Pyaz Besan Paratha | Onion Gram Flour Flatbread [Video]

Pyaz Besan Paratha Recipe with step by step photo and video instructions. Pyaz Besan Paratha is an Indian stuffed wholewheat flatbread. Pyaz Besan Paratha is a flatbread that is stuffed with onions, spices and chickpea flour or gram flour. Pyaz Besan Paratha is vegan.

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Life sure does look different today than it looked a month ago. And apart from overworking myself to the ground, constantly checking Twitter and panicking about not having enough food supplies to last me a few weeks, I have been cooking even more, well, just to keep me occupied. I'm also learning to be more frugal where I was liberal before and trying to make my limited supplies last longer.

While this situation did not give rise to this Pyaz Besan Paratha, it somehow feels apt to post it now.

I first came across the idea of making this paratha through a TV show where the chef made the stuffing with just the gram flour or chickpea flour or besan, lime juice, sugar and salt. I loved the idea and tried to replicate it. But being a spice lover, I just added in quite a few spice powders for flavor. Oh, yeah, I also have onions for texture, and well the slight sweetness they add to the paratha.

This pyaz besan paratha is made from long lasting ingredients like onions, flours and spices. The only fresh ingredients with a short shelf life that I used here are green chillies and coriander leaves. You can use or skip these based on your choice.

Pyaz Besan Paratha has a very simple stuffing made by frying onions until translucent and then adding green chillies, besan, and various spices. I like to add in a little sugar too, for a change. Amchur or dry mango powder along with the lime juice, add a sour note to the paratha and the fresh green chillies along with the red chilli powder, add some heat. While you can make the paratha dry like Sattu paratha with no water, I prefer the stuffing to be a little moist.

I did not video shoot the dough making process, but it is the regular dough used for parathas, phulka, chapati or roti. It is a very simple dough made with whole wheat flour, a little bit of salt and plain tap water. This is mixed and kneaded until you have a soft smooth dough. Since this is a flatbread recipe, the dough needs no proofing time and you don't even really need to rest it, but traditionally the dough is rested to activate the gluten in it. I suggest resting it for at least 15 minutes. You can also knead this dough in advance and store it in an airtight box in the fridge for about 1 week. I have never frozen the dough, so I cannot comment on it.

Pyaz Besan Paratha is vegan and fits a plant-based diet.

Pyaz Besan Paratha is best served hot along with some butter, or curd, or the desi Indian pickle.

Stay home and stay safe!

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

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Video Recipe

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Pyaz Besan Paratha Recipe

Pyaz Besan Paratha is an Indian stuffed wholewheat flatbread. Pyaz Besan Paratha is a flatbread that is stuffed with onions, spices and chickpea flour or gram flour. This paratha is vegan.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     60 minutes
Yield:                8 Parathas

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

1 large Onion
4 Tbsp Gram flour (Besan / Chickpea flour)
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
0.5 tsp Amchur or Dried Mango Powder
0.5 tsp Chaat Masala
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
3 Tbsp Oil
0.5 cup Water
0.25 Lime

For the dough:

3 cups Wholewheat flour
0.5 tsp Salt
Water as required
Oil to fry

Method:

1. To make the dough, take the whole-wheat flour in a large bowl and add salt. Add water as required and knead it into a soft smooth dough. Cover and rest for 15-20 minutes. If the dough is left over after making parathas, this can be stored in the fridge and used to make chapatis or rotis. 
2. Heat the oil for the stuffing in a pan and add in the finely chopped onions. Fry until translucent.
3. Add the finely chopped green chilli and mix well.
4. Add in the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, amchur, and chaat masala. Mix well.
5. Add the besan and roast until lightly browned on low heat.
6. Add in the sugar, salt and red chilli powder and mix well.
7. Squeeze in the lime juice and add 0.5 cup of water in parts. Mix well.
8. Turn off the heat and add in the finely chopped coriander leaves. Allow the stuffing to cool. 
9. Dust the rolling platform with whole-wheat flout. Take a lime sized ball of the dough and roll it into a small disk. Roll the edges thinner.
10. Spoon in the stuffing and seal the edges of the dough.
11. Dust more whole-wheat flour and roll out the paratha to a thickness of about 3mm.
12. Heat a pan and grease it.
13. Place the paratha on the pan and spoon oil over and around the paratha. Cook the paratha on medium to high heat.
14. Flip the paratha when the first side is cooked. Cook the paratha until the second side is cooked too.
15. Serve paratha hot with butter, pickle or curd/yogurt.

