Parantha/ parotta
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. Readers will be able to edit existing articles and post new articles directly |
Parantha: Indian cuisine
‘Indu Sui Bing’ in China
As in 2020
Ananth MK, February 14, 2020: The Times of India
_at_a_hotel_in_China.jpg)
From: Ananth MK, February 14, 2020: The Times of India
Tossing parottas high into the air and catching it with one hand before repeating it to widen the diameter of the dough was the hobby of young P Ahamed when he worked in a nighttime eatery in Malaysia in 1990. Now 49, Ahamad says he never imagined it would one day make him a pioneer in taking parottas to China and become a role model for hundreds of villagers from similar economically backward families of the drought-hit region.
More than a hundred porotta masters, who have made successful careers for themselves in China as ‘Indu Sui Bing’ (Indian fly bread) masters, are now back in India after the coronavirus threat shut down hotels there.
These ‘Indu Sui Bing’ masters from Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Pudukottai districts are now waiting for their hotels in China to reopen.
Ahamed who hails from Pottagavayal village near Devipattinam in Ramanathapuram district started making parottas in a small eatery his family run in front of their house in 1987 after he failed in his 10th standard. In 1990, Abdul Rahman (who later became his father-in-law) took him to Malaysia to make parottas. “I worked there for four years and was tossing the dough in the air when Fang, a Chinese from Malaysia, curiously observed me and asked me if I would go to China to do the same,” he told TOI.
The young parotta maker who was drawing Rs 12,000 a month then (1994) immediately took the offer when Fang promised twice the salary. More surprises awaited him in China. “The climate in Guangzhou was cold but people there were unexpectedly warm. I was treated like a celebrity as they were fascinated by a foreigner with dark brown complexion, which was completely new to them. They used to touch my skin to check if I am really tan,” he laughed.
Customers and fans queued outside ‘Sing Ma In’ hotel that served Singapore Malaysian and Indian food in Guangzhou to have a glimpse of Ahamed doing the tossing and taste the ‘Indu Sui Bing’. They used to take pictures with him. He made around 100 ‘Indu Sui Bing’ a day.
In 1995, he took his cousin Syed to China to help him out. While Syed continues as an ‘Indu Sui Bing’ maker, Ahamed quit and switched to exporting commodities from China. The network spread through a referral mode wherein relatives and friends were referred from various parts of the district and neighbouring districts like Sivaganga and Pudukottai. Hundreds of parottas makers now work as ‘Indu Sui Bing’ masters in China. The delicacy that weighs about 150 grams is priced at Rs 200 apiece when stuffed with a variety of fruits like banana, pineapple or flavoured spreads like peanut butter and vegetables. Nonvegetarian Sui Bing stuffed with sardine, chicken, motton, beef and rarely pork is Rs 250.
“We make around 20 to 30 such Sui Bing a day,” says Umamani Kalingarathinam, 45, of Puliyur who has been making it since 2003. The Chinese were fascinated seeing the masters from Tamil Nadu toss the dough high up in the air and spread it till its diameter is about three feet. The dough is then garnished with fruits, vegetables and non-vegetarian dishes before it is folded to the size of ‘A4’ size paper and baked on a flat pan. Cut into 12 to 16 pieces it is served like cookies as a delicious desert, with each customer tasting a piece or two after a sumptuous Chinese meal.
S Venkateswaran, 25, who did a course in footwear technology and worked for a salary of Rs 10,000 in a footwear company is now happily drawing Rs 50,000 as a ‘Indu Sui Bing’ master in Xian the capital of Shaanxi Province, China, for the last five years. Aspirants should either be well-versed in tossing parottas in the air here or get trained in a couple of local parotta shops for about a week before they fly to China.
Savour spinach parathas
Spinach parathas not only taste great but are healthy too. Winter is the time to indulge your tastebuds. This is the time of the year when vegetables are fresh. It's also the time to have different kind of parathas. Many of us are really fond of having aloo parathas, gobi and mooli parathas. This is also the time to have spinach or palak parathas. Spinach has great health benefits. The high amount of vitamin A in spinach also promotes healthy skin. The abundance of vitamin K in spinach contributes greatly to a healthy nervous system and brain function. So, it is wise to add to your meal in different ways. On a lazy Sunday morning, it's best to start your day with spinach parathas. Apart from its great taste, it's also healthy.
Palak paratha
Ingredients
Two cups of wheat flour finely chopped spinach leaves (1 cup) 1 tea spoon of ajwain one finely chopped green chilly little bit of chilly powder salt to taste 1 spoon oil for kneading
Method of preparation
Put all the ingredients together and knead the flour for fifteen minutes. Leave it a for a little while. After that, divide the dough into little balls. Roll the balls on the pin and make parathas. Fry it on the tawa with little oil and let it cook. You can have these parathas with curd or mango pickle
Mixed vegetable paratha recipe
Vegetable parathas are a delicious and nutritious traditional Indian bread made with fresh vegetables and whole wheat flour. If you don't like eating vegetables, then this recipe is perfect for you as it has a healthy mix of veggies and grains.
