Peas Parantha

Finally heralding the onset of monsoons, it rained here for the first time in months yesterday. Everything was so parched for the first sign of a drizzle, everything seemed happy. That included my daughter Saee, as she soaked pleasurably in the rains, danced and splashed water everywhere.

This morning too, getting up to go to the gym seemed like a crime. But get up I did, and I was rewarded, as the scale showed me three kilos less than when I started one week ago. It may seem sudden, but trust me, it was all hard work. The first being giving up on all things sweet. Except for that one cup of tea in the morning with sugar, I have given up all the other kinds of sweets. Chocolates, cakes, and Indian desserts included. Coming to think of it, I don't miss them much. I used to think that I loved sweets and confectionery, but I am not so sure now.

I do miss the junk food. Especially pani puri. But then I do have one plate of pani puri occasionally, I haven't completely given that up. Neither will I. But other than that, all the fried foods are on the hit list too. There was a chance yesterday. I was attending a dental conference where they were serving tea and potato vada for snacks. I could have had that potato vada. That I didn't, got reflected well on the scale today, and I am proud of it. I just hope to keep it up for the months to come and make that target I have set for myself.

The recipe I made this time, called for a lot of oil. I made it with less oil, and for myself, I made a parantha without any oil.

Ingredients

• 1 cup peas
• 1 inch ginger grated
• 4 green chillies chopped
• 1 cup freshly chopped coriander
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur)
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (roasted)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (roasted)
• 2 tbsp gram flour (roasted)
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp honey

For the parantha

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• salt to taste
• water to knead

Boil the peas till cooked, and immediately put them in ice cold water to refresh them. This reserves the green color of the peas. Grind the peas together with the rest of the ingredients except gram flour till they become well blended but are still somewhat coarse. Do not add water, but if you must, just a teaspoon or two of water should be enough.

Remove the mixture from the blender and add gram flour. Mix it well.

Knead the ingredients for the dough with enough water to make a soft and smooth dough. Divide it into 10 equal portions and roll them into balls. Make a depression in the center and spoon out one to 1 and half teaspoon of the peas mixture into it. Pull up the edges of the dough and pinch them shut. Roll the ball in dry flour till the dry flour coats it well. Now make it flat with the help of a rolling pin. But do this slowly to avoid the peas mixture from spilling out. Roll it out into a 4 to 5 inch diameter parantha.

Now heat a skillet and pour 1/2 tsp oil on it. Place the parantha on this and fry on this side for only about 30 seconds. Put some oil on the top of the parantha and flip it over. Fry this side till brown spots appear and the parantha puffs up in blisters. Now flip the parantha over once again and fry again till brown spots appear on the other side as well.

Remove it on a plate and serve hot with a dollop of butter (if you can afford the calories!)

Happy Cooking!