Makki ki roti (pan-roasted corn flatbread)



Nothing brings a smile to my face like the mention of makki ki roti and sarson ka saag - the best meal on a winter evening with people warming their hands by the fire, as one roti after another is served hot from the tawa, to be eaten with makkhan and gur, and pyaaz and mirch on the side please.


Makes 8 makki rotis.

I mix whole-wheat flour with corn meal to make soft makai rotis.


Ingredients

• 1 cup makki aata (corn meal)
• 1 cup aata (whole-wheat flour)
• 1 tbspn vegetable oil for dough
• 1 cup water 
• a pinch of salt
• vegetable oil for pan-frying

Preparation

1. Make a dough with the flour and oil - this should need slightly more than 1/2 cup of water.
2. Cover the prepared dough with a damp cloth for 15 minutes. 

Instructions

1. Heat the pan. Using a non-stick pan minimizes the need for oil.
2. Make eight balls from the dough.
3. Take a dough ball and roll it into a circle. 
4. Take a few drops of oil in the pan, and place makai ki roti. 
5. Press down lightly with a flat spatula.
6. Turn the parantha after a minute, and cook completely. 
7. If the dough is made right, the makai roti will puff up.

 Serving

1. Serve hot with stir-fried vegetables or curry. 

Malaai Lassi

Makes 8 cups

This is a variation of the traditional lassi. This rich, thick and creamy, drink was a special treat. It can be mixed with a spoon for a traditional texture, or machine-blended for a smooth texture. I recommend making this a couple of hours before serving and refrigerated in serving cups.

Ingredients 

• 4 cups plain yogurt
• 2 cups fresh cream, or sweet cream
• 2 cups ice
• 4 tbspn sugar
• 1 tspn salt

For the garnishing

• 1 tspn cardamom, ground
  
• 1 tspn almonds, pistachios, finely chopped
• 1 tspn cashew, finely chopped
• 1 tspn rose petals, finely chopped - optional

Preparation (5 minutes)

1. Finely chop rose petals, cashews, almonds and pistachios. 

Instructions (2 minutes)

1. Blend the ingredients for 2 minutes.
2. Malaai lassi is best made a couple of hours before serving. If refrigerated for more than 4 hours, it needs to be blended again before serving.

Garnishing (optional)

1. Pour into cups and sprinkle the garnishing on each cup.

Serving

1. Goes well with Indian appetizers and meals. 
2. If the Malaai Lassi is made to be served within a couple of hours, it can be poured into cups and garnished and refrigerated, ready to be served. 

Mango Lassi

Makes 8 cups

Growing up, this used to be a summer delight. With easy access to mango puree in the stores, this is now a regular drink. It can be mixed with a spoon for a traditional texture, or machine-blended for a smooth texture. I recommend making this a couple of hours before serving and refrigerated in serving cups.

Ingredients 

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 2 cups mango pulp
• 4 cups ice
• 4 tbspn sugar
• 1 tspn salt

For the garnishing

• 1 tspn cardamom, ground
  
• 1 tspn almonds, pistachios, finely chopped

Preparation (5 minutes)

1. Set aside pulp.
2. Finely chop almonds and pistachios. 

Instructions (5 minutes)

1. Blend the ingredients for 3 minutes.
2. Mango lassi is best made a couple of hours before serving. If refrigerated for more than 4 hours, it needs to be blended again before serving.

Garnishing (optional)

1. Pour into cups and sprinkle the garnishing on each cup.

Serving

1. Goes well with Indian, Asian and Western appetizers. 
2. If the Mango lassi is made to be served within a couple of hours, it can be poured into cups and garnished and refrigerated, ready to be served. 

Slitted spicy baingan (brinjals) in a microwave

Slitted spicy baingan can be made in the microwave. This recipe is for 18 brinjals.

Ingredients

• 1 tspn finely chopped ginger
• 1 tspn finely chopped garlic
• 2 tspn coriander powder
• 2 tspn 
• 1 tspn turmeric powder
• 2 tspn salt
• ½ tspn citric acid
• 1 tspn sugar 
• 18 brinjals

For tempering

• 1 tspn mustard seeds
• 1 tspn sesame seeds
• 2 tbspn oil

For garnishing

• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
• ½ cup finely grated coconut

Preparation

1. Mix the ingredients in a bowl. 
2. Slit the brinjals vertically from one end without cutting them in two halfs. And make another vertical cut from the other end, at right angles to the first cut.
3. Stuff the brinjals with spice mix.
4. In a glass bowl, add the ingredients for tempering.
5. Place brinjals.
6. Sprinkle the remaining spice mix in the bowl.
7. Cover the bowl.
8. Cook in a microwave for 3 minutes. 
9. Take the bowl out, and turn the brinjals.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 three times. 
11. Keep aside.

Instructions

1. Heat the oil, and stir the onions on medium-high heat till they are pink.
2. Add the peppers and powdered spices and stir till the oil separates from the onions. 
3. Add grated ginger and grated garlic and saute for another minute.
4. Add cashew paste and stir well. - optional
5. Add salt to taste. 
6. Add chopped tomatoes, and stir for two minutes. - optional
7. Add the chopped spinach and stir on low-medium heat for another two minutes. 

Garnishing

1. Sprinkle grated coconut and finely chopped cilantro. 

Serving

1. Serve hot with any flat bread - nan, roti or paratha hot from the pan.

Sarson ka saag (Mustard greens)

Makes 6 cups of sarson ka saag.
I prefer the taste and texture of finely chopped vegetables to blended vegetables. Blending is more popular - it gives a more refined look to the presentation and reduces prep time.
Being lacto-vegetarian, I use ghee where it is traditionally used, as in this recipe. 

Ingredients

• 4 tbspn vegetable oil
• 1 tspn rai (mustard seeds) 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 tspn coriander powder 
• 1-1/2 tspn cumin powder
• 1 tspn turmeric powder 
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tbspn ginger, grated
• 8 cups finely chopped mustard greens (sarson) - can be blended instead
• 3 cups finely chopped spinach - can be blended instead

Preparation (20 minutes)

1. Grate garlic, ginger.
2. Cut peppers, and finely chop onions, mustard greens and spinach - or blend to save time.

Instructions

1. Heat the oil, and add mustard seeds and wait till they pop.
2. Add the onions, and stir on medium-high heat till they are pink.
3. Add the peppers and powdered spices and stir till the oil separates from the onions. 
4. Add grated ginger and grated garlic and saute for another minute.
5. Add salt to taste. 
6. Add the finely chopped mustard greens and stir on low-medium heat for another two minutes.  
7. Add the finely chopped spinach and continue to stir for another five minutes.
8. Add 1 cup of water, and stir for another two minutes.
9. Take off the heat.  

Garnishing

1. Sprinkle cilantro on top.

Serving

1. Serve hot with makki ki roti (corn roti) hot from the pan, and refrigerated lassi (yogurt shake).
2. Any flat bread - roti, paratha, nan will do in place of Makki-ki-roti.