12 tasty Paratha Recipes – Indian Cooking

Paratha (Parantha) or Paronthi is an Indian flatbread cooked on the pan with help of some oil. It can be enjoyed with pickles, chutneys, raita (yogurt preparation) or by itself. Although there are no rules and regulations as to what time of the day, paratha should be consumed, vast majority enjoys it for hearty breakfast or as a brunch. They are also great for taking on the roads, for picnics and many Indian mothers give it to their kids in the lunch box.

If you are like me and love Parathas then you must try these delicious and flavorful Paratha Recipes:

1. Basic Indian Paratha : If you want to master the art of paratha making then begin by learning how to prepare this simple and plain Indian paratha. You can use whole wheat or regular wheat flour to make this fried Indian flatbread.

2. Gobi Paratha: This is my favourite paratha. It is made using grated cauliflower and basic Indian spices.

3. Mooli Paratha: Although very tasty, this paratha if wrapped can become a little stinky. It is stuffed with Mooli (or called Daikon or Radish)

4. Paneer Paratha: My kids absolutely love this paratha. Paneer which is Indian style cottage cheese is used as a stuffing for this paratha. You can make it hot or keep it mild.

5. Spinach Paratha: One of the healthier kinds of parathas, spinach parantha is a good way to consume spinach. This recipe is a great use of nutritional value of Spinach and has a high Iron content. Spinach paranthas store well in the fridge and taste excellent with dry Indian vegetables or curries. You can enjoy these Palak Parathas for lunch, dinner or even breakfast. I prefer pureeing the spinach for this recipe rather than using spinach leaves because leaves keep coming out, can burn and by using the puree, the paranthas turn out softer and more yummy with lots of flavor.

6. Egg Paratha: Egg lovers certainly enjoy this paratha. This Indian flatbread is made with stuffed egg popularly called  Anda paratha. You can enjoy it as a snack or prepare it for a healthy breakfast. Ingredients required are: Wheat flour for making dough, eggs, cheese and oil for cooking.

7. Dal Paratha: My mom use to cook this paratha often with leftover Dal which is basically lentils. Any kind of Dal can be used in preparing this paratha.

8. Mint Onion Paratha: Want to keep your paratha simple but still have some flavor? Try Mint Onion Paratha.

9. Masala Egg Paratha: This is a glorified version of Masala Egg Paratha. You can add vegetables of your choice along with eggs in this paratha.

10. Aloo Paratha: One of the most popular and comparatively easy to make parathas, it is stuffed with aloo ( i.e. potatoes).

11. Rajma Paratha: A great way to  use leftover beans is to prepare this Rajma (Red Kidney Beans)Paratha. Although if you are craving for this paratha, no one is going to stop you from boiling some kidney beans (or using canned beans) to make this flatbread. This Indian flatbread is quite nutritious.

12. Laccha Paratha: Although plain, this paratha is cooked slightly different then the basic paratha. Lachha Paratha is a round and flaky, multi layered Indian flatbread best enjoyed with curries or Indian vegetables. All you need for this recipe is whole wheat flour, water, oil for cooking (or butter/ghee), pinch of sugar and salt.

If you like Indian flatbreads, you can also try our Naan Recipe, Learn to make Roti or Luchi

 

 

Cucumber Beet Salad Recipe (Kachoombar Salad)

Low Calorie, healthy and flavorful Cucumber and Beet Salad can brighten up any Indian meal.

(Chukandar aur Kheere ka salad)

Ingredients:
1 cup julienne/ cut in thin long strands Cucumber
1 cup julienne (or shredded) beets
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper pwd
1/2 tsp roasted cumin pwd
2 tbsp roasted peanuts
2 tbsp chopped green onions

Mix all the ingredients well and serve with your Indian meal or make a big bowl of salad and enjoy it for lunch.

Like Beets? Also, try our Tasty and Healthy Beet Salad Recipe

 

Tasty and healthy Beet Salad Recipe

Super easy, healthy and yummy Beet Salad recipe with homemade dressing. This is really nutritious, low calorie, low fat, raw salad.

Ingredients:
2 cups Beets (peeled and julienned or cut in long strands)
2 cups carrots
2 cups Cabbage
3 tbsp Toasted Almonds (Really Make the difference in taste in this salad)
1 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Avocado Oil (or Olive oil/grapeseed oil)
1.5 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Salt and Pepper

Prepare the dressing and add it to veggies. Season, chill in the fridge for 20 mins and serve. It can be a great side dish or hearty salad in itself.

