Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Avocado - Aloo Paratha

 So, recently the tune that keeps playing in my head is Elvis's Devil in Disguise. ..As it replays I  keep shaking my head smiling,  but then I remind myself sternly should I even be smiling; but that's just it ... I do keep smiling and trying my best to figure out how to get the better of my (sweet?) little one rather than the other way round. And yet if it was a tug of war I would fail miserably, so we play along and we move in sync, one step forward, two steps back, a tickle and we move some steps sideways too, but we are always moving and I am always trying.

And so a very healthy twist on the regular aloo paratha, and I can assure you it will be a hit with the kids. I am perpetually looking for ways make healthy yet tasty dishes so as to entice a very picky 17 month old, and this one works!!! This is the adult version of the recipe, you might want to tone down on the chili and ginger-garlic paste if you are planning to serve it to above mentioned age group.


Ingredients:
For the Dough  
Atta / Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Avacado - 1 
Milk - 2 tsp (if needed - I did not need it)
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp

For the Filling:
Potatoes - 2 large or 5 to 6 small or 3 medium sized
Cumin Seed - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 3 chopped
Coriander Leaves / Cilantro - A small fistful chopped
Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp
Salt to Taste

Boil the potatoes with the skin on. Pierce holes to allow the steam to be released. If possible steam the potatoes rather than boiling it in water. I did it in a pressure cooker for up to 2 whistles on medium heat by placing the potatoes in a bowl and the pouring water around the bowl. The reason for this is you want the potatoes to be cooked and be nice and soft but retain very little water.
You can also use the microwave to achieve the same result, by having one bowl of water and placing another bowl inside it with potatoes. Cover the big bowl with a wrap and pierce the wrap to allow the steam to be released. Cook according to the size of the potatoes from 6 minutes to 10 minutes. Let it cool.

While the potatoes are being cooked, in a mixing bowl add the Atta, avocado, salt, ginger-garlic paste and knead the mixture into a soft dough. You want the dough to be soft to touch without any lumps, in case you find that the dough is still hard ...wet you fingers in a little milk and knead. Spread 1/2 tsp of oil all around the dough and let the dough sit for 15 minutes.

By this time the potatoes would be cool enough to handle, so remove the skin and mash the potatoes in another mixing bowl. Add the Green Chili, Cumin Seeds, Cilantro, lemon juice and salt. Combine the ingredients well and then divide the mixture and make balls the size of golf balls.

Now divide the dough into equal number of balls. Dust each with a little flour, and roll out into small disc about 3 to 3 1/2 inches, enough for you to place one potato stuffing and cover it with the dough like a dumpling by crimping and sealing the top to form a ball again. Pat the ball gently into a disc again and dust with flour and keep aside. Finish stuffing and dusting all the dough in this fashion before rolling out the parathas. Now gently roll out the parathas as thin as you can without breaking the parathas, you most probably won't need to dust again.Now cook on a tava, allow one side to cook for a minute,  then turn, drizzle a drop of oil, turn again, drizzle oil again, and then using a spatula, spread the oil, wait for a minute and turn again for other side, remove after a minute after both sides are evenly cooked. If your paratha is thin enough and is not broken, you will even see it puff up too. Serve hot with yogurt and punjabi achar.Because of the creaminess of the avocado this paratha is very soft.

You can also make rotis with the dough without any stuffing, if you want to do away with the potatoes.