Apple Berry Milkshake

It feels wonderful to be back after a long break. How have all of you been?
Before we knew it, winter turned to summer in Bangalore. With exams on, and summer heat in full force, we are constantly searching for chilling, refreshing drinks. Surely, staying cool and hydrated has to include delicious and inviting options, correct?
This apple berry milkshake has been the answer to such heated discussions about the best drink in summer. The sudden jump in season from winter to summer made plenty of winter produce like apples and strawberries still available in the market. So, we are making the best use of it.
Made with only 3-4 ingredients, this milkshake can be blended in no time, but tastes best when chilled. So make sure you stock up on chilled milk in your fridge! We are exploring many more liquid deliciousness at our home. Stay tuned for more such chilling posts!

ALLERGY INFORMATION

• Contains lactose. People with lactose intolerance can substitute coconut milk or almond milk in place of dairy milk.
• Does NOT contain gluten, yeast, soya, nuts, corn, eggs.

Preparation time – 10 minutes, Cooking time – nil. Chilling time – 2 hours, Serves - 2
YOU NEED
COOKWARE – Blender, peeler, knife, glasses to serve
INGREDIENTS -

1. 1 Red Delicious or Fuji apple
2. 4-5 strawberries
3. 400 ml chilled skim milk
4. 1 drop vanilla extract
5. 1-2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

METHOD

1. Rinse the fruits thoroughly. Peel and core the apple. Hull the strawberries. Chop the fruits up roughly.
2. Add the chopped fruits to a blender, pour in half the chilled milk, vanilla extract and blend to super smooth and frothy milk shake. Top up with rest of milk and blend in too.
3. Taste and add sugar only if needed. Blend for another minute if you are using sugar.
4. Serve in tall glasses. Top with ice cubes if you wish to.

Sai Protein for Chennai Floods

All these days, I have been watching the news with unspeakable pain and sorrow. The Chennai floods, that swept away precious life, left us all shocked and dazed. If the torrential monsoon rains were not enough, the city’s overflowing reservoirs too added to the mayhem. Coupled with indiscriminate real estate development, with no thought given to civic infrastructure, the people of Chennai are paying a very heavy price for the greed of their leaders. 

The terrible times also brought forth unprecedented help from different parts. Normal people turned heroes, and pretend heroes turned zeroes. Homes have been thrown open to complete strangers, people are offering their time and services for free, and heroic tales of survival and rescue are now flooding the social media. It is so heartening to see the generous help that people are offering each other.

While it looks like the rain gods have finally relented, a massive job still lies ahead in the flood-hit areas. Cleaning out the debris, preventing and fighting any water-borne diseases, rebuilding homes,… the task list goes on. In this context, I would like to share a recipe for kanji powder that can be made in bulk and distributed to those affected by the floods. All those want to contribute in some form for Chennai Flood Relief, please do try to make this powder and help those affected. The combination of grains used in this recipe is unique. Designed to be a complete food, 3 tablespoons of the powder dissolved in water or milk (if available), can replace an entire meal. It can be had by people of all ages, toddlers to old people. However, may not be suitable for weaning infants.

In a time when the immunity of a population is at risk, when people do not have access to normal cooking methods, when nutritious food is vital to health, this powder is a God-send. Beats instant noodles or biscuits by several miles in nourishment.

YOU NEED

INGREDIENTS

1. 6 kilos Whole wheat (wheat pearls)
2. 1.5 kilos parboiled rice
3. 1.5 kilos Ragi (finger millet)
4. 1.5 kilos Green Chickpeas
5. 1.5 kilos Green Mung Beans
6. 1.5 kilos Roasted Chana Dal ( Chutney dal)
7. 0.5 kilo Soya beans
8. 0.5 kilo Peanuts
9. 0.5 kilo Jowar grains (sorghum/white millet)
10. 100 grams Sago (sabudana)
11. 30 grams cardamom
12. 10 kilos sugar

METHOD

1. Dry roast all ingredients from 1 to 10. Roast individually to a golden brown.
2. Do not roast cardamom and sugar.
3. Add the cardamom and sugar to the roasted grains. Powder in a flour mill.
4. This recipe makes about 25 kilos of kanji powder.
5. To make kanji, dissolve 3 tablespoons of the powder in hot water or hot milk. Stir briskly and serve. 

Please share this recipe/blog post freely. Please make in bulk for your homes or send to those affected by the floods. Either way, you are doing yourself a good turn.