Step by Step Photo Instructions:

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Sweet Potato Cheese Paratha

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Paper Avalakki Mixture Recipe | Poha Chivda Recipe [Video]

Paper Avalakki Mixture or Poha Chivda step by step video recipe. Paper Avalakki Mixture or Poha Chivda is an instant Indian snack made from paper thin flattened rice. Paper Avalakki or Nylon Poha mixture is made by tempering thin flattened rice with mustard seeds, peanuts, fried gram and spices. This recipe is gluten free, vegan and fits into a Jain diet.

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Paper Avalakki Mixture is a very traditional South Indian snack that is an all-time favorite of mine. I make it so many times, but I never found it worthy enough to share on the blog. But in these hard times, simple recipes are what we crave, don't we? So here goes...

India has several grades of flattened rice - thick, medium and paper/nylon. Paper Avalakki is the thinnest flattened rice that is available. It is so thin, it's almost translucent. When you buy a packet of this flattened rice, it is almost never crisp. But you can make it crisp in two ways - either you sun dry it until it crisps up or you lightly saute it in a pan on low heat, like this recipe. I find the latter easier.

Once the flattened rice is crisp, we add flavor to it via the tempering. The tempering I make is very simple - it only has a handful of ingredients. I like adding mustard seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves, peanuts, roasted gram or puthani (futana), turmeric and salt. A lot of people add in bits of thinly sliced dry coconut, cashew nuts or raisins. This mixture is always made with the intent of storing it for a minimum of one week, and hence, we add ingredients that will not go bad at room temperature for that duration.

Paper Avalakki Mixture along with homemade yogurt or curd is a popular breakfast in North Karnataka. While towards the South, one eats it with finely chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, grated fresh coconut and a squeeze of lime. I love it both ways!

Paper Avalakki Mixture is also extremely popular among Indians who travel abroad as it stays good for a long time if stored in an airtight bag or box. While it uses quite a bit of oil, it is definitely healthier than deep-fried snacks.

Paper Avalakki Mixture is vegan and gluten free. It also fits a Jain diet.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Paper Avalakki Mixture Recipe | Poha Chivda Recipe

Paper Avalakki Mixture or Poha Chivda is an instant Indian snack made from paper thin flattened rice. Paper Avalakki or Nylon Poha mixture is made by tempering thin flattened rice with mustard seeds, peanuts, fried gram, and spices. This recipe is gluten-free, vegan and fits into a Jain diet.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     0 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     45 minutes
Yield:                500 gms

Ingredients:

500 gms Paper Avalakki / Poha / Flattened rice
0.5 cup Oil
0.25 cup Peanuts
2 Tbsp Roasted Gram
6-8 dry Red Chillies
1 sprig Curry leaves
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Dry roast the paper thin flattened rice in a kadhai on low heat until crisp. The kadhai should only be filled till half, do it in batches if required. Keep stirring the flattened rice frequently so that all of it is exposed to the heat, allowing it to crisp up evenly.
2. Once the flattened rice is crisp, remove it to a large bowl or plate or even just a sheet of newspaper.
3. Heat oil in a small pan and add in the mustard seeds.
4. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the peanuts and fry until they are slightly browned on medium heat.
5. Roughly snap the dried chillies into half and add to the oil. Fry until the chillies are crisp.
6. Now add in the roasted gram and saute for around one minute on medium heat.
7. Add in the curry leaves and once they splutter, turn off the heat.
8. Add in the turmeric powder and salt quickly and mix.
9. Immediately pour this tempering to the flattened rice.
10. Mix until the tempering has coated all the flattened rice.
11. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.
12. Paper Avalakki Mixture can be stored for 2-3 weeks at room temperature in an airtight container.

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Churmuri Chiwda

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Masala Vada Recipe | Ambode Recipe | Chana Dal Vada Recipe [Video]

Masala Vada / Ambode / Dal Vada recipe with detailed Video recipe. Masala Vada or Ambode is a popular Indian deep fried fritter / snack made from chana dal or lentils. Masala Vada is a popular tea time snack. Masala Vada is vegan.

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I post a lot less deep-fried recipes than I actually eat. I don't deep fry much, but that doesn't mean I don't binge on french fries or samosas. I just fry less at home myself and rely on restaurants doing it for me. All this because I find it really boring to clean up after frying. To be really honest, I kinda eat them almost every day. There is a "gaadi" or a cart behind my house who makes some really amazing masala vadas along with mirchi bhajjis and other pakodas. I usually pick up at least a couple vadas on my way home. So I rarely get about making them. But these Masala Vadas are worth the effort.

There are days when you want everything homemade, from your bread to your pickles. And in one of those energetic moments, I made these masala vadas. And to tell you the truth, they were so much better and fresher than the ones you get outside.

