Cabbage and green onion paratha/kobi na paratha

I heard that best cooks can make delicious, finger licking food from very few ingredients or whatever is given to them. Well, well I am definitely not one of those cooks...But sometimes some recipes happened to be like that. The more simple, fewer ingredients is the key to those recipes. Believe me with very few ingredients, this is the perfect recipe for those lazy weekend brunch. Just serve these parathas with ghee/butter on top and chilled dahi/yogurt on hot summer days or hot cup of tea/coffee on cold winter days.

Besides being simple recipe, this is full of nutrition. Remember that cabbage diet craze.....well, this is one more way to sneak in that super food in your kid's plate.....and adults too who don't like it.

Ingredients
shredded cabbage
shredded/chopped green onions
green chillies as per taste
freshly ground black pepper powder
carrom seeds/ajwain
finely chopped cilantro
whole wheat flour
salt as per taste
oil to cook parathas

Take one big bowl and add all the ingredients except salt and oil. Mix all everything well with your hands and then add the salt as per taste. Now start kneading the dough by adding water little by little. Make the dough of medium consistency.

Divide the dough in equal portions. Roll each portions into circular parathas using flour for dusting as needed.

Cook these parathas on hot tava/griddle with oil.

Serve hot with ghee/butter on top.

Notes:-

Be careful when you add water into dough while kneading, because cabbage tends to leave water when mixed with salt. So add water little by little as needed.

Once the dough is ready,  divide the dough equal portions and start rolling immediately....otherwise dough will be too loose to manage.

Don't add any other spices like turmeric, red chili powder etc. Just give it a try with these ingredients only. Believe me with this recipe, the little goes long way!

Enjoy!

Weeknight Dinner Series: vegetable grilled cheese sandwich

I'm sure you all must be thinking that there is no need to post recipe on food blog for grilled cheese sandwich! But sometimes some minor changes here and there in the recipe, and you get a whole new dish. Normally I pair this sandwich with any kind of soup. This is also totally forgiving and very versatile recipe. I make few different type of versions of this sandwich.

Version 1
shredded cabbage
shredded carrot
green chili as per taste(optional)
freshly crushed black pepper powder(optional)
salt as per taste
butter
shredded cheese
bread slices

Mix all the vegetables, green chili, salt, pepper powder, and cheese in one bowl. Put 1 or 2 tablespoon of vegetable mixture on bread slice. Put another bread slice on top of it. Now apply butter on both slices(outside!...yes that's the secret for perfect grilled sandwich). Grill it on the tava or sandwich maker.

Version 2
boiled and mashed potatoes
green peas
paneer
green chili paste(optional)
chaat masala(optional)
salt as per taste
butter
shredded cheese
bread slices

Repeat the same procedure as above!

Version 3

Grilled Fajita vegetables
black beans
garlic powder
taco seasoning
salt as per taste
shredded cheese
butter
bread slices

For fajita vegetables, normally I use onion, belle pepper, zucchini and carrot. You can use any vegetable of your choice.
This is kind of Mexican grilled cheese sandwich.

This recipe is perfect for busy weeknight, kids breakfast/snack, weekend brunch.

Do try it out and let me know your comments!

Weeknight Dinner Series: Mixed vegetable soup(creamy)

I don't  want to start this post with excuses for my sabbatical leaves.....rather with a promise to update this blog regularly! Let's hope that I can keep my promise;-) !! After all promises are meant to be....kept?!

Now a days to cook fresh dinner every night is a big challenge for me.....If I can do it for all weeknights, then it's a big accomplishment(yeah it is!). One of the savior during weeknights recipes are normally one pot meals  but then the healthy mom inside me feels guilty of not cooking something nutritious. At that time this soup recipe comes to my help.

This is totally forgiving and very versatile recipe. Just by changing one or two veggies, you can get totally new soup every time. My DD is like me only(well she should be right!), she doesn't like all the vegetables. Tomato is her favorite, so by adding more tomatoes compare to other veggies, I can feed her ANY vegetable I want....isn't it amazing?

Here are some of the versions, I have tried so far....

Mixed vegetable soup 1

Tomato 2 big or 4 small
cauliflower half head
bottle gourd 1 cup cubes
zucchini 1/2 cup cut

Mixed vegetable soup 2

beetroot 2
tomato 2 big o 4 small
carrot 1 big
mushroom 1/2 cup

Mixed vegetable soup 3

beetroot 2
tomato 2 big
carrot 1 big
onion 1
garlic 3-4 cloves

For all the version, boil all the vegetables in the pressure cooker with very small amount of water and salt as per taste. Once vegetables are boiled, blend the mixture. Pass the soup through big strainer to remove seeds of tomatoes and all. This step is totally optional.

boil the soup on gas top for few minutes before serving.

Serve hot with butter, freshly crushed black pepper and croutons(optional).

Sometimes while boiling on gas top, I add some microwaved corn. It gives crunchy texture to the soup and a whole new taste.

If you want you can add some fresh lemon juice and few chopped herbs like cilantro or basil for a new version of the soup.

You can pair this soup with almost anything like pasta, pizza, pulav, upma, sandwiches etc and you get a hearty meal to eat.

Do try out all these variations and let me know your comments!