Chocolate Marbled Energy Bars

Breakfast is the most neglected meal of the day. On busy weekday mornings, most people are in a great rush to reach workplaces, schools, just about anywhere. No wonder then, that, people do not spare time for breakfast. Yet, starting a day without breakfast just works against what we set out to achieve. We are more likely to be zapped of energy and enthusiasm early into the workday. To help us perform better at our tasks, a healthy breakfast is vital. If so, would it not be wonderful if we could have breakfast on the go? Enter granola bars, energy bars, muesli bars. Call them by any name. They are just as convenient, delicious and perfect snacks or meal on the go.

Energy bars can be made ahead, store well, and can be packed as breakfast on the go, or anytime snacks, or on road trips, picnic munchies. They are great for a pre workout or a post workout snack too.

I came across these chocolate marbled energy bars first in ‘Chocolate’ by Delia Smith. The book is filled with decadent chocolate based recipes. However, these energy bars were the ones that caught my eyes first. I tweaked around the ingredients and proportions to suit my requirement. I have substituted the condensed milk with brown sugar/jaggery syrup. You could add both the condensed milk and jaggery syrup to increase the richness of the energy bar too. If using condensed milk, keep the total liquid at the same volume as mentioned in this recipes. I have added popped amaranth seeds to add a good protein to the bar. The only part I have left unchanged is the beautiful marbled chocolate topping! I had to work on the recipe a few times to get a proportion that works best. One that gave just the right hint of sweetness, and had just enough liquid to solid ratio to bake well. I also made sure that the baked energy bars could be cut into neat squares!

I am sure you are eager to get to the recipe and make some for yourself too. So here goes…

ALLERGY INFORMATION

• Has gluten from oats. NOT SUITABLE for people with gluten intolerance. Substitute oats with total 5 cups rice flakes to make it gluten free. 
• This recipe does NOT contain lactose. Suitable for people with lactose intolerance. However, adding condensed milk will bring lactose into the recipe.
• Does NOT contain corn, soya, eggs.
• Contains nuts. Omit nuts if you have nut allergy.

Preparation Time – 20 minutes, Cooking Time – 30 minutes, Makes 9 squares

YOU NEED

COOKWARE – Convection oven, 8 inch square baking tray, baking paper to line tray, deep mixing bowl, rubber spatula, sauce pan, 2 glass bowls, steel fine mesh filter, sharp knife

INGREDIENTS

1. 4 cups quick cooking oats
2. 1 cup popped amaranth seeds
3. 1 cup thin rice flakes (poha, aval, attukulu, avalakki)
4. 1 cup deseeded, chopped sweet dates
5. 1/2 cup dried cranberries/strawberries/blueberries (optional)
6. 1/4 cup chopped walnuts/almonds
7. 1 cup powdered jaggery/brown sugar
8. 1/2 cup drinking water
9. 1/2 cup dark cooking chocolate
10. 1/2 cup white cooking chocolate

METHOD

1. Bring the water to boil in a saucepan, add the jaggery, mix and let it rest for a few minutes for the jaggery to dissolve. When the jaggery has dissolved completely, strain through the mesh filter to remove impurities. Collect the jaggery solution in the deep mixing bowl.
2. To the bowl add the oats, popped amaranth, rice flakes, dates, dried berries (if using), and nuts. Mix all the ingredients together until the liquid has coated all dry ingredients.
3. Preheat oven to 180 C.
4. Line the baking tray with paper leaving an overhang.
5. Pat the mixture into the tray, pressing down firmly with a rubber spatula. Make sure there are no dry bits of ingredients on the surface. If needed, sprinkle a few drops of water on top to moisten, and pat down again.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 20-23 minutes.
7. Remove and cool the tray on a cooling rack. Do not remove granola from tray. Cool for 20-30 minutes.
8. Chop the dark and white cooking chocolate into different glass bowls. Microwave in bursts of 20-30 seconds until just beginning to melt. Do not overheat the chocolate, stop heating when there a few bits of chocolate left to melt. Keep stirring with a metal spoon, to get a smooth melted chocolate.
9. Spoon both the dark and white melted chocolate alternately in a wave pattern over the baked granola. Drag wavy lines using a fork tip or toothpick to create marbled patterns while chocolate is still wet. Tap the tray sharply on the counter top a few times for chocolate to even out.
10. Place the tray in the fridge to set quickly.
11. After half an hour, remove from fridge and set on counter top. Wait for the chocolate layer to warm up to room temperature a bit. I left it on the countertop for 10 minutes. Room temperature at my home is around 23C-25C. Cut into 9 squares with a sharp knife. If the chocolate layer seems to crack rather than cut up, wait for some more time and then cut up. The marbled energy bars are ready.
12. Store in air-tight box. Stays good for at least 1 week, maybe more. I never got a chance to find out! Pack in baking paper for road trips or any place out of home. These marbled energy bars are great for breakfast on the go, for school snack boxes, for pre or post workout snacks, as well as a healthy snack option.