Healthy and tasty Beet Salad Recipe by eateastindian
Healthy and tasty Beet Salad Recipe by eateastindian

5 exciting and flavorful Tofu Recipes

If you find Tofu bland and boring , then you are not alone. Many people understand the health benefits of Tofu but find it difficult to consume it or make it part of their everyday diet. Deep frying is not the only way to make Tofu tasty. Here, I have compiled for you 5 really good, exciting and flavorful Tofu recipes which turn Tofu very tasty.
Give them a try and let us know your experiences:

1. Butter Tofu Curry : In this recipe, Tofu is prepared in a traditional Indian way in a creamy tomato sauce
2. Tandoori Tofu : Make flavorful Tofu by marinating it in some aromatic Indian spices. This Tandoori Tofu is great for potlucks or your next get together. Try this unusual hor d’oeuvre and wow your guests. We have used Green Bell peppers with Tofu but you can also use other vegetables of your choice like Mushrooms, Onions, Tomatoes etc.
3. Tofu Tikka Masala: With lots of vegetables accompanying Tofu, this is a healthy dish which goes well with rice or naan
4. Tofu Korma: This mild and delicious curry dish is easy to prepare and uses simple cooking procedure. It suits every palate.
5. Tofu Stir- Fry with crispy vegetables: We believe that this is indeed one of the best stir- fry recipes ever. Prepare Tofu this way and enjoy it over rice or with noodles.

 

How to prepare Mixed Greens Masala? Indian vegetarian recipe

Learn how to cook power greens (spinach and other green leafs) in Indian spices while maintaining their nutrition. This is a healthy and easy recipe.

Ingredients ( Serves 2-3)
375 gms mixed greens
1 med. size potato chopped
1 onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
1 small tomato
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds

1. Heat oil and fry cumin seeds.
2. Add onions, ginger and garlic. Saute for 45 secs and add salt, turmeric, paprika
3. Fry for 2-3 mins.
4. Add potatoes. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook for 5-6 mins.
5. When nearly done, add tomato. Mix well and add your power greens.
6. Cook for 2-3 mins. Make sure potatoes are done. Add garam masala.
7. Serve with Roti, Naan or as a side dish with any other meal.

How to make Masala Rice?

Learn how to make Masala Rice with this simple recipe video.

Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
1-2 tbsp oil
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onions
2-3 cinnamon sticks (1 inch pieces)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
5-6 black peppercorns
1 black cardamom (Moti elaichi)
1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
2 cloves (laung)
salt per taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd
Optional – 1 small green chilli chopped
Cilantro and green onions for garnish

1. Pre-soak rice in water for 20 mins.
2. Heat oil in a pot and fry cumin seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorn, cardamom and cloves.
3. Add onions, salt, turmeric and chilli pwd. Fry for 2 mins.
4. Add rice and stir for 2 mins.
5. Add 2 cups of water and cook on high. When water comes to boil, turn down the heat and continue cooking until done.
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

 

How to make Eggplant Curry? Aubergines Curry Recipe

Learn how to make simple eggplant and tomato curry with basic Indian spices. This Brinjal curry (spiced aubergines) can be served with any kind of bread, spread on sandwiches or wraps or enjoyed as a side dish.

 

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)
1 large Eggplant
1 small chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 small tomatoes
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt per taste
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Red chilli pwd (can be substituted with paprika or cayenne)
Cilantro and Green onions for garnish

1. Peel and chop eggplant.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and add cumin seeds. When sizzling, add onions, ginger and garlic
3. After about 45 secs add salt, turmeric and red chilli pwd.
4. Once golden brown, add eggplant and 2 tbsp of water. Cover and cook for 5 mins.
5. Add tomatoes. Cover and cook further for 5 mins.
6. Add garam masala. Mix well and garnish with cilantro and green onions.

Serve with bread of your choice.

Tableware in the video supplied by www.restaurantware.com

If you like eggplants then also try one of our other amazing eggplant recipes like:

Dahi Baingan  which is fried eggplant in yogurt gravy

Bagara Baingan which requires small/baby eggplants and is a mild and sour curry

Baingan Bhartha which is punjabi style eggplant dish with roasted eggplants

Stuffed Eggplants in which baby eggplants are filled with various spices and pan-fried

Aloo Baingan which is a potato and eggplant dish or simple eggplant masala which is spiced eggplant dish

 

 

How to prepare basic Tadka? Indian Cooking Basics

Back to basics, today you’ll learn how to make basic Tadka which is a seasoning for your vegetables or lentils. It is basically tempering to enhance flavor of the dish.

