Paneer Rolls

What to pack for lunch box is one matter which takes up about half an hour of my precious time every day. Having a week long menu planned on Sunday itself is one is one thing which sets my mind on rest on the already busy weekdays.

I have this habit of trying different snacks for my son’s lunch box. As it is difficult to make him sit and eat at one place, I try to conjure up finger foods which are easy to cook in mornings. Not to mention many of my experiments fail but I do not give up.

Paneer roll is one such attempt which was successful and so I am sharing its recipe with you.

Ingredients:

1.       White bread slices – 2

2.       Cottage Cheese or Paneer , grated or mashed – 2 serving spoons

3.       Salt to taste

4.       Chaat masala to taste

5.       Black pepper – a pinch

6.       Corn flour – 1 level tea spoon

7.       Oil to fry

8.    Fresh Coriander

Method:

1.       Take the grated paneer in a bowl and add salt, chaat masala and black pepper and fresh coriander to it. Keep it aside.

2.       Mix 1 spoon water with the corn flour in a separate bowl and make a fine paste.

3.       Remove the sides of bread slices.

4.       Take a bread slice and flatten it completely with help of a rolling pin.

5.       Put the paneer mixture at one side and slowly roll the bread to form a cigar.

6.       Seal the edge with help of cornflour paste to avoid spilling the contents.

7.       Cut the cigars in 2 halves carefully.

8.       Repeat with the other slice of bread.

9.       Deep fry the rolls in hot oil at medium heat.

10.   You can serve as it is or can cut the roll in smaller circles.

These can be packed in lunch box or served as an evening snack for kids.

You can serve them as a snack as well at one of the house parties by changing the filling to chicken or adding capsicum and some spices to cottage cheese. Optionally processed cheese can also be used.

Masala Fries

French fries are and will always be a favorite snack among kids. As we are moving one step closer to a more comfortable lifestyle each day, making French fries on request of you kids have become super easy. Just open that packet of frozen fries and put them in the wok to deep fry. Voila; you are ready with a tempting looking plate of fires.

As easy as it seems, that frozen packet comes with a baggage of doubts. They are a boon when an unexpected guest lands at your house expecting to be served tea with some hot snacks but a big No-No option as everyday snack for kids, especially for mothers like me who are always conscious to give fresh food little ones.

I try to make evening snacks as healthy as possible but once in a while indulge into French fries also. Here I am quoting a variation on those regular fries and they are called the masala fries.

Ingredients:

1.  2 large potatoes
2.  2-3 serving spoon of besan (gram flour)
3. Salt to taste
4. Chaat masala – ½ tea spoon
5. Chilli flakes – ¼ spoon (optional)
6. Oil to fry

Method:

1. Peel the potatoes and wash them thoroughly.
2. Par boil them so that they are a little soft but not cooked completely.
3. Cut them in long fingers and try to make those fries equal in size.
4.  Put the potatoes in a bowl and add besan, salt chaat masala and chilli flakes to this. Mix well so that besan coat the potatoes evenly.
5. Fry them in medium hot oil on low flame till they are crisp.

So next time you kids want some French fries, go for these masala fries as it will have some proteins added along with the carbs. Optionally you can cook them in an oven to avoid frying but I do not care about frying with kids.

Veg Soya Kababs

The soya kababs are a very healthy snack option for those trying to loose weight as it is rich in protein and does not contain carbs like potato.

Ingredients:

1. Soya granules - 2 cups

2. Boiled peas - 1/2 cup

3. 1 medium onion
4. 1 green chilly
5. Besan/Gram flour - 4 big spoon
6. Chilly powder - 1/2 tbl spoon
7. Coriander powder - 1 tbl spoon
8. Roasted jeera/cumin powder - 1/2 tbl spoon
9. Garam masala - 1/4 tbl spoon
10. Chaat masala - 1/2 tbl spoon
11. Chopped ginger - 1 tbl spoon
12. Fresh coriander - 3 big spoon
13. Salt to taste
14. Refined oil - 2-3 spoon

Serves: 5-6

Method:

1. Soak soya granules in boiling hot water for 5 mins and then strain them by removing extra water.
2. In a pan heat 1 spoon refined oil and add finely chopped onion to it. Saute the onion till it turns light pink in colour.
3. Put finely chopped ginger and green chilly in this and saute again for 2 mins.
4. Put gram flour/besan and saute it for 3-4 mins so that besan is cooked properly.
5. Now add red chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chaat masala and garam masala to the pan and mix well.
6. Mash the peas and add them to pan and mix well.
7. Add soaked soya granules to the above and 1/2 katori water. Mix well so that mixture is properly binded.
8. Turn off the gas and take out mixture in a bowl and let it cool.

9. Add salt and green coriander to the mixture and mix well. If you find mixture is a little wet then you can add some bread crumbs or oats to improve the texture. Bread crumbs and oats soaks extra moisture.

10. Make round shaped kabas from this mixture.

11. Heat 2 spoon oil in a non stick pan and shallow fry the kababs on slow flame from both sides.

12. These can be served with mint chutney or tomato ketchup.