Notes -

• Diabetics may/may not be able to eat these energy bars. Remember although the recipe uses jaggery, there is more sugar in the dates as well as chocolate. Omitting the chocolate could bring the sugar content of the energy bars lower.
• The energy bars cut up neatly if baked through well. Also wait patiently for the top chocolate layer to set before cutting into squares.
• Do not over heat the chocolate. Stop heating when three fourths of the chocolate is melted. Keep stirring in a circular motion, in the same direction for a smooth glossy chocolate.

Technorati Tags: Chocolate marbled energy bars,energy bars,breakfast bars,muesli bars,snack bars

Methi Muthia – Party Appetiser

Muthia, the traditional Gujarati snack, is served either steamed or deep fried. Muthias are a favourite among all. I wanted to glam it up further and make it healthier, if that were possible. Is it even? Why not? Improving the protein by adding Rajgira atta/Amaranth flour is one step. You can be sure of meeting your growing child’s protein needs by using Amaranth flour in dishes such as this. Removing the whole wheat flour makes it gluten free. Serving it with grilled vegetables on a satay stick makes it chic and fit to be a party appetiser. Grilling the vegetables and steaming the muthia keeps the oil used to a minimum, thus making it a super healthy food. This dish is also fit for eating during religious fasting, because amaranth flour is used instead of wheat flour.
 

ALLERGY INFORMATION

• Does NOT contain gluten, lactose, corn, soya, yeast eggs.

Preparation Time –15 minutes, Cooking Time – 15 minutes, Serves – 12-14 skewers

You need -

Ingredients -
For Muthias -

1. 1 cup Amaranth (Rajgira /Ramdana) seeds / 1 cup Rajgira flour
2. 1 cup Gram Flour (Besan)
3. 2 packed cups Fenugreek leaves (Methi)
4. 1 thumb size knob fresh ginger
5. 3 green chillies
6. Juice of 1 lemon
7. 1-2 tablespoon thick curd
8. 1 teaspoon salt

For Chutney –

1. ½ cup Mint leaves (pudina)
2. 2 green chillies
3. Juice of half lemon
4. ¼ teaspoon salt
5. A pinch sugar

To Season –

1. 2 tablespoons Fortune Rice Bran Oil 
2. ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
3. 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

To Serve as Appetiser –

1. 2 medium onions
2. 2 each of yellow capsicums, red capsicums, green capsicums
3. 2 tablespoon Fortune Rice Bran Oil
4. 2 pinches salt
5. 12-14 satay sticks/toothpicks

Method -

1. Clean pudina leaves and grind all ingredients for chutney together in a small mixer grinder. Grind to smooth paste and set aside.
2. Pick only methi leaves from the bunch, discard stems. Measure 2 packed cups. Rinse well, drain and chop fine.
3. Peel ginger and make a coarse paste of ginger and green chillies.
4. Grind the Rajgira seeds in a mixer to a coarse powder.
5. In a mixing bowl, mix this powder along with besan, ginger-chilli paste, salt, chopped methi leaves and lemon juice. Add curd, 1 teaspoon at a time, mix well by hand into a stiff dough. Use only as much curd as is needed to make the dough.
6. Shape into smooth cylindrical logs about2 inches thick. Grease a container that fits into your pressure cooker. Place the muthia cylinders in the greased container and steam inside the pressure cooker without whistle for 10-12 minutes. A knife inserted into the muthia should come clean. If sticky, steam for 2 more minutes. 
7. While the muthia is steaming, preheat your grill to 240C.
8. Peel onions and cut into quarters. Chop the coloured capsicums into big even sized chunks. Place on a greased plate, drizzle with Fortune Rice Bran oil, and sprinkle salt over the vegetables. Mix well by hand, spread in a single layer on the plate and grill for 10-13 minutes.
9. Heat 2 tablespoons Fortune Rice Bran oil for seasoning.
10. Crackle mustard seeds in the hot oil. Add the white sesame seeds, brown slightly and switch off. 
11. Once the muthias have cooled slightly, cut into half inch thick slices. Pour half of the seasonings over the muthias and reserve the other half.

