Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Anyone else hate having a cold during the Summer?
I've had one for the past week and it really is the worst.
I've been making homemade ice cream (this one!) and sorbet (peach and orange) all week and not been able to eat any. I'll probably be enjoying them in the depths of Winter when everyone else is knee-deep in crumble and custard.
Today's recipe is perfect for me and for you too if you're suffering from a cold or just in the mood for something vegetarian and spicy. It's cauliflower chilli cheese stuffed roti from Meera Sodha's Fresh India which I cooked my way through last year. We start by making a simple cauliflower chilli cheese mixture. I used an entire cauliflower and blended it up to make what is essentially cauliflower rice. You can probably also get away with using a ready-made version!
Once the cauliflower mixture has cooked down, it's ready to be stuffed into a roti. You can use roti dough which you may already have ready in the fridge but I have provided a recipe for it below. The stuffed flatbreads are toasted until golden and crispy - almost like parathas. Serve them with spicy achar and hot daal!
Cauliflower, previously: potato and cauliflower curry // cauliflower cheese // cauliflower lamb curry // cauliflower pakoras // chicken tikka aloo gobi traybake
A Simple List of Ingredients:
1. Cauliflower
2. Green Chillies
3. Ground Cumin
4. Onion
5. Cheddar Cheese
6. Plain Flour
7. Wholemeal Flour
8. Vegetable Oil
9. Salt
10. Warm Water
Bismillah, let's begin!
7. Wholemeal Flour
8. Vegetable Oil
9. Salt
10. Warm Water
Bismillah, let's begin!
Our first job is to cook the cauliflower chilli cheese filling and for that we need a cauliflower. Take 1 Cauliflower - mine was roughly 600g once all the leaves have been taken off.
So, cut the leaves off. I like to use kitchen scissors to do this.
Chop the cauliflower up into rough pieces.
And, grate the cauliflower pieces or blend in a food processor until you have rice-sized pieces. I've tried both methods and can safely say that the food processor is faster and cleaner. Grating the cauliflower does the job but is quite messy!
Basically cauliflower rice!
Set it aside until needed. It will have a very string smell which should disappear once cooked. You could also use ready-made cauliflower rice from the supermarket to make your life easier.
Next, take a large saucepan or frying pan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add a few tablespoons Vegetable Oil. When the oil is hot, add in 1 Onion, peeled and diced.
Fry the chopped onion until it's golden brown and soft.
Add in:
2-4 Green Chillies, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
Stir fry for a minute or two until fragrant.
Then, add in all the cauliflower.
Stir fry for 5 minutes.
Finish by stirring in:
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
Take the pan off the heat.
Lastly, add in 150g Cheddar Cheese, grated.
Stir well and set the cauliflower filling aside until needed.
Now, let's make the roti dough. In a large bowl, place:
300g Plain Flour
300g Wholemeal Flour
You can also use 600g of all plain or all wholemeal, if you prefer.
Add in 1/2 teaspoon Salt.
And, 4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil.
Mix well so that the oil is well distributed in the flour.
Then, gradually pour in 300ml Warm Water ...
.... kneading as you go (I used my dough hook and stand mixer) until you have a soft but not too sticky dough.
Set aside until needed.
When you're ready to cook the stuffed rotis, divide the dough into 12 pieces. To make one roti, roll a piece of dough into a rough 20cm circle.
Put about 2 tablespoons of the cauliflower on one side.
Fold the other side over and press well to seal the edges.
Time to cook the first stuffed roti.
Cook the roti in a frying pan or tava over medium heat until it's cooked and toasted on both sides. You may brush it with oil to get it extra crispy.
Continue making the rest of the stuffed rotis. The dough and filling do keep well in the fridge so you can make them later too.
To serve, I sliced them in half.
My favourite pickle is the spicy mixed pickle which I've spread over my stuffed roti here.
Delicious as it is.
And, even better dipped into hot daal!
Perfect for anyone in the mood for something spicy and vegetarian!
Cauliflower Chilli Cheese Stuffed Roti.
a vegetarian flatbread treat!
Prep Time: About 30 minutes.
Cook Time: About 30 minutes.
Serves: Makes 12 stuffed rotis.
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower Chilli Cheese Mixture
1 Cauliflower (about 600g)
Oil, to cook
1 Onion, peeled and diced
2-4 Green Chillies, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
150g Cheddar Cheese, grated
For the Roti
300g Plain Flour
300g Wholemeal Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons Oil
300ml Warm Water
To Serve
Spicy Achar Pickle
Prepare the cauliflower:
Cut off the cauliflower leaves. Cut the cauliflower into large chunks. Blend in a food processor or grate until the cauliflower looks like rice. It will have a strong smell which will disappear once it is cooked.
Cook the cauliflower chilli cheese mixture:
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and fry until golden brown and soft. Add in the green chillies and ground cumin. Stir fry until fragrant then add in the cauliflower. Cook for 5 minutes before stirring in the salt and pepper and removing from the heat. Finally, stir in the grated cheese.
Knead the roti