The Parantha (The Indian Stuffed bread) trail

During winters in Delhi, stuffed parantha's of all kinds are the favourite item in breakfast, lunch or dinner menus.

It is dipped in oil (kind of shallow fried if it has to be tasty) and is fattening, yet the yummy and melt-in-the-mouth feel cannot resist even the hardcore health enthusiasts!   And if it is hot, right from the tawa, one can sit and gobble up without keeping a count.

Stuffed parantha's are part of Punjabi cuisine.   Add a scoop of butter and hung curd as a side dish with a little achar (pickle), and you are set for the rest of the day!!

We, South Indians, have taken sometime adapting to this, but now can't live without.  So, today morning, this was the breakfast at home. Kids love it, parents love it and my husband (who generally skips breakfast) would be ready for breakfast when the flavour wafts out of the kitchen.

We once went all the way to Murthal (in Haryana) from Delhi, simply to have the stuffed parantha's that the roadside dhaba's there are famous for!!

There are different kinds of stuffings we can have
- Gobhi Parantha is a stuffing of  shredded cauliflower cooked with spices,
- Aloo Parantha is the stuffing of boiled potatoes prepared with spices,
- Paneer Parantha is made with shredded paneer (Indian cottage cheese)

These are some of the major ones, but if you go to the famous Paranthe Wali Gali of Chandni Chowk or the highway dhaba's, you will find many many more combinations.

Preparation of these are quite simple.   We make the stuffings separately (not giving the complete method here..  sure you can find a lot of sites giving out detailed method of preparation) and then stuff these into the small balls of atta that we take before we flatten it out.    There will be some bit of stuffings that will kind of pop out of the atta, but that's fine as long as it is contained in the flattened piece.   Then it is shallow fried on the tawa.  The health conscious can use a healthier version of oil or less oil, if it satisfies them.

So, if you are visiting Delhi or any North Indian destinations in the winters, the Indian stuffed parantha should definitely be a must try item in the agenda!!!

Kerala Kattan Kaapi (Black Coffee)

The early morning Kattan Kaapi is one of the most followed rituals in a Keralite family.    So it is for most of the keralites settled outside Kerala too.    And for this one cup, they would buy an entire year's ration in one go during their annual visit to Kerala.    The kattan kaapi evokes feelings of nostalgia and an invisible  bond towards their hometown and the place they belonged to once upon a time!  

This one concoction in the morning satiates and helps them to keep going for an entire day.  The rest of the day can then be dedicated to the lesser preferred tea in any form...  plain tea, tulsi tea, ginger tea, green tea, etc.

The special taste and aroma of the kattan kaapi can only be achieved with the special South Indian coffee powder that is available in South Indian stores outside kerala.      Though the preparation of this simple beverage is equally simple, many don't get it right.  It is the proportion of the sugar and coffee powder that matters. 

This cuppa is supposed to be high on sugar and coffee powder both..  but the preparation is slightly tricky.  The coffee powder should not be so strong that it starts turning sour in the mouth or so light that it becomes tasteless and watery.  So, it has to be prepared carefully.   Some people prefer the coffee powder straight – the coffee beans roasted and powdered just as it is, but there are others who prefer the coffee powder with a little chicory added to it.  Both tastes equally good. 

A very simple method of preparation - in one cup boiling water, add one heaped teaspoon of sugar and then one not so heaped teaspoon of coffee powder.  It usually takes me atleast two three preparations per coffee powder that I buy new, to get to the right proportion to follow for the rest of the days..  so, essentially it is about practice!!!

Delhi Haat - Chaupal at the Town Square

Delhi Haat or “Dilli Haat” as it is popularly called, is an interesting amalgamation of a set of people coming together to buy and sell fabrics, crafts, art, food, and small things that are cute and interesting.   There are 3 of them in Delhi but I have visited only the one near INA and as far as I have gathered from my friends and colleagues who have visited the other locations (Pitampura and Janak Puri), this one is the best. more...