Chinese Roti's

Yet another one from my left over make over series. Some one is having very little dinner - I practically have left over roti's every day. I know I'm not the one eating any lesser, so it probably has to be my husband. Well, I take efforts to feed him those roti's in yet another form. This time my attempt was at a Chinese variation. Just tore the roti's into small pieces, tossed it in a couple of sauces and it was ready... really, you have to believe me.

Ingredients

• Left Over Chapathi - 2/3 (obviously fresh ones are better)
• Onion - 1
• Green Chilly - 2 slit lengthwise
• Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, chopped into small pieces
• Garlic - 3 cloves chopped
• Soya Sauce - 1 tblsp
• Chilly Sauce - 2 tsp
• Tomato Ketchup - 2 tsp
• Any other sauce/seasoning you prefer
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Tear the roti's into small pieces
• Heat oil in a wok
• Add garlic pieces and fry till smoked
• Add onions, chilly and ginger and stir fry.
• Add Soya Sauce, Chilly Sauce, Tomato Ketchup and othe sauces
• Mix well, add salt.
• Finally add the pieces of roti's you tore apart.
• Toss well and serve.

This is not something great or yummy - Just a change from the regular roti's we have and a good way to not waste left over food.

Egg Roll

This is pure left over make over. I had no clue what I was going to prepare for breakfast this morning. I was done with my Idly/Dosa batter, tired of Maggi/Foodles and wary of Upma. I had no clue what I wanted for breakfast either. Cornflakes and Oats are always alternatives and I ensure that I stock them up at home, but then I was in no mood for either of them.

I remembered then that I had some Chapathi's left over from last night. All I could think of then was an egg roll. I've lived for 6 years in Kolkata. My taste buds are honed to the aroma and taste of the Bengali Cuisine. Egg roll is hardly a Cuisine. It is more of a fast food, available at literally every street corner in Kolkata. The rolls in  Kolkata are made with mustard oil. That is something I do not use in my kitchen. Hence I made this with normal cooking oil.I vaguely remember insisting that my dad and uncle who lived with us then had to bring 1 egg roll each when they returned home. Ever since the Tibbs Frankie carts have started in Chennai, my orders would have atleast 1 egg frankie. When I last went to Kolkata for my cousin's wedding 3 years ago, my agenda had only one thing - EGG ROLL. Pity Me....I had a bad stomach and so could not relish the original Kolkata Egg Roll.

Here is how I made this morning's Egg Roll.

Ingredients

• Left over Chapathi's/Roti's - 2 (You could use freshly made roti's - that would obviously taste better)
• Egg - 1
• Onion - 1 chopped into small pieces
• Green Chilly - 1 chopped finely
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper Powder - as per taste
• Paparika Powder - as per taste
• Oil - 2 tsp

Method

• Beat the egg well with salt and set aside.
• Heat iron girdle/pan on high flame.
• Add 1 tsp oil and when it becomes hot, place 1 chapathi/roti over it.
• Toss twice almost quickly. You need to do this so that it becomes warm on all sides without browning further.
• Pour 1/2 the beaten egg onto the Chapathi/Roti.
• Turn the stove to low flame.
• Place 1/2 the chopped onions and chillies on the egg mixture
• Sprinke pepper powder and paparika powder
• Turn over so that the egg, onion and chillies are placed on the girdle.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes till the egg gets cooked.
• Remove from girdle and roll it up. Place something heavy on it as soon as it is rolled so that it retains its shape.
• Repeat for the other chapathi/roti with the remaining half of the ingredients.
• Your Egg Roll is ready!

Poricha Kootu

I don't know how this recipe got its name, but I was in love with it the first time I tasted it. My memory fails me as I have forgotten my tryst with this dish in school. The earliest I remember was having it from my colleague M when I was pregnant. Oh Boy, did I love it!!! M, being the kind soul she was ensured she got this for me regularly... this is the nicest part of being pregnant... people are eager to satiate your pregnancy cravings. M got it every other week for me. It's nearly 3 years now since this incident but the taste lingered on.