Masala Vada is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The base of the masala vada is soaked chana dal. The chana dal is coarsely ground to give a nice texture to the vadas. You can also save a little aside while grinding and add the rest in final batter. If you don't have Dill leaves, add in coriander or any other herb, but dill tastes the best. There are so many variations you can do while making them. If you or your family does not like or eat onions, either don't add it or you can replace it with finely chopped cabbage. If you don't want to add ginger, then you can add in hing.

Serve the vadas piping hot with ketchup or chutney and a hot cup of chai!

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Masala Vada Recipe | Ambode Recipe | Chana Dal Vada Recipe

Masala Vada or Ambode is a popular Indian deep fried fritter / snack made from chana dal or lentils. Masala Vada is a popular tea time snack. Masala Vada is vegan.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     3 hours
Cook time:     20 minutes
Total time:     3 Hours 20 Minutes
Yield:                12-15 Vadas

Ingredients:

1 cup Chana Dal
1" Ginger, grated
1 Tbsp Black Pepper
0.25 tsp Turmeric Powder
2-3 Green Chillies, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
0.5 cup Dill leaves, finely chopped
10-12 Curry leaves, roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Water as required
Oil to fry

Method:

1. Wash and soak the chana dal in water for 3-4 hours.
2. Drain the chana dal and add to a grinder/blender along with the ginger, pepper and turmeric powder. Grind until your have a coarse batter that is sticky.
3. Remove to a bowl and add in the chopped onioons, green chillies, dill leaves, curry leaves adn salt. Mix well.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai or deep fryer.
5. While the oil heats up, wet your hands and divide the batter and shape the vadas.
6. Drop in the hot oil and cook on medium heat until the vadas are browned.
7. Serve vadas hot along with ketchup or chutney.

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Moonglet Recipe | Moong Dal Pizza Recipe [Video]

Moonglet recipe with step by step photos and video instructions. Moonglet is a popular North Indian street food. Moonglet is a fluffy pancake made from split mung beans and topped like a pizza with vegetables, seasoning and cheese. Moonglet is gluten free. This recipe can be adapted to suit a vegan diet and a Jain diet.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

You guys, you have got to try this fluffy pancake meets Pizza aka Moonglet. It is light, flavorful and so customizable. It is also gluten-free and can be adapted to suit a plant-based / vegan diet and the Jain diet. So easy too.

I saw this on YouTube and I knew instantly that I had to try it. The idea of a gluten-free pizza made with all natural ingredients was too tempting to resist.

I loved the crispy outside. I love the soft and fluffy inside. And I love the toppings. I've topped the Moonglets with so many different toppings - capsicum, tomato, baby corn, onion, paneer, tofu, etc. It is really your choice. I also found topping the Moonglet with pizza seasoning made it even more yum. You can either go the Italian way like I did and top with oregano, garlic powder, etc. or try a fajita seasoning. It's all in your hands.

Making the batter needs a little bit of patience, this is not an instant recipe. The moong dal or deskinned split mung beans need soaking. If you are short of time, soak for just 2 hours and if you have the time, you can soak it overnight. I just would not exceed 10 hours. Then just grind the moong dal along with ginger and green chilies to make a smooth batter. The dal itself will be moist and you may not require any extra water. Grind it as thick as possible, we can add water later while making the Moonglet. The Moonglet gets its fluffiness from Eno fruit salt, if you don't have Eno, use baking soda and a teaspoon of lime juice to help it get the rise. It may not be as fluffy as with Eno, but it will still be light. I have found adding a little water along with the Eno, helps it fluff up better.

Now how many Moonglets you make is all up to the size of your pan. I prefer making several small ones instead of one large one. It makes it much easier to flip them. I suggest using the smallest frying pan you have to make them and dividing the batter accordingly. Grease the pan and add the batter. Top with whatever you choose and use the back of the spatula to press the toppings in.  Once the first side cooks, flip and cook the other side and top with cheese before serving.

This was my easy version of the Moonglet. YouTube is awash with several versions, some even go the cheese burst way where the Moonglet is cut open carefully and cheese is put inside along with the topping and allowed to melt. I would love to try that out someday.

Always, always serve the Moonglet hot. You can serve it with sauce or chutney or even salsa, something to just dip the Moonglet it.


Suggestions to suit other diets:

• To adapt the recipe to a vegan / plant-based diet, use only vegetables or use tofu for the topping. You can either skip the cheese or use vegan cheese.

