TRIKON POROTA O PANCHMESHALI BHAJA

This is off course a breakfast platter but we had this today for lunch.... and yes it is authentic Bengali. Our Mom used to prepare this particular mixed vegetable stir fry during the winter when Kolkata markets were flooded with cauliflower, carrot, beetroot, green pea. I actually prepared Chicken Kasha [chicken dry curry] today. It goes well with homemade Indian or South Asian breads. I thought let me prepare this panchmeshali bhaja and serve my chopsticks a platter much loved by them. Can you see the achar / pickle alongside? Well, that is an instant chilli pickle I prepared to make the platter complete. I have taken it's picture separately and will share the recipe in another post soon. Saturday morning to afternoon is extremely busy for me. 

If there is anything called cooking to heart's content, then I do that on Saturdays. By the evening I get too tired. Yet, I am always ready to go out if there is any party on the weekend nights.... I love to unwind amidst / with friends and family with my favourite vodka  with lime. I am that quiet listener in any party who loves to get little topsy, carefree as it is weekend and because she has her tall, dark, moderately handsome chopstick to take care of her all through the party and all the way back home.

We are at home this evening, the chopsticks are having their afternoon nap. I thought let me share this dish of triangular / trikon porota / paratha served with a panchmeshali bhaja made of potato, cauliflower, beetroot, carrot and green pea. Tomorrow is a Sunday, it can be your Sunday breakfast or brunch if you wish to. Moreover, I wish to keep my Sundays free for some workouts. Ever since Priyanka Chopra has been declared the second most beautiful woman of the world, I am again into some kind of exercise. Trust me, I only had a small paratha today though I know Priyanka may not have any. Although we preach  "Beauty is Skin Deep"..... at some point or the other we wish to be perfect...... 

How much I rebuke some for not been that Bengali with their food habits, I always want to enquire about their likes, dislikes, preferences. In the journey called life, we may not keep up with the pace at the same frequency with all who mean to us, yet we can keep them in our hearts in one way or the other. As I write this post, I am listening to some soft romantic hindi numbers. Do you know why I like Bollywood? It nourishes and feeds my dreams with all it's unreal elements. In reality, your hero will not even cross a lane to hold you tight, forget about crossing a mountain. The film world takes me to the world of fantasy, I enjoy it as much as I enjoy cooking for my dear ones and sharing it with the world. As of now, I am too excited to share this humble breakfast platter that has Bengali style triangular paratha served with a non spicy stir fried mixed vegetable and lonkar achar [chilli pickle]. Come, let us do them together.

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE MIXED VEGETABLE]

Potato : 2big

Carrot : 2medium

Beetroot : 1medium

Cauliflower Floret : 2big cup

Green Pea : 1small cup

Green Chilli : 2slitted

Dry Red Chilli : 2halved

Nigella Seed : 1/4tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/2tsp

Sugar : 1/2tsp

Salt : As Required

Oil : 2tsp [preferably mustard]

INGREDIENTS : [FOR THE TRIANGULAR PARATHA]

Wholewheat Flour : 2 coffee mugs + 1/4 small tea cup to dust

Salt : 1/4 tsp

Water : As Required

Oil : 2 tbsp + 1 tsp for each paratha [you can use use ghee for a better flavour]

METHOD :

Let us prepare the VEGETABLES STIR FRY at first. 

Peel, wash and cut the potatoes, carrot, beetroot into smaller pieces. Cut the cauliflower into smaller florets and wash thoroughly. Take all four of them together in a bowl and rub with some salt and turmeric. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Add a little of salt to the green peas taken in another bowl, mix well and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok, temper with nigella seeds and halved dry red chillies. Add the carrot, beetroot & potato pieces at first, cook for 4-5 minutes at minimal heat, covered! 

Remove the cover & add the slitted green chillies & the cauliflower florets. Stir and cover cook for 4-5 minutes. 

Remove the cover, add the green peas, sugar too. Adjust the salt if required! Fold in well and let cook for  2-3 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.

We will prepare the TRIANGULAR PARATHAS now. In our family, we usually prepare parathas with a mix of refined & whole wheat flours, but today I used only whole wheat flours!

Take the wheat flour, salt and 2 tbsp of oil in a bowl. Rub well for 2 minutes. Add water little by little and keep kneading till we get a soft dough. Tear small portions from the dough and use your palms to form balls.

With help of rolling pin, roll out circles dusting with flour.

Fold to overlap as below.

Fold again to get the shape of a triangle.

Now with help of rolling pin, we will roll it bigger onto a paratha.

Heat the pan on the gas top. I prepare 2 parathas together always. You can do one at a time. Cook each side for 1/2 a minute.

Now add 1tsp of oil. Fry both sides well until brown!

Transfer to a serving plate. I served the paratha and the mixed vegetable platter alongside a chilli achar / pickle which I wish to share in a separate post.

Always have such things fresh and hot. I hope I could contribute a little to your Sunday happiness.