To Serve –

1. Arrange different coloured capsicums, onion wedges and the muthia slices alternately on the satay stick.
2. Drizzle the seasoning oil over the muthias again. Dot with pudina chutney or serve the satay sticks on a platter with a bowl of chutney as accompaniment.

A word about the oil used in this recipe. Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil is made from Rice bran. Rice bran is the outer covering of the rice grain. So this oil is not made from rice. By virtue of this, Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil is perfectly suitable for using during religious fasting also.
While making the muthias, I observed that the oil has a high smoke point(260 C). This makes it a stable cooking oil and does not make food greasy.
This blog post is in association with Fortune Foods as a part of their Desi Health Bites activity – The Hunt for the Best Rice Bran Oil Recipes. For more updates and healthy recipes using Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil, follow Fortune Foods at www.fortunefoods.com , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FortuneFoods and on Twitter at @fortunefoods (https://twitter.com/FortuneFoods)

     

Instant Gojju Avalakki / Beaten Rice with Tamarind Sauce / Aval Puliodharai / Attukulu Pulihora

Gojju Avalakki is a popular breakfast dish in Karnataka. It packs health and flavour in big measure. Each family has their own version of the recipe. Mallika makes a weekend favourite breakfast out of this humble beaten rice at her blog Veg bowl. Sailu’s Kitchen makes it with a different technique at her space.
While I make this breakfast dish similarly at our home too, I find the soaking time a deterrent when I need an instant breakfast on somedays. And then, I discovered an instant method of making the same dish minus the soaking and waiting time. Traditional recipes require a soaking time of at least half an hour prior to seasoning and cooking. In this method, I have eliminated the soaking time completely. Who can say no to 30 whole minutes saved in the morning rush hour, or at any time of the day!
Excited, I felt this new method has to be documented for my own reference as well as for all my dear readers. For, what is a discovery if not shared with all, correct? Well, here goes.
Do you know that the humble beaten rice is a powerhouse of health? Poha or beaten rice has 20 times more Iron than white rice, and double its Calcium, besides having higher Potassium and fibre content too. So if you were to substitute a cup of  raw rice with a cup of poha/beaten rice, you have made a very smart choice in increasing the nutrient density of your meal! Not to mention it is an easy substitute for rice too. With near zero cooking time, beaten rice also has a similar taste profile as rice, making the replacement fuss free. Did I mention it is naturally gluten free as well?
Well, what are we waiting for? Ah yes, the recipe. I forgot that I’ve not shared it with you yet. Here it is.

ALLERGY INFORMATION

• Does NOT contain gluten, soya, corn, eggs, lactose.
• Contains peanuts in this recipe. Not suitable for people with nut allergy.

Cooking time – 15 minutes, Preparation time – 15 minutes, Serves – 4-6.
You Need -
Cookware - Mixer grinder, large wok with fitting lid
Ingredients -

1. 3 cups ‘medium thick’ poha/ aval/avalakki/beaten rice
2. 2 tbsp cooking oil
3. 2-3 tbsp raw peanuts
4. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder  
6. a pinch asafoetida powder
7. 2 tsp jaggery powder
8. 1/2 tsp salt
9. 1 tsp sambhar powder (MTR or any brand or home made)
10. 2 tbsp MTR Puliotharai Powder ( Puliogare Powder)
11. 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh water
12. fresh coriander leaves to garnish (optional, though highly recommended)

Method -

1. Powder dry aval/poha in several batches in a mixer grinder. To do this effectively, fill about half cupful of aval in the mixer, pulse for a few times until it resembles coarse rawa.  Remove to a bowl. Repeat until all the aval has been ground in this way. Set aside. Take care so you do not over do it and end up with aval powder. We need some texture to the dish.
2. Heat cooking oil in a large wok. Add peanuts to it and fry until lightly browned. Do not burn the peanuts, keep stirring. When the peanuts are giving out a fried aroma, add mustard seeds, turmeric, asafoetida, jaggery, salt, sambhar powder and puliotharai powder to the oil. Stir over medium heat. Add 1/2 –3/4 cup water and simmer until the mixture is homogenous.
3. Now tip in the powdered aval, mix well. Sprinkle the water all around the wok, stir well, cover and simmer on the lowest heat possible for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, taste the mixture, adjust seasonings if needed. You may sprinkle some more water if the aval does not feel soft enough.
4. Stir in the chopped coriander leaves, cover and switch off flame. Let the contents rest for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, toss and fluff up the aval puliotharai and serve with thick probiotic curd. Serve at breakfast or as an anytime snack.
5. Only aval/poha with medium thickness can be made in this way. Thick aval needs longer soaking time. Do not use thick aval for this recipe.

