serve this dish hot ! 

Tell me how did you like the dish and also if you have a jar obsession like I do :). 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Quinoa Peas Pulao

On a glommy fall evening, all you want to do is snuggle by the fireplace and read a book or watch a movie. Cooking is the last thing you want to do. This Quinoa Pulao is easy, healthy and delicious. It takes only a few minutes to cook and most of the ingredients are in your pantry already ! So lets start cooking.


Recipe:

Time : 20 mins
Preparation : 5 mins
Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Quinoa - 1cup
Water or Vegetable Broth - 2 cups
Peas - 1/4 cup
Onion - chopped finely - 1/4 cup.
Paneer - 10 pieces ( cubed) - optional
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chili - 2-3 ( depending on your spice level)
Mint leaves - a handful 
Gharam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp

To Temper:
Jeera - 1 tsp
Cloves - 2-3
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece

* In a pot or dutch oven add olive oil and all the ingredients under the 'to temper ' list.

* The jerra will turn a golden brown, add the chopped onions to it with a pinch of salt. The salt will help the onions sweat and cook faster.

* When the onions have a pink tinge on them, add ginger-garlic paste, sauté for 2-3 mins. Add the paneer now if you have it. Sauté for few more mins.

* Add the green chili, peas, gharam masala, and mint leaves and sauté for a min or so. 

* Rinse the quinoa using a kitchen strainer. Add the washed quinoa to the pot.

* For every 1 cup of quinoa you will require 2 cups of water or broth. Let the quinoa cook until you can see the germ of the quinoa around it. The quinoa should have a ring around it, it is called the germ of the quinoa.

* To make quinoa fluffy, close the lid of the vessel after you switch off the stove and let it sit for a few minutes. Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork. Serve with Fava beans raita.

Here are more tips on how to make your quinoa fluffy.