Parotta - layered flat bread.

Parottas are layered flat bread that one could find  all across India, although it is specific to the Southern. Last night I made these parottas, to go with my left over chicken curry. Parottas are made out of Maida.

Here in France, it is not very easy to find Maida. And if at all, the identification, cross-confirmation with the shop keeper, and purchasing is quite a task to accomplish. In any case, if you are living in France and you are not close to any of the Indian stores, try the T55 flour that you find in all super marché. This flour doesnt have the smoothness and elasticty like Maida. But, it is the equivalent you might find here.

All you need is :

1. Maida or All purpose flour– 2 cups
2. Egg - 1
3. Salt – As per to your taste
4. Sugar – 1 tablespoon
5. Oil – ¾ cup
6. Water – As per need

 This what you have to do :

• Add the sugar and salt to the flour and mix well.
• Break in the whole egg and start to knead.
• Add half a cup of oil to the flour mix and incorporate thoroughly
• Sprinkle in warm water and knead the dough to a firm, even ball.
•  Brush the dough ball with some oil.
•  Let it to rest for minimum of 3 hrs, in a bowl covered with moist cloth.
•  Divide the big dough ball into small portions, as that of a golf ball size. Now that is a literal comparison that I can come up with. But, just to say, the bigger the portions are, the bigger your cooked Parottas will be.
•  Press the balls and turn them into a small disc before running your rolling pin over it gently.Sprinkle few drops of oil so the dough don't stick to the surface of the rolling board or pin.Do not add any flour, just oil.
•   While the dough transforms to a circle, stop rolling your pin, when it it starts to get transparent.
•  Hold one side of the circle and start to fold like a fan, forming a long strip of folded dough.
•  Once the dough is like a thick cord (due to the folded layers), swing it a little and roll into a spiral shape. Tuck the end of the dough underneath and exert a small pressure in the center.
•  Transform all your small balls into the spirals before heating your pan.
• Press the spiralsised dough into a small disc before running your rolling pin over it, very gently.
• Roll of the portions into a circle and put it on a hot pan with some drizzles of oil.
•  Cook both sides on medium-high flame, until crispy, golden brown color.
•  Once you remove the parotta from the flame, wait for about half a minute and crumple the parotta, so it stays soft - and the layers are easily seen, separable and tender while eating.

NOTE: You can not add the eggs, if you wish and try to add some baking powder instead to attain a-similar-to above version.

Bon Appétit et Bon Weekend!

    Anbudan,

    La Mom

Kiwi Marmalade / Jam

Following my yesterday's post, I decided what to get from those Kiwis.

 It was the right time to make some marmalade/ jam as a small pot was emptied yesterday morning, in my house. And here is the quickest and simplest recipe to make kiwi marmalade:  The perfectly healthy, vitamin C rich fruit ( higher than in orange), in the best form you would like for your breakfast or snack time.



 All you need is:

1.  Kiwis - 8
2. Sugar - 150 gm
3. Lemon - 1

This what you have to do:

•  Peel all the kiwis 
• Keep two Kiwis aside,
• Blend roughly or smash the rest of the Kiwis in a bowl.
• In a thick bottom pan, pour in the fruits and start to stir under a medium flame.
• Once you see the bubble, add the sugar and keep stirring.
• Do not add any water.
• Continue the cooking in low flame, until you obtain the semi- marmalade/jam texture.
• Now, chop the remaining two kiwis in small pieces and add to the cooking content.
• When the added pieces are cooked, your marmalade is almost done.
• Before removing from the flame, add lemon zest , into the mixture and stir well.

 Note: I did not add lemon juice, as my marmalade was flavored well with the zest.

 But if you find your marmalade need some lemon juice, add it after the sugar. And the same, with the quantity of the sugar - My kiwis were sweet enough to spare the sugar amount. If you would like your mix to be sweeter, add sugar accordingly.

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Any questions?

    Don't hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Kiwi

Image Credits

The kiwi fruit, often shortened to kiwi in many parts of the world, are oval, about the size of a large hen's egg. It has a fibrous, dull brown-green skin and bright green or golden flesh with rows of tiny, black, edible seeds. The fruit has a soft texture and a unique flavor, and today is a commercial crop in several countries, mainly in Italy, New Zealand, Brazil and Chile. Today, the market consumption of the fruit, ranges from marmalades to  liqueurs and sparkling wines. Kiwi Fruit is also a natural meat tenderizer and cooks have therefore utilised it in savoury as well as sweet recipes.

Lemon Zest

Image Credits

Lemon zest is simply the yellow part of the peel on the outside of the lemon. It has an intensely lemon flavour and is used to add flavour to many culinary dishes.
To make lemon zest simply remove the yellow outer skin of the lemon with a grater or zester. Try to avoid taking off to much as the pith (the white part under the yellow skin) has a very bitter taste and can leave your dish with a bitter understate.

Right now,Right here!

Dear foodie followers,

 its been a while since I visited here and said a Hi!

Hope you guys are having wonderful cooking time in your kitchen =)

Its a bit shame to wish for the new year start, almost a month into the year 2011.

The year rang in well for me and so far I should say it is good, looking on the brighter side(s)- of course!

  I did receive the beautiful parcel from my friend Pallavi. But then I realized I wouldn't be using it here in this blog. I might well start in the blog with simple kitchen wares and might eventually change one day.

 I had this bright light blinking in my head, when I saw some Kiwis in my fruit basket, this morning.

Get back to this page in a short while, as I must have tried something with those kiwi.

Anbudan,

La Mom