Harshrekha
Recipes Using Beetroot: Part 2
Beet is an essential part of an anti-cancer diet. It is also considered good for patients who are receiving treatment for cancer (chemotherapy and radiation). Loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein there are various dishes in which you can easily incorporate the crimson root and gain from its benefits.
The next recipe that I have is parantha made with beet and cheese filling. A complete food in itself it is relished all over the subcontinent. For readers who are not familiar with what a parantha is it is an unleavened flat bread that is usually made using whole wheat flour. It is an art to make sumptuous paranthas in the sub continent for the procedure though simple requires a lot of pratice.
Interesting fillings like onions, boiled and mashed potatoes, fenugreek, carrots and even eggs and chicken can be added to the parantha, making it delicious, healthy and sumptuous. Have them hot. Here we discuss the recipe for a beet paneer parantha. I am sure you will enjoy cooking as much you would enjoy eating them and I can vouch that you will see them vanishing the moment they come down from the tava!!
NB: Many people send us suggestions that we upload a video of the actual making process as well, since many ladies say that connect with an audio visual presentation much better than written theory. I will surely come up with video version of these recipes in near future.
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour: Kneaded and sufficient for 4 paranthas.
- Beetroot: 2 pieces (peeled, grated)
- Paneer (Cottage Cheese): 100 gms (grated)
- Ghee/ Butter/Oil
- Salt: To taste
- Black Pepper: To taste
The Procedure
- You would be required to use a frying pan, a ladle, rolling pin and rolling board, a flat pan and a turner.
- For the first step you would be required to knead the whole wheat flour by mixing it with some water at room temperature. Knead till the dough is soft. Combine the flour with enough water and knead into a soft dough. Your dough should be sufficient for four to five paranthas.
- Peel the beetroot and grate it. Similarly grate the paneer (cottage cheese)
- Take a pan and heat some oil in it. Add the beetroot and cook till the water dries up.
- Add the grated cheese, some salt and pepper as per taste. Mix the ingredients well and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove the pan from the flame and let it cool.
- Place the tava or a flat frying pan on the flame.
- Take a portion of the dough enough to roll it out in a circle of 4’’ diameter with the help of a rolling pin and a board. Keep the circle a little thick.
Place the mixture in the center of the circle and bring the edges together towards the center and seal the dough tightly.- With very soft hands use a rolling pin to roll it again to a bigger circle. Try that the filling should not break out from the dough. You might need to use some whole wheat flour (in dry form) while doing this.
- By the time you finish rolling out the parantha, your tava should be sufficiently hot. Cook the parantha on the tava. You would need apply some ghee/ butter or oil (whatever you are using or allowed to use). Cook till golden brown spots appear. Turn the parantha using a flat turner known as palta in Indian kitchens and once again cook till golden brown spots appear.
- Cook till the parantha looks completely done.
- Serve hot as it comes down from the tava. Relish it with pasteurized butter, curd, green chatni or pickle and some cardamom tea.
Note:
- While serving the parantha to people other than patients, you can add some chopped green chilies to the beet and paneer mixture.
- Patients or non-patients, we want you to choose the amount and quantity of fat very carefully as per the advice of your doctors.
(Credits: Contributed by Harshrekha Kapoor, a caregiver)
CFC Support
Sudipta Ray
