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When I saw this post on Taste Goblet, I knew I had to try it. Usually the posts here about fabulous cakes, way beyond my basic baking abilities. Thank goodness I dont need to have any special talent to drool at the gorgeous photos and read the write-ups and marvel at Chitra's patience and baking genius, and did I mention her beautiful photos? This recipe, though, was definitely one I could do, so I did. Thanks, Chitra!
Recipe for: Spinach masala chapaties
Ingredients:
2 cups spinach, chopped
½ cup coriander
1” piece ginger, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves
2 small red onions, chopped
3-4 green chillies, sliced (or to taste)
1 cup warm milk
2-3 cups atta
Salt as required
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp ghee
Method:
1. Blitz the spinach, coriander, ginger, garlic, onions, chillies in a food processor
without adding water, until finely chopped but not mushy.
2. Put the atta in a large bowl and rub the ghee into it. Then add the chopped spinach mixture and add turmeric powder.
3. Add salt to taste, then make a soft but not overly sticky dough using as much milk as required. Knead the dough really well on a lighly floured surface, as for bread, for 5-7 minutes.
4. Leave the dough covered in the bowl for an hour.
5. After an hour, make chappaties as normal.
You can either make these as phulkas, smearing a little ghee after they’re cooked.
6. Or use ghee/oil/Pam (whichever you feel like) to cook the chappaties on the tawa itself.
7. Serve warm with any curry.
http://sweetnicks.blogspot.com/2006/02/arf5-day-8-im-baaaack-edition.html
I got this recipe from the Tarla Dalal site a few years back... but although I thought it was an interesting way to use up leftovers, I didnt actually get around to trying it till now.
The thing is, I've tried a few of her recipes before - some of them work out well enough while others did NOT turn out like she said, although I pretty much followed her instructions to the letter. In fact, after 2 or 3 indifferent results, I even wondered if somebody actually tries out the recipes before they're published, or if Ms Dalal's publishers were getting her cookery books out based on her past reputation alone.
So it was with a few reservations that I decided to use up my remaining phulkas from yesterday, in making this recipe. I really didnt know if it would turn out well - but as it happened, it did.
This recipe is a keeper, as far as I'm concerned... you can add whatever vegetables you like to the stuffing (I used green beans, baby corn and carrots along with mashed potatoes and onions), and you end up finishing left-over chapaties or phulkas.
And to cap it off, it's perfect for the ARF/5-a-Day Tuesday event hosted by Sweetnicks who is back this week after some tests, hopefully in the pink of health!
The layered chapati bake turns out a bit like a savoury cake... the inner layers of chapaties/phulkas kind of amalgamate with the filling so that you dont taste them separately. This bake would be great as a light supper and would probably be pretty darn good as a starter, too. It was very nice eaten hot, and surprisingly good even when cold. I know this because I took some to work today for lunch. Yum!
Recipe for: Savoury layered chapati bake
Ingredients:
6 leftover chapaties or phulkas (freshly-made ones would be fine too)
4-5 medium potatoes, boiled peeled and mashed
2 cups finely chopped cooked vegetables (any combination of cauliflower/carrot/cabbage/spinach/green beans etc)
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped fine
3-4 fresh green chillies (or to taste), minced
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala (optional)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
10 cashewnuts, chopped
2 tsp oil
1 tsp butter
For dipping:
3/4 cup milk mixed with 2 tsp plain flour, in a shallow dish
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the turmeric powder, cumin powder and minced green chillies. Fry for 30 seconds. Add the cashewnuts and fry till they turn golden.
2. Add the onions and fry till they soften (I was using baby corn, so I tossed those in at this point), then put in the chopped tomato and cook till it disintegrates.
3. Now add the boiled vegetables and mashed potatoes along with the garam masala (if using) and mix them well. Fry for 2-3 minutes, then turn the heat off.
4. Place a chapati on a lightly greased baking dish. Spread with 2 heaped tbsp of stuffing.
5. Take another chapati and dip it in the dish containing the milk.
Shake off the excess and place it on the chapati already in the baking dish, the spread with more filling.
Continue until you have stacked up all the chapaties in this way.
6. Do not put any filling on the top chapati; spread it with the 1 tsp butter instead.
7. Bake in a pre-heated oven (about 180C or 350F) for 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
8. Cut into wedges with a sharp knife or slicer.
Serve hot with a dollop of Greek yoghurt on the side, as an appetizer or for brunch. This can also be served cold (great for picnics, I bet).
