Aloo Saag, Chunky Raita & Flakey Parathas

This was originally posted on Noor's blog (Ya Salam cooking) as my first guest post... but I thought I would re-post the recipe here just because I loved the picture :) Seeing it now is making me want to make it again!


Aloo Saag


Ingredients:

1 pound baby potatoes
1 bunch (1 pound) collard greens
salt, to taste
1 cup water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger paste, or fresh ginger, minced
2 green chilies
1 tablespoon cumin powder
2 tablespoons garam masala
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Method:

Place collard greens, potatoes, water, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft and collard greens are wilted (you can add a little more water and continue if it dries up too fast.)

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sizzle the cumin seeds for a few seconds. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden. Add the ginger, garlice and green chili peppers and cook until light golden. Add the cumin powder, garam masala and turmeric and fry about one minute. At this point, add a little water, a tablespoon at a time to make a paste... fry until oil separates.

Transfer the onion paste to the greens and potatoes and cook over medium heat until greens cling to potatoes and water evaporates.



Chunky Raita


Ingredients:

1 large seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 green onions, sliced
1 tomato, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
small handful chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup whipped yogurt
salt, to taste

Method:

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate to combine flavors.

Flakey Parathas


Ingredients:

2 cups chapatti flour
about 1 teaspoon salt
sufficient warm water to make dough
vegetable oil
extra chapatti flour for dusting
ghee

Method:

Combine flour with salt. Add water slowly until dough pulls together and is not too moist or too dry. Knead until a ball forms. Add about 1 tablespoon oil and knead until the dough becomes elastic and smooth. Rub a bit more oil around,wrap in plastic and let sit 10 minutes.

Heat an iron or non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Separate dough into 6 equal size pieces. Keep covered with plastic so it doesn't dry out. Roll each piece, using flour as necessary, into a circle as think as possible without it tearing. Brush with ghee, sprinkle with a bit of flour and roll up into a rope carefully... Once rolled, form this into a coil. Set aside and continue with the rest of dough.

Take each coil and dip into flour. Roll out carefully into a circle approximately 6 inches in diameter.

Place rolled dough into hot skillet and cook until the first side starts to bubble. Turn and brush the cooked side with ghee. When the other side starts to bubble, turn again and coat this second side with ghee. When the first side is golden, turn and finish the other side, until golden. Use your spatular to press on the bread to make it puff and bubble. Remove to a plate and finish the remaining breads. When ready to serve, scrunch them in your hands a little to release the layers and flakes. Enjoy :)