Technorati Tags: Gojju Avalakki,Puli Aval,Instant breakfast,Quick meal,probiotic meal,Poha,Tamarind Poha

Peanut and Potato Salad

It is the season of peanut harvest in and around Bangalore. There is an interesting story around peanut harvest in our city.
Legend has it that a bull would roam over the fields every full moon night destroying the peanut crops. Flustered farmers offered their first harvest at the Bull temple and the roaming of the bull ceased!Local farmers offer their first crop to Nandi, the bull devotee of Lord Shiva at the Bull temple in Bangalore to this day. The temple vicinity wears a festive look during these two days. A village fair unfolds in the middle of the city. This annual fair is known as ‘Kadalekai Parishe’.
I love the earthy aroma of freshly dug up peanuts here. Call me biased, but the aroma and incredible, sweet, nutty flavours of peanuts that I buy from this fair every year beats all other. I cook the peanuts in their shells in salted water. All of us then gather around the steaming hot bowl of boiled peanuts, shell them and gobble them before some one else grabs it! Warm bonding  during chilly evenings over hot boiled peanuts!
Mostly I have no peanuts left over to include in any dish. However, I managed to make this peanut-potato salad from some that survived the onslaught. Even if the salad was made up from simple, readily available ingredients, it was bowl-scraping, finger-licking, slurp-worthy good. Ok, I’ll stop now.
I am documenting this recipe as much for myself as for sharing with all of you. Fresh seasonal ingredients. A good mix of crunch, soft, and crisp textures. A tongue tickling interplay of flavours. No fried ingredients. Healthy carbs and protein with a giant dose of fibre and vitamins. Do you need any more reasons? Just try it once. I am sure you’ll be hooked.

ALLERGY INFORMATION

• Does NOT contain gluten, lactose, corn, soya, eggs.
• Suitable for lactose or gluten intolerant people
• Contains peanuts.
• NOT SUITABLE for people with nut allergy.

Preparation time – 30 minutes + 30 minutes optional chilling time, Cooking Time – 30 minutes, Serves – 3-4.
You Need
Cookware - Pressure Cooker with 2 containers that fit into it, Metal/Glass Bowl, Colander/Salad spinner, Knife, Chopping Board
Ingredients

1. 2 cups peanuts in their shells
2. 2 medium potatoes, chopped with skin into quarters. 
3. 3 heaped cups Iceberg/Romaine Lettuce
4. 1 big Tomato
5. 2 tsp salt
6. 2-3 cups fresh water
7. a big bowl of ice water

For Salad Dressing

1. 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2. 1/2 a red onion
3. 8-9 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil (EVOO)
4. 2 generous pinches crushed black pepper
5. 1/4 tsp salt

To Assemble

1. Dunk the peanuts in shells into a huge bowl of water. Let it sit for a few minutes. Rub the shells vigorously with both hands to loosen the dirt on them. Drain the water and repeat with 2 more changes of water. You can omit this step if using shelled peanuts. Just rinse peanuts once in water is enough.
2. Now place in a container, pour enough water to cover all the peanuts,  scatter 2 tsp salt over it. Place the rinsed and chopped potatoes also in another container. Place both containers in pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
3. Rinse the lettuce first under tap water, then place in ice water.
4. Peel and dice/slice the red onion. Place in a bowl, add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to it and let steep.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining vinegar, EVOO, salt and crushed pepper into an emulsion.
6. Shell the peanuts and peel the potatoes. You can dice the potatoes into smaller size if you wish. Chop the tomato finely. Place all these together in a bowl.
7. Drain the lettuce, use a salad spinner if you have one. Else just drain in a colander and shake it well. Tear up the large leaves into bite size ones by hand. Add to the other vegetables.
8. Combine the onion and dressing from step 4 and 5. Drizzle over the salad vegetables. Mix well.

The salad tastes best if allowed to chill for half an hour before serving. But, if you are in a hurry, just dig in and enjoy! We coupled it with 2 slices of warm toasted baguette for an after school snack.

