Watermelon Rind Kofta curry and Lachcha Paratha

4 cups watermelon rind grated

Salt to taste

1/2 cup or more Bengal Gram Flour (besan)

1/2 tbsp Red Chili powder

1/4 tsp haldi

ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp

Oil to deep fry

2 medium Onions

ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp

1 cup of tomato puree

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1/2 tbsp Red chili powder

2 tbsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala powder

salt to taste

1 tbsp plain flour

1/4 cup milk

1 tbsp sour cream

2 tbsp Cilantro (chopped)

3 tbsp oil

Method:

Mix half-teaspoon salt in watermelon rind and keep aside for fifteen minutes. Squeeze to remove excess water. Add besan (if you think that you will need more besan you can add more) half the red chili powder, haldi, ginger-garlic paste, and mix to make dough. Make ten to twelve koftas from the dough. Heat oil in a kadhai and deep-fry the prepared koftas, in small batches for two to three minutes or until golden brown in colour and crisp from the outside. Drain and remove onto an absorbent paper.


Peel and finely chop onions. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions and sauté until light golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, stir-fry briefly. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chili powder. Continue to cook on medium heat for one minute, stirring continuously. Stir in tomato puree and cook on high heat, stirring continuously till oil begins to separate. Add two cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add salt, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Now mix well the 1 tbsp plain flour in 1/4 cup milk and add it to the gravy and stir so it gets incorporated in the gravy add salt and gently add the fried koftas and simmer for another three to four minutes. Sprinkle garam masala powder and when you serve gently blend the sour cream in the gravy and garnish with chopped cilantro. Phulkas, Tandoori roti, Paratha, or Naan goes really well with this. And rice too!

I served this with lachcha paratha.

Recipe follows:

This paratha are crispy and with several layers. It is the perfect accompaniment for any thick-gravied dish.

For the Lachcha Paratha:

2 cups whole wheat flour

Water to make dough

Salt to taste

1/2 cup ghee or oil

Mix the flour and salt and knead into a soft dough with a little water at a time. Keep aside. Mix 3 tbsps of ghee with 1 tbsp of flour and keep aside. Divide the dough into equal-sized ball.

Take each portion and roll in a circular

shape about six inch in diameter.

Roll the circle into a cylindrical shape

(see the picture below)

Coil the rolled circle into a spiral.

Flour a rolling surface lightly and very gently roll out the spiral into a flat circle about 6" in diameter. Grease the top surface with the ghee-flour mix. Heat a flat pan on a medium flame. Fry each paratha, turning them often and fry till crisp and golden.

Look at the pictures

I have used a shortcut to make this paratha. The original recipe suggests stacking 3-4 rolled circles applying oil on each one and then rolling it into a cylinder and then coil it into a spiral and then roll it again and then fry it.

I just rolled the circle once applied the ghee and flour and then rolled it and coiled it and then rolled it again to save all that time. The original recipe is time consuming but the parathas turns out more soft and flaky.