Palak Paratha (Green Spicy Chapati)

Palak Paratha is a healthy dish. It is a main dish and we can have them for breakfast, for lunch or for dinner. Normally kids do not want to eat leaves. So here is a simple way that you can make them eat leaves. It is a healthy recipe and not much of spice is used here.
Palak or any other edible leaves are loaded with iron and other minerals.

Lets see some benefits of eating Jeera /cumin seeds in our diet.
Cumin /Jeera seeds have wonderful flavour and aroma. They are loaded with number of health benefits. It is good for improving digestion. They are loaded with fibre and good for people who are suffering  from constipation. They are good sources of potassium and it helps to regulate blood pressure and heart rate. They contain anti inflammatory, anti bacterial and anti fungal properties and they are good remedy for cold and asthma. They contain good amount of iron, and are good for people suffering rom anemia. They also contain high amount of calcium good for women.
No onion or no garlic used in this " Palak Paratha ", and it is easy to prepare. A healthy paratha for all age group, easy to carry for the traveling, kids lunch box and even for the working people.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour : 3 Cups
Palak Leaves : 1 Bundle
Jeera powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala : /12 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : Handful (of a small bundle).
Chilly powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablesppon
Salt : as required

Method :
1.Wash and cut only the leaves of palak (spinach) and keep it aside.
2. Wash and keep coriander leaves aside.
3. Now keep a pan on the fire and put 1/2 glass of water. Let it boil.
4. Add cut palak leaves and let it turn slightly cooked. (1 to 2 minutes). Remove the leaves from the pan and keep the boiled water aside.

5. Let the palak leaves cool. Grind them with coriander leaves nicely till paste. (Do not add any water while grinding).
6. Put the ground palak paste in a bowl. Add salt, garam masala powder jeera powder and chilly powder. Mix it well.

7. Add wheat flour and use palak boiled water and prepare chapathi dough. Keep it for 5 minutes. ( Add extra water if it requires).

8. Keep the dough for 5 minutes and then divide the dough in to small ball size.

9. Dip a ball size of paratha and then roll it out like chapati.

10. Keep tava on the fire and cook paratha on both side by using very little oil.
11. Repeat the same with remaining dough and prepare parathas.

12. Serve paratha with cup of curd and the side dish you have prepared.

Cooking palak is to get away the raw smell. Do not over cook. Cook with little water and use the extra water while preparing the dough. (Palak cooked water). Do not use more spices. Mild spice is always healthy. You can use little ( a tablespoon) ghee or oil while preparing the dough. It helps the and turns the paratha soft. Use of garlic or onion is optional. While grinding you can add garlic pods and thin cut onions can be added while mixing the flour. (Completely optional). The taste differ. You can add jeera seeds instead of jeera powder. (Jeera powder helps the paratha to roll well and you can not see any spice on the top).
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4 .

Mango & Cucumber Peel Chutney

Mango & Cucumber peel chutney is a side dish. We normally use the vegetable peel or the pulp to prepare some edible side dishes. Here is one such recipe. It is spicy and tasty and easy to prepare.

One must remember to wash the vegetable thoroughly and keep them in normal water for at least 1 to 2 hours before use it. It should be done since so much of chemical spray used on vegetables to survive them for a long time. One should take care before using the peel of the vegetables. Beetroot, capsicum, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, leaves all these can be used for small side dishes.
Lets see some benefits of eating Coconut in our diet.
Coconut is called as Kalpa Vruksha, means giving out every thing or we use each part of coconut tree. The coconut tree gives so many things to the man kind like, each part of the tree is used in one or the other way. Coconut is full of nutrients like vitamins, dietary fibre and minerals. Coconut provide many healthy benefits. Coconut is said to be good for heart. It is low in sodium and high in potassium. It is gluten free and loaded with high amounts of dietary fibre. They help to improve the good cholesterol ratio in our body and good for people who suffer from high blood pressure. It helps to control blood sugar. It helps to slow down the release of glucose in blood stream and helps to lower the blood sugar levels and controls diabetes.Good for healthy hair, skin and people who wants to reduce their weight. They helps to boost immunity. It has antibacterial, antiviral and anti fungal properties and helps to protect us from infections. It is good source of good fats and good for people who have digestion problem. It is also a good energy booster.
Mango & Cucumber peel Chutney do not contain any onion or garlic. It can be served as one of the side dish in the feast. It can be eaten with plain rice, dosa, idli, roti, chapatis and even you can spread it on bread and have it.

Things Needed :

 To Fry :
Mangalore Cucumber peels : 1 Cup...
Red Byadagi Chilly : 5 to 6
Ingh/Asafoetida : a little
Curry leaves :Handful
Salt : Required 
For seasoning :
Mustard seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/4 Teaspoon
Ingh : a pinch
Oil : 1  Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 5 to 6  
To grind :
Half ripe Mango pieces. : 1 Cup
Coconut : 1 Cup  + Fried ingredients.

Method :

1. Wash and peel cucumber peels and keep it aside.
2.  Wash and cut mango pieces.
3. Grate coconut.

4. Keep a pan and heat. Add 1/2 Teaspoon of oil and fry red chilly for 10 seconds.

5. Add cucumber peels and fry for 2 minutes.(low flame).
6. Add ingh and a handful of curry leaves. Fry them nicely. Put off the fire.

7. Add cut mango pieces and grated coconut.
8. Mix all the ingredients and required salt.

9. Grind it with required water (use less water to grind) and remove from the mixi jar.

10. Shift the Mango & Cucumber Peel Chutney to a serving dish.

11. Add mustard, urid, ingh and currly leaves splutter.
12. Serve with the main dish you prepared.

Note :

You can cook cucumber peels in pressure cooker and then grind it with other ingredients. It taste differ. Adding more or less chilly is optional. I have used coconut oil for seasoning . You can use any other oil of your wish.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.