The Paratha Warrior

I named this post the Paratha warrior as Jia has been extremely fond of parathas since she started letting know about her preferences of food. These days (she is almost 4) whenever she eats what she loves, she says "Jia khaabe and strong hoye jaabe" (Jia will eat this and become strong).

Aloo Parathas:

The Quick Fix Option:

1. Ready made mash potato, Onions chopped, Chat masala (replace with fried cumin and fried corriander powder and black salt), Corriander leaves chopped.
2. Mix all the above well. 
3. Dough: The usual aata dough used for parathas / roti (I cannot write about the process of making the dough!)
4. Take a portion and make a nice large cavity and fill with the stuffing. Make the parathas.
5. Serve.

The lengthy version:

1. Boil the potatoes, peel and mash finely.
2. Take thinly sliced onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped ginger, chopped garlic and fresh corriander leaves chopped.
3. In a pan, add oil and once heated, add the garlic and ginger. After a minute add the onions and fry it for about 3 minutes and add the tomatoes. Fry it till the tomatoes starts melting. Add the spices (fried cumin and fried corriander powder and black salt). Cook for about a minute more and remove.
4. Mix the fried mix with the mashed potatoes and chopped corriander leaves.
5. Use the mix for making the parathas!
6. Serve

Onion Paratha:

1. For onion Parathas, thinly slice the onions.
2. Add the spices - fried cumin and fried corriander powder and black salt and chopped corriander and mix well with the onions. Allow the onions to get loose and individual strips to be separate.
3. Fill the paratha dough and make the parathas.

Sattu Parathas:
Another interesting version that we try with Jia is the Sattu parathas. Ofcourse I am not aware if you get Sattu abroad or in many of the Southern / Western states in India. We generally get  a pack or two from Kolkata and keep it in the freeezer to preserve it.

1. For Sattu paratha, take thinly sliced onions, chopped ginger, chopped corriander leaves, salt, a little chat masala and a teaspoon of mustard oil.
2. Mix the ingredients along with the sattu and add water. The objective is to have a very dry but wet mix to be used as the stuffing. In Bihar and in some other places of India, this itself forms a filling snack. The oil can be replaced by pickle oil. One may also add chopped green chillies.
3. Use this filling for with the dough and make parathas as usual. You may avoid ghee and use plain white oil as the parathas are heavy.
4. CAUTION: Though this paratha does not look so, it is extremely filling and kids are full with quantities lesser than as estimated by parents!!

 Jia needs sauce for paratha, roti, poha ....... the list being endless. So there is no point serving the parathas with curd. Guess it would be same for most of the kids.