Paneer Kaati Roll

Indian wraps called as kaati rolls, is Indian flat bread filled with paneer and potatoes spiced up with onion and tomato garnish.

Ingredients :

For wrap

• Maida : 1 cup
• Wheat flour : 1 cup
• Salt 1/2 tsp
• Oil : 2 tbsp

For FillingPaneer : 1/2 of a cube

• Potatoes : 1 No (small)
• Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
• Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
• Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
• Tomato : 1 No (medium size)
• Onion : 1 No
• Egg : 2 or 3 Nos.
• Oil : 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method of preparing wrap :

• Mix all the ingredients for the wrap except oil and add water and make it into a soft dough
• Add oil on it and knead for 2 min and set aside for 15 min. (I kept it overnight)
• Make rounds with the dough and roll it thin but large. You may fold it and roll again.
• On a wide pan put the rolled wrap and once its done on one side flip, add oil and turn
• Do the same on the other side, flip and now pour half egg on this and spread.
• If the wrap is bubbling then take a fork and blow out the bubble before poring egg.
• In a min turn the wrap so that the egg gets cooked and remove from flame.

Method of preparing Filling

• Finely chop onions and tomatoes, cut the paneer into small pieces or use hand and make it into small chunks
• Boil Potato and shred it.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add onions and fry till golden brown, add ginger garlic paste, turmeric and saute.
• Add tomatoes and fry till they turn mushy. 
• Add Chilli powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder, salt and 4 to 5 tbsp water and let it for a min
• Now add shedded potatoes and paneer and mix well. 
• For a finishing touch add few drops of lemon juice if you wish

Take around 3 tbsp of filling and put it vertically on side of the wrap, add some fresh onions and tomatoes  and roll it.
Cover one side with aluminum foil so that its easy to eat particularly when its for lunch box.
Pack / Serve with ketchup / tangy sauce


Note : Dont over cook potatoes, shredding wouldnt be possible.
Also Known as : Paneer Chappati Roll, Potato wraps, Paneer wraps, Veg wrap, Chappati with filling
Variations : You can omit potatoes . You can omit egg, instead add some mint chutney if its for immediate serving.

read more "Paneer Kaati Roll"

Read complete post...

Simple Egg Fried Rice

Finely chopped vegetables are fried and mixed with Rice and Egg.
Another addition to Lunch Box ideas and its a one pot meal. I have added some time saving idea for those who cook early in the morning.

Ingredients : 

• Rice : 2 cups (approx 200 gms)
• Butter : 1 tbsp
• Egg: 3 Nos. 
• Beans : 1/2 cup
• Carrots : 1/2cup
• Onions : 1 No. 
• Capsicum : 1 No.
• Fresh Chives : 3 roots or 1 tbsp dried 
• Green Chilles : 4 Nos.
• Ginger : 1/2 inch
• Oil : 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method of Preparation :

• Cook rice with some butter so that the rice is not sticky and refrigerate. 
• Finely chop carrots, beans and capsicum

Can be previously cut and refrigerated for quick cooking.

• Finely chop ginger, chop onions lengthwise,  slit green chillies and finely chop chives.

• Heat oil in a wide pan add ginger and green chillies 
• After a min add carrots and beans when its half cooked add onions, chives and capsicum.
• After a min add salt, rice and mix well by tossing the pan.
• Move this to one side of the pan and drop 3 eggs on the other side of the pan and scramble. 
• When the egg gets a little hard include it with rice and mix well.
• Adjust salt and its now ready for packing. Tomato Sauce goes well as side dish.

 Note : You can add Tomato ketchup or sauce while tossing. Rice has to be warm / cold not hot.
Also Known as :Vegetable Rice
Variations : Add little white pepper for a varied taste.

read more "Simple Egg Fried Rice"

Read complete post...