• To adapt the recipe to a Jain diet, skip the ginger in the batter. You can replace it with asafoetida or hing.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Moonglet Recipe | Moong Dal Pizza Recipe

Moonglet is a popular North Indian street food. Moonglet is a fluffy pancake made from split mung beans and topped like a pizza with vegetables, seasoning and cheese. Moonglet is gluten free. This recipe can be adapted to suit a vegan diet and a Jain diet.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast / Snacks
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     5 hours
Cook time:     30 minutes
Total time:     5 Hours 30 Minutes (includes soaking time)
Yield:                3 to 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Moong Dal
2 Green Chillies
1 tsp Ginger, grated
1 tsp Eno fruit salt
1 tsp Pizza seasoning
Sliced vegetables for topping
Sliced paneer for topping
2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
3-4 Tbsp Cheese, grated
3-4 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Wash the moong dal and soak it for 5 hours.
2. Drain the moong dal and grind it along with ginger and green chillies and 1 Tbsp of water until smooth. The batter has to be thick, so don't add too much water.
3. Add salt as per taste and the eno to the batter.
4. Add water if required and mix well until the eno is combined and the batter is fluffy.
5. Heat oil in a small non stick pan and add spoonfuls of the batter. Divide the batter depending on the size of your pan. I made 2 moonglets with a 6" frying pan.
6. Keep the pan on low heat and arrange the toppings. I used sliced capsicum, tomato and paneer.
7. Top with chopped coriander leaves and pizza seasoning.
8. Gently press the toppings into the moonglet with the back of a spatula.
9. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 minutes or until one side is cooked.
10. Gently flip the moonglet and spoon oil on the sides.
11. Remove from heat once the second side is cooked too.
12. Top with grated cheese.
13. Cut into slices and serve.

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Chhole Chaat Recipe | Chickpea Salad [Video]

Chhole Chaat or Chickpea Salad recipe with video instructions. Chhole Chaat is a simple, quick and delicious salad made with boiled chickpeas and a handful of ingredients. Spicy, tangy and super delicious, perfect for weeknight dinners and Summer lunches. Chhole Chaat is vegan, plant-based and gluten-free. It can be adapted to a Jain diet.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

I literally spent the second half of the 90s eating this salad and hiding it from my parents.

My school did not have a playground, which wasn't much of an issue for someone like me who hated outdoor activities. Give me a book any day. But the school authorities didn't think like me and felt we needed to play sports. Arrrghhh. Yes, so they leased out grounds at a walkable distance from the school and we were mandated to participate in all the games for our age group.

I especially disliked the sports week which culminated into a Sports Day that included parents and relatives coming to watch the finals. The only highlight of the sports week was this Chhole Chaat. I know, I took a long time to reach the point. So on the way from the school to the ground was the children's park and this old man sat outside it with a big cane basket. He shouted "Bhel Bhel" as we walked by and how could we not sample it. He used the black chana mostly and not these white Kabuli Chana or Chickpeas. He would put the chana in a disposable bowl made of dried leaves along with onions, tomatoes, some black colored spices (I now assume this was the chaat masala, black salt, and cumin powder), and a generous squeeze of lime. It was the best salad/snack I had ever eaten - spicy, tangy, and just plain delicious. More so, cause we ate it secretly. Our parents would forbid us to eat from street vendors due to concerns of hygiene, but I believe it just helped us build our immunity.

This Chhole Chaat is trying to replicate that delicious "Bhel" or chaat that I ate in the 90s. The only difference is I used Kabuli chana or chhole or white chickpeas as against the black chana that the street vendor used. But it is still equally delicious.

This Chhole Chaat makes for a perfect weeknight dinner when you want something healthy and yet do not want to slog over the stove for hours. In fact, this does not require the stove at all if you have preboiled chickpeas. I usually soak dried chickpeas and boil them over the weekend as a part of my meal prep for the week. This Chhole Chaat also carries well in a lunch box and makes for a good cold lunch on a hot Summer afternoon. I eat it as an evening after-work snack at times too.

Suggestions to fit other diets:

• To adapt the recipe to suit a Jain diet, skip the onions and onions. Capsicum, cucumber and/or sweet corn can be added instead.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Chhole Chaat Recipe | Chickpea Salad

Chhole Chaat is a simple, quick and delicious salad made with boiled chickpeas and a handful of ingredients. Chhole Chaat is vegan, plant-based and gluten-free. It can be adapted to a Jain diet.

Recipe Type:  Salad
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     0 minutes
Total time:     15 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 cups Chickpeas, boiled
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 Potato, boiled and chopped
1 Tomato, finely chopped
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
1-2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Chaat Masala
0.5 Lime
Black salt to taste
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Add the chickpeas, onion, tomato, potato, green chilli and coriander leaves to a large bowl. If you don't want a spicy salad, skip the chillies. Alternately, it can be replaced with red chilli powder or paprika.
2. Add black salt, salt, cumin powder, chaat masala and lime juice to taste.

3. Mix well and serve.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Pindi Chhole

Chhole Pulao

Ghugni Masala

South Indian Chana Masala

Amritsari Chhole

Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted Salad

Cauliflower Summer Bowl

Millet Salad

Read more ...