Special Parathas - A result of an experimental afternoon

I was hungry and also in a mood to experiment. So, I made these special parathas. Well, I enjoyed them and so did bro (A wasn't home to taste them). When you have a little time on your hands, try this recipe.

What you need:

• Flour - 3 cups, preferably wheat flour (atta)
  
• Curd - Thick, 1 cup
  
• Onions - 2 medium, julienned (cut in thin strips)
  
• Ginger - 1 inch-piece, finely chopped
  
• Green chillies - 2, finely chopped
  
• Nigella seeds (Kalonji/Mangraila) - 1 teaspoon
  
• Carom seeds (Ajwain) - 1 teaspoon
  
• Poppy seeds (khuskhus) - 1 teaspoon
  
• Milk - 1/2 cup
  
• Oil - 4-5 tablespoons
  
• Salt - to taste
  
• Water - for making the dough

What you do:

1. Mix flour, curd, nigella seeds, carom seeds, salt and one tablespoon of oil with water to make a soft dough. (The soft dough makes good rotis and parathas while the hard dough makes good puris.) Keep the dough aside for half an hour.
   
2. Soak the julienned onions in the milk for fifteen minutes.
   
3. Strain the onions and deep-fry them in oil until it turns brown. Keep aside.
   
4. Mix the fried onions with the ginger and the chillies. Add salt to the mixture.
   
5. Make medium-size balls with the dough.
   
6. Roll out a dough-ball with a rolling pin. Spread a portion of the onion mixture on it. Fold it again and roll it out the way you would roll out a lachcha paratha. Sprinkle a pinch of poppy seeds while rolling it.
   
7. Cook the paratha on both sides with a little oil. Make all the parathas the same way.

Serve with sabji, dahi and achaar.

Note: If you plan to use the dough later, keep in in the fridge. If stored for long, the curd in the dough will spoil the dough.

Dal Ke Pakaude (Pakode)

This snack does not need you to shop for ingredients. It uses everyday ingredients and makes for a great treat.

What you need:

• Chana dal - 1 cup (You can use masoor dal if chana dal is not available.)
  
• Onion - Chopped, half-a-cup
  
• Nigella seeds (Kalonji/Mangraila) - Half-a-teaspoon
  
• Carom seeds (Ajwain) - Half-a-teaspoon
  
• Green chillies - 1 chopped
  
• Red chillies - 2
  
• Turmeric - Half-a-teaspoon
  
• Baking soda - A pinch
  
• Salt - to taste
  
• Oil for frying (preferably mustard oil)

What you do:

1. Soak dal for an hour.
   
2. Grind the dal in a blender to a course and thick paste.
   
3. Mix all the ingredients except the red chillies with the dal paste.
   
4. Use a pair of scissors to snip pieces of the red chillies into the mixture.
   
5. Heat the oil in a deep kadhai (wok).
   
6. Use a spoon to drop chunks of the mixture into the oil. Fry the pakodas on all sides.
   
7. Once cooked, place the pakodas on a kitchen tissue.

Serve the pakodas hot with chutney.