Ingredients
1 cup + 1/2 cup wheat flour 1/4 cup shredded carrot 1/2 cup shredded cabbage 1/4 cup finely chopped capsicum 2 tbsp finely chopped spring onion 2 tbsp finely chopped fenugreek leaves 1 tsp crushed gingergarlic 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1/4 cup boiled and mashed green peas 1 tbsp finely chopped, coriander leaves 1 chopped green chilli 1/4 tsp garam masala powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp red chilli mirchi powder Oil to sprinkle on paratha Salt to taste
Method
1. Heat 1teaspoon oil in a nonstick pan. Add carrot, cabbage, capsicum, spring onion, fenugreek leaves and crushed gingergarlic. 2. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder over it and saute over medium flame for 34 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add mashed green peas. 3. Mix well and turn off flame. Let cooked mixed vegetables cool for 5minutes. 4. Take 1cup wheat flour, 1tsp oil and salt in a bowl. Add vegetables mixture, chopped coriander leaves, chopped green chilli, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder. Mix them properly. 5. Knead until smooth by adding small amounts of water. Grease its surface with little oil, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. 6. After 10 minutes, divide the dough into 8 equal parts and mold them into a small ball. Take 1/2 cup of dry wheat flour in a plate for dusting. Take one dough ball, flatten it like patty and dust dry wheat flour over it. Roll out the paratha. 7. Place it on a hot tava/griddle and cook over medium flame. When tiny bubbles start to rise on the surface, flip it and reduce the flame to low. 8. Spread 1/4 tsp oil around edges and spread over the paratha. Flip it again and spread 1/4 tsp oil around over it. Press it with spatula and let it cook over medium flame. Cook until golden brown on both sides. 9. Follow the same process for the remaining dough balls and you have a delicious and nutritious meal. Notes: It is very important to mash the peas. This will help the parathas to roll easily without breaking. Any other vegetable can also be added, like grated beetroot, pumpkin, spinach and potatoes. These are perfect for breakfast, brunch and work well as an evening snack.
Recipe: Paratha with sugar filling
Ingredients
Wheat flour Water Salt: a pinch Sugar - 2 tsp for each paratha Oil or ghee - 1 tsp for each paratha
Method
Make dough of the atta with salt and water. Add 1 tsp of oil while making the dough. Now take one small dough and roll it into a circle. Spread some ghee or oil on it. Sprinkle sugar. Fold it into a semi circle. And fold it further so that a triangular shape is formed. Now roll this further and make the paratha on a preheated tawa. When the paratha starts turning golden brown, add some ghee or oil. Remove it from the tawa.
Healthy Indian recipe: Garlic and coriander parantha
Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour 1/4th cup jowari flour, 1/4th cup jav (barley flour) 1 ½ tbsp besan 1 tbsp oats ½ cup curd 1 tbsp oil 1 bunch coriander (wash and spread on paper towels, let dry completely) 2 bunches fresh green garlic (hara lehsun) 1 tsp. poppy seeds, 1 tsp. sesame seeds, 1tsp saunf( asafetida) 2 tbsp paste of green chilli, ginger and onion 1 tsp. garam masala 1 tsp. chili powder, chat masala 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder Lemon juice and salt to taste
Method
1. Chop the coriander leaves and green garlic very finely. 2. Lightly roast the sesame seeds, saunf and poppy seeds. 3. Mix all the above ingredients. 4. Knead into soft dough. 5. Roll into parathas. 6. Roast on greased tava adding little oil. 7. Serve hot with yogurt, cucumber raita or green chutney.
Sushil Kumar’s aloo parathas
INGREDIENTS
Dough: Whole-wheat flour: 1 cup, Water: ½ cup, Pinch of salt Potato filling: Potatoes: 2 , Salt: ¼ tsp, Cumin seeds: ½ tsp, Green chilli: 1 (chopped), Coriander: 2 tbsp, Garam masala: ½ tsp I Amchoor powder: ½ tsp
METHOD
Prepare a dough of whole-wheat flour and leave aside. Boil potatoes, mash them and mix with jeera powder, chopped dhaniya, salt, chaat masala and green chillies. Add chopped onions, if you prefer. Fill the dough with the aloo mixture and make a roti. Cook both the sides of roti on a pre-heated tawa. Serve with butter, curd or sweet chandoo pickles (Gujarati mango pickle).
Recipes: Paratha Calzone and Paratha Roll
Paratha Calzone (Flakey Paratha)
Ingredients: 1 packet of Kawan Flakey Paratha, tomato sauce, oregano to sprinkle, paneer Method: Take a flakey paratha. Place it on a greased baking tray and let it thaw. Spread thick tomato sauce on it and sprinkle oregano. Top it up with paneer or any diced veggies as per your choice. Lift one edge and place on the end of its diameter, making a half moon. Press the edges. Brush with butter. Bake at 220 degree Celsius for 15 minutes till it turns golden brown.
Paratha Roll
Ingredients
For the vegetable mixture
1 whole wheat Kawan Paratha, 50 gms of finely chopped carrot, 50 gms of finely chopped red capsicum, 4 to 5 lettuce leaves, 50 gms corn, ¾ tsp cumin seeds, 1 chopped onion, 20 gms chopped tomato, 1 ¼ tsp ground cumin, 1 ¼ tsp red chilli powder, ¾ tspn chaat masala, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 50 gms butter.
Method
Steam carrots, corn and cabbage. Melt butter in a fry pan and add the cumin seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the onion and cook until translucent. Add capsicum and tomato and cook for 15 seconds. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for another minute.