Recently I decided to ask my best friend G the recipe. I figured since it is a Tamil Brahmin speciality, G would know the recipe too...so what if M was an Iyer and G an Iyengar? The recipe ought to be the same right? G laughed and told me "DO you remember how you used to hog my lunch in school every time my mom packed this dish for me?". My jaw dropped, limbs dragged and the whole body shook!!!! Haha, let me not overdo, but I swear, I really did not remember having this dish earlier. G says she can recall very vividly how I used to exchange the Fried Rice my mom packed for me in exchange for her Poricha Kootu n Rice. I must have forgotten about it in my growing old years, but more than 10 years later, when M brought the dish, I loved it...so I guess the taste was cultivated when I was a 13 or 14 year old teen!

G gave me the recipe which I cross verified online. Fairly simple. So I decided to make it. And relish it!!!!





What you need to make Poricha Kootu

Any of the following veggies (any 2 would suffice)

Chow Chow (I don't know its english name) - 1

Green Brinjal - 5-6 cut lengthwise

Green Capsicum - 1

Kovakkai (Ivy Gourd or Tindora) - 100 gms

White Pumpkin - 100 gms

1. Moong Dal (Siru Parippu) - 1 cup
2. Channa Dal (Kadala Parippu) - 50 gms
3. Coconut - 1/2 shell grated
4. Jeera - 1 tsp
5. Green Chillies - 3-4
6. Peppercorn - 3-4 tblsp
7. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Sambar Powder - 1 tsp
9. Salt to taste

How to make it:

1. Pressure cook the Moong Dal and Channa Dal for 3-4 whistles.
2. Cut and boil the vegetables in water with turmeric and sambar powder.
3. Grind the coconut, green chilly, peppercorns and jeera into a fine paste.
4. When the veggies are cooked and soft, add the dal and bring to boil.
5. Add salt and mix well.
6. Add the ground coconut-peppercorn paste and cook till the gravy becomes thick.
7. Serve with hot rice and ghee!

This dish requires no oil. Yeah the coconut is a high cholestrol item, but still, NO OIL!!!!

I love this dish and looks like this is going to feature in my weekly timetable for lunch menu from now on since I've learnt to make it.

Arbi-Aloo Stuffed Paratha

 This again is not rocket science. I had left over masala from the Kofta's in the previous recipe, hence I thought I'd make this dish.

 Ingredients:

For the Filling

1. Baby Potatoes - 250 gms
2. Colocassia (Arbi/Yam/Sepankazhangu/Chembu) - 150 gms
3. Corriander Leaves - 1 bunch
4. Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
5. Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Dry Mango Powder - 1 tsp
8. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
9. Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder) - 1 tsp
10. Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch
11. Salt to taste

For the Paratha

1. Wheat Flour - 2 cups
2. All purpose flour (Maida) - 1/2 cup
3. Salt - 1/2 tsp
4. Oil - 1 tsp
5. Luke Warm Water - as required
6. Oil/Ghee/Butter - for preparing the paratha

Method:

For the Filling:

1. Boil potatoes and colocassia (Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles)
2. Cool and Peel skin.
3. Mash them well.
4. Add the remaining masalas and corriander leaves and mix well.

For the Paratha

1. Mix all ingredients to get a fine dough. It should be soft, yet not sticky.
2. Set aside for 1 hour.
3. Roll into small balls.
4. Flatten one, spread it on some flour and roll to the size of a Poori (around 8 inches diameter)
5. Take 2 tblsp of the filling, place it in the middle and close from all sides. This would look like a small money purse now.
6. Flatten gently, roll into some loose wheat flour and roll the paratha like a regular roti.
7. Keep dusting wheat flour on both sides because the colocassia in the filling tends to make it sticky.
8. Heat girdle and place on it.
9. Add oil/ghee/butter and turn over when it browns. Do not let it become stiff or too dark. It would become stiff if the girdle is too hot.
10. Keep repeating till all sides are cooked.
11. Serve with a dollop of butter.