Chaunk (Hindi: छौंक); sometimes spelled chhaunk, chounk, chonk, chhounk, or chhonk; also called তড়কা(tarka, tadka),বাগার (bagar),ফোড়ন (phoron) in Bengali, Thaalithal (தாளித்தல்) in Tamil, oggaraṇe (ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆ) in Kannada, vaghaar (વઘાર) in Gujarati, fodni in Marathi, Thalimpu (తాళింపు) or popu ( పోపు in Telugu), Baghaar (Urdu: بگھار) ; Baghara (in oriya) and often translated as tempering is a garnish and/or cooking technique used in the cuisines of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, in which whole spices (and sometimes also other ingredients such as minced ginger root or sugar) are fried briefly in oil or ghee to liberate essential oils from cells and thus enhance their flavors, before being poured, together with the oil, into a dish.
Chaunk is added at the end of cooking, just before serving (as with a dal, sambar or stew), or else prepared at the beginning of cooking, before adding the ingredients to a curry or similar dish. Ingredients typically used for chaunk include cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fennel seeds, fresh green chilis, dried red chilis, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, cassia, cloves, urad dal, curry leaves, chopped onion, garlic, or tejpat leaves. When using multiple ingredients for a chaunk they are often added in succession, with those requiring longer cooking added earlier, and those requiring less cooking added later. In Bengali cuisine, a mixture of whole spices called panch phoron is used for this purpose.
Chaunk is believed to not only add flavor but also to aid in digestion, unless the person consuming the dish has trouble with digesting fatty foods.

Ingredients (For 3-4 cups of Lentils)

1 small chopped onion or 1/2 of a big one
1 tomato
1 inch piece of ginger
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
Cilantro for garnish
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd

1. Heat oil and add cumin seeds. Once they splutter add onions, ginger and garlic.
2. Coat onions with oil and add red chilli pwd. Let them get golden brown. (usually about 2-3 mins)
3. Add tomatoes. Let tomatoes become tender. You will notice oil starting to separate or ooze out on the sides. Add garam masala.
4. Pour this tadka on top of lentils and garnish with cilantro leaves.

 

How to make Masala Hummus? Flavorful Indian style Chickpea Dip

Learn to make flavorful Masala Hummus (Chickpea Dip) by watching this recipe video.

Interested in more exciting dip recipes? How about Coconut Dip (Coconut chutney) or Spinach Dip

Ingredients (Serves 4-5)

1.5 cup chickpeas (boiled)
2 tbsp chopped onions
1/2 cup chickpea stock (or water)
1 tsp sea salt (adjust per taste)
1 tsp turmeric
2 garlic cloves
1 inch piece of ginger
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp each cumin and coriander seeds
Optional- Red chilli pwd (if you want it to be spicy)

Process:

1. Dry roast cumin and coriander seeds and grind to make powder
2. Fry onions, ginger and garlic with turmeric in 1 tbsp oil until golden brown
3. Toast Sesame seeds (if not already toasted)
4. Combine Chickpeas with all the ingredients and blend until desired consistency is reached.
5. Optional- Can be garnished with some fresh cilantro leaves or green onions.

Serve with pita bread, chips, crackers or your favourite bread.

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Here is another version of a simple Hummus Dip for you 🙂

How to make Butter Tofu Curry?

Learn how to make fantastic and flavourful Butter Tofu Curry.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4):

350 gms of Tofu
1 chopped onion
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt ( 1 tsp for marinade, 1 tsp for onions)
1 tsp Red Chilli Pwd
1 tsp Tandoori masala
2 cups chopped tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
2 inch piece of ginger
1 green chilli (optional)

1 tsp of cumin and coriander seeds
2 green cardamom
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 tbsp oil for cooking
2 tbsp butter
Cilantro for garnish

1. Marinade Tofu with yogurt and spices (Salt, turmeric,red chilli pwd and tandoori masala) for 1 hour.
2. Next, pan-fry it in butter until golden brown and set aside.
3. Fry cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, cumin and coriander seeds with oil.
4. Add onions, salt, ginger, garlic and green chilli. Fry until golden.
5. Add 2 cups of chopped tomatoes and cook further for 5 mins.
6. Blend the masala to make smooth gravy.
7. Add Tofu and simmer for few minutes.
8. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

This curry is best enjoyed with Roti, Naan,Paratha or Rice and if you like tofu, also try: TOFU KORMA or TOFU TIKKA MASALA