Left Overs Treat!

Being from a big joint family, I have no sense of making food in small proportions.. I recently made veg puffs (will blog about it separately soon..) after stuffing ourselves I was still left over with a lot of stuffing that made for the puffs. I feel horrible if I have to waste even a morsel from the food that take so much of effort on. So what better could I do but make stuffed parathas from the left overs. I think recreating something the leftovers gives the same amount of joy as the freshly made dish.
  Since I was so thinking about the stuffing, my mind spotted a bowl of rice sitting in the refrigerator. The curd rice that I made has been inspired from my friend's vagharelo bhaat (a Gujarati dish )and my mother's phodnicha baath (very famous amongst Maharashtrians) both made out of left over rice just that the spices and ingredients that go in differ a little. I took both the recipe's gave them a little twist and turned the curd rice into a delicious rice dish.
If you are like me and like to experiment with left overs I am sure you will find this quite interesting.

Stuffed Paratha:

Stuffing - Assuming this is not leftover here is what went into it:

1. 3 medium boiled potatoes
2. A of handful green peas, fresh frozen anything works very well.
3. Finely chopped carrot half.
4. 2 green chillies
5. A good pinch of cumin powder and cumin seeds. Both together enhance the flavour.
6. A good pinch of coriander powder.
7. 3-4 twigs of freshly chopped mint or coriander leaves
8. Half teaspoon grated ginger and garlic
9. Half of a medium size onion
10. salt to taste
11. Good drizzle of Lemon juice or a good pinch of Mango Powder.
12. Pinch of turmeric.

This is how you made the stuffing:

1. Mash the potatoes and add all the ingredients listed above.
2. Give them a good mix, use your hands if possible the mixes nicely and gives you an opportunity to taste as well :-)
3. Place the stuffing aside to cool. Potatoes take some time to cool down.

Tip - This stuffing can be any of your left over vegetables or meat curries.
While the stuffing is resting, you can get on with the dough for making the parathas:

1. 3 cups of Wheat flour.
2. 1 table spoon oil and a pinch of salt.
3. Mix the flour, oil and salt, and bring the dough together by pouring lukewarm water, until the flour turns into nice firm dough. Rub a spot of oil on your palm/s, I use only one hand while kneading the dough, that way it leaves the other hand free to hold the water jar. Knead the dough, this transfer the heat in your hands into the dough and makes the dough soft and even. Cover the dough and leave it to rest for at least 2 hours.

Making the Stuffed Paratha:

1. After you have given enough time to the dough to sit, break them to small dough balls and roll them in round shapes.
2. Take a good spoonful of the stuffing and place it in the center of the rolled out dough.
3. Now carefully lift the edges and bring them together to form a pouch.
4. Seal them flour the surface and start rolling it out with a rolling pin till the stuffing starts coming to surface. This is not the best way to do it, but I am not to hung up about the finishing of the paratha as far as it tastes good.
5. Transfer the rolled out paratha on to a non stick pan, flip it after the paratha forms small bubbles. Rub some ghee or butter after flipping the paratha once its cooked on both sides bring it off the heat.
6. Repeat the steps for making more.
7. Enjoy the parathas with Curds or Chutney. If you decide to eat it with curds, spice it up a little with black pepper powder, slat and some freshly chopped mint leaves. If you don't find fresh mint leaves dried leaves also give the same flavour.

My version of Curd Rice:

Things you must have before you go ahead and toss everything together:

1. A nice big bowl or cooked rice, left over or freshly made rice.
2. A good pinch of cumin or mustard seeds.
3. Freshly chopped coriander, take as much as you like.
4. A good pinch of coriander powder
5. Red dry chillies
6. A pinch of cumin powder
7. 1 teaspoon tomato concentrate or tomato puree.
8. half a red onion or spring onions, 2 whole spring onions.
9. A pinch of turmeric powder.
10. A cup of good curd/yogurt.
11. 2 table spoons milk.
12. Salt to taste.
13. Half a teaspoon of grated ginger.

Once you have all the essentials, mix the curd / yogurt, Rice (make sure rice is cool if its freshly cooked, the yogurt and milk might curdle the mixture)and milk and set aside. Heat a sauce pan. 

1. Pour in a table spoon of oil. Pop the mustard seeds or the cumin seeds.
2. Stand at a distance and pop the chillies, they will sputter vigorously. 
3. Add the coriander leaves, save some for garnishing. Wait till the leaves get fried and turn crispy.
4. Add the Onions fry them till they turn translucent, don't cook them completely, they give a nice crunchy bite and good flavour. If you are using the spring onions just stir them for a couple of seconds, to retain their crunch.
5. Toss rest of the ingredients stir them nicely and turn off the heat.
6. Add the Rice mixed in milk and yogurt to the sauce pan and stir everything together. Add some more milk if you feel the rice looks very dry.
7. garnish with chopped coriander.

Enjoy a delicious meal with some one you love and someone who appreciates all the love that goes in the cooking of a very simple meal into something really extraordinary. Everyday food made interesting lifts your mood instantaneously!!