Technorati Tags: peanut salad,peanut potato salad,kadalekai parishe,seasonal ingredients,high protein,high fibre salad

The Quickest Kathi Roll

The original Kathi roll is a street food from Kolkata. This legendary dish has taken on many avatars since and has evolved into a versatile snack popular all over India. Kathi rolls are a great way to jazz up boring meals. The best part is there are no rules. While street food dishes out less healthier options, (read fat drenched, artery clogging, refined flour) we need not fret at all. We can easily make these at our homes using much healthier alternatives too.

To begin with, I always use organic whole wheat flour for the rotis. I normally have a stock of home made skim milk paneer in the freezer as well. This 5 minute 3 pepper paneer curry is my go-to recipe when hard pressed for time. Throw in a few salad vegetables and some fresh lettuce, and a wholesome meal / snack / appetiser is ready. Cremica’s Korma Sandwich Mayo came in handy this time around. This was part of our goodie bags at the IFBM.

Now, I am no friend to convenience foods or ready to eat products. While I am all for economic growth, feeding on chemicals which get added to foods to increase shelf life or flavour or taste, is really not up my alley. In this recipe, I have used the Cremica sandwich spread. It is definitely handy and does zing up the roll. However, you can choose to omit or replace with a different home made spread too.

You could hop over to these blogs to view their favourite kathi roll recipes as well.

Vegetable Platter’s Alu Gobhi wrap here, and Hamaree Rasoi’s Paneer Kathi Rolls here.

Here is how I assembled my kathi roll last week. Helped to satiate the hunger pangs of the teen and the tween. Ticked all boxes - flavour, crunch, health, easy assembling . Need I say more?

Allergy Information

• Contains wheat and dairy.
• NOT suitable for gluten intolerant or lactose intolerant people.
• Can be made dairy free by substituting paneer with tofu.
• Does NOT contain egg, corn, soya or nuts.

Preparation Time – 20 minutes, Cooking Time – 30 minutes, Serves – 3-4.

You Need

Skillet, Rolling Pin, Shallow steel mixing bowl, Plates to assemble

Ingredients

1. 2 cups Whole wheat flour + extra for dusting
2. 1/2 tsp Salt 
3. 3/4 cup Water (more or less depending on flour)
4. 1 tsp Oil
5. 1 recipe 5 minute 3 Pepper Paneer Curry
6. 10-15 leaves of leafy lettuce or Romaine Lettuce
7. 1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced into semi circles
8. About 6 tsp of Mrs. Bector’s Cremica Korma Sandwich Mayo

Method

1. Take a shallow steel mixing bowl. Place the flour and salt in the bowl. Mix the salt and whole wheat flour with finger tips. Drizzle water slowly and knead into a smooth dough. You may need more or less water depending on type of flour. I used 24 Mantra Organic whole wheat flour. Once dough is smooth, gather into a ball. Press the top of the ball with thumb. The dough should spring back. If not, knead again for a minute or more and check again. Grease the dough all around with 1/2 tsp oil, cover and leave to rest in a cool place for half an hour.
2. Pinch or cut out equal portions of the dough. 2 cups of flour can make 8-10 balls depending on the size you cut.
3. Roll out each ball into thin flat round.
4. Heat a flat iron griddle / skillet. Place the roti on the skillet. Turn around when brown spots appear on one side. Cook both sides of roti well taking care to adjust flame and not burn, smear with a few drops of oil if you wish. Remove to a platter. Repeat with all the balls of dough. Set the rotis aside.
5. Rinse the lettuce well and drop in chilled ice water.
6. Follow the recipe for the 5 minute 3 pepper paneer curry. Set aside.
7. Peel the cucumber, remove the seeds if any and slice into thin semi circles.
8. Assemble the kathi roll just before eating.
9. Smear the sandwich mayo around the roll leaving a cm around the sides free.
10. Place the paneer curry, cucumber slices as shown in picture.
11. Drain the lettuce, shake well, tear up and add them along to the roti too.
12. Wrap the roti inward from both sides, secure with toothpick if needed, and enjoy!

While the individual components of this roll can be made ahead, the roll is best assembled just before consuming. It does get soggy in half an hour. So it may not work well in a packed school lunch box. It does make a great after school snack. You could also prepare and pack the different components of the rolls separately and assemble at a picnic.

Dear friends, How do you like your rolls / wrap / frankie / meals on the go? Would you make it any other way? I would love to hear from all. Please do write in at my facebook page here or in the comments section below.

Till next time, eat healthy, stay happy.