Potato Cauliflower Curry with Garnished Rice

Jeera Garnished Rice packed with Potato Cauliflower added with heavy wiping cream to make it saucy.
Lunch Box Recipe takes around 25 min

Ingredients :
For Garnished Rice

• Rice : 2 Cups 
• Fennel seeds : 1 tsp
• Bay Leaves : 2 Nos. 
• Cloves : 2 - 3 Nos. 
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Green Chillies - 4 Nos. 
• Half cup - finely chopped carrots and beans (optional)
• Salt to taste 
• Butter : 1/2 tbsp

For Curry 

• Cauliflower : 1 cup 
• Potatoes : 2 Nos. 
• Onion : 1 No 
• Tomato : 1 No. or Tinned diced half cup
• Jeera : 1/2 tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp together / 1 tsp powder
• Oil : 1 tbsp
• Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder : 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander Powder : 1/2 tbsp
• Heavy wiping cream : 1/4 cup
• Coriander Leaves for garnishing
• Salt to taste 

Method of preparation :

• Wash and keep rice in electric rice cooker. Add finely chopped carrots / beans.
• Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaves, cloves and fennel seeds fry, add green chillies chopped length wise.
• Once it fries add it into the rice cooker along with salt and butter. 
• Give a stir and close lid. 

For Curry finely chop onions and tomatoes. 

• Cook chopped Cauliflower and Potatoes in the microwave for 6 min.(Add little water)
• Heat Oil in a pan, add Jeera once it fries add onions with some salt.
• When onions turn translucent add ginger and garlic paste, tomatoes and fry till it gets mushy. 
• Now add turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder.
• Add cooked vegetables along with remaining vegetable cooked water, stir well. 
• Finally add cream and coriander leaves stir for a min 
• Rice would be ready by now - ready to pack.
  

 Note : Adjust gravy thickness as you need by adding water
Also Known as : Aloo Gobi Sabzi
Variations : Add peas for the curry / fresh peas for the rice.

read more "Potato Cauliflower Curry with Garnished Rice"

Read complete post...

Methi Pulao

This is my first entry for the New LUNCH BOX varieties that I would be coming up with  in Roochis.
Rice cooked with Methi Leaves and whole garam masla spiced up with fresh green chilles and chilli powder.

Ingredients :

• Basmati Rice 1.5 cups
• Methi Leaves : 1 cup
• Onions : 1 No.
• Tomato  : 1 No. big
• Green Chilles : 3 Nos.
• Whole Garam Masala - 2 each
• Turmeric : Qtr tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste : 2 tbsp
• Oil : 2 to 3 tbsp
• Thick Curd : 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method of preparation :

• Heat oil in a non stick deep pan / rice cooker 
• Add whole garam masala once it gets golden brown add green chillies and onions finely chopped and little salt
• As onions turn translucent add turmeric, ginger and garlic paste and fry for about a min 
• Add Methi Leaves and Tomato and fry till the Tomato becomes mushy, add red chilli powder
• Now add water and curd and mix well, bring this to boil check taste add more salt if required.
• When the water is boiling add Rice and close lid. Leave it for 10 to 12 min in medium flame and remove. 
• Keep it closed for another 5 min before you serve / pack.
• Serve with your favorite Raitha, I served this with Cucumber Raitha. 

 Water propotion when cooking
- Pressure cooker 1cup rice = 1 and qtr cup water .
- Normal vessel : 1 cup rice = 2 cup water. 
(This also varies according to the rice variety you use)

Note : You Can use fresh / frozen Methi, not Kasuri methi.
Also Known as : Menthyala Vannam, Vendiya Sadam, Methi Rice, Menthye soppina anna.
Variations : You can add some chunks of potato while adding rice.

read more "Methi Pulao"

Read complete post...

Vegetable Rice Noodles

Dish that can be made for breakfast / dinner. Good to pack to school / office.


Ingredients : 

• Rice Noodles : 200 gms
• Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
• Urad Dhal : 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves : 2 strings
• Green Chillies : 4 Nos.
• Onions : 1 No.
• Fresh Vegetables : 1 cup cooked (Capsicum, Carrots, Beans, Green Peas)
• Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
• Coriander Powder : 1 tsp (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil : 1 tbsp

Method of preparation : 

• In a big vessel bring water to boil (5 times the quantity of noodles) add noodles and cook till its done.
• Usually takes 3 to 4 min. Dran water using stainer and run cold water so that the noodles does not get sticky. 
• In another non stick pan eat oil and add mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves and green chillies. 
• After a min add salt and onions and fry till its translucent.(Add coriander powder now)
• Now add cooked vegetables and give a stir. 
• Add cooked noodles and stir well.Serve with coconut chuttney.

Also Known as : Semiya, Akki Shavighe

read more "Vegetable Rice Noodles"

Read complete post...

Rava Idli - not MTR but RTR (Roochis Tiffen Room) Home Made

Home made Rava Idli

Did you know Rava Idli was found out MTR (Mavalli Tiffen Room) in Bangalore, India during the II world war. Thats when the Rice was in shortage. Read Wiki about this.
Ingredients :

• Rava / Semolina : 2 cups (used for making upma)
• Urad Dhal : 2 table spoon
• Channa Dhal : 1 table spoon
• Mustard Seeds : 1 table spoon
• Cashewnuts : 10 Nos.
• Asafotida : Qtr tea spoon
• Curry Leaves : 2 strings
• Green Chillies : 4 to 5 Nos. as per taste finely chopped
• Ginger : half inch (finely chopped)
• Baking SODA : half tea spoon
• Oil
• Ghee
• Salt
• Thick Curd / Yogurt ( Slightly Sour is best) - 1 cup
• Coriander leaves : 5 to 6 strings
• Grated Carrot (small one)

Method of Preparation :

• Heat 4 tbsp of Oil, add mustard seeds and let it crackle, add Urad Dhal and Green chillies.
• Add Broken Cashews and fry till golden.  Skip this if you are using roasted cashews.
• Now add Rava (Semolina) and keep frying it till it turns aromatic in medium flame (8-10 min) 
• Switch off flame and add very finely cut coriander leaves, grated  carrots and grated ginger. 
• In a bowl take sour curd and add salt and stir well. Pour it into the Rava and mix well.
• Add some water if its too thick, less than half cup water. 
• Stir well and add Baking SODA (not baking powder), stir really well. 
• This should be thicker than rice idli batter. 
• Heat water in the idli cooker, grease idli plates with butter / ghee and place split cashew. 
• Pour Idli batter on this. Once the water in the cooker is boiling place the idli plate stand in.
• Close the lid and cook it in medium flame for 10 -11 min.
• Switch off flame and remove Idli stand from cooker immediately. 
• If you leave long inside after switching off flame, Idli would go flat and not be fluffy.
• Leave it for a min or two and transfer Idli on to serving plate. 
• Place some butter on it and serve hot with  Vegetable Sagu or Aloo Bhaji and Coconut Chutney

Note :

• Rava should be roasted for this preparation else idlis would come out rock hard and sticky
• Important : Use Baking SODA and not Baking powder
• The idlis should look grainy, soft and fluffy else the batter was not made right. Check the batter thickness (should not too thick)
• Make the Idlis immediately after mixing yogurt. Dont store the batter for later use.
• Add some water if the batter has gone thick when you have to pour the idlis for second time.
• You can make this preparation of Rava and it can be stored in refrigerator and is good to use in week to 10 days.
• Sour curd would give better taste.
• Some use Eno Salt instead of Baking Soda and  it turns out good too.

read more "Rava Idli - not MTR but RTR (Roochis Tiffen Room) Home Made"

Read complete post...

Idly - The comfort food

Its like every time I try to make Idlies I just keep wishing that it has to come out well. However for long it did not turn out well while I used the same proportion of ingredients that was being used at my home in India. Well for this European weather it does not really work. Well it did not work for me.

I started searching through many of the blogs and most of them out of India used a different proportion of rice and urad dhal.

I mix and matched and took this proportion and to my surprise it came out perfectly fine. I almost had tears in my eyes.
Blogs that I referred Priyas and many others.

Idli Rice : 2 portions
Urad Dhal : 1 portion
Aval : 3 table spoons
Salt : 1 table spoon
Baking powder : 2 pinch

Soak Rice and Urad dhal separately for about 6 hours and grind Urad dhal finely for a longer time in the mixer or grinder. Remove this into bowl. Now grind the rice coarsely (not too fine). Mix this with Urad dhal batter along with salt. Mix it in your hand so that the heat helps fermentation. Close it and keep it in a owen overnight for fermentation. Add baking powder mix well and make idlis the next day. It has to come out soft and fine hopefully ;) Serve with chuttney or any kind of sambar. We had it with tomato sambar the other day.


I feel for getting soft idlies we gotta be lucky. Once it might be fine, but with the same proportion things might not work on another other day.

read more "Idly - The comfort food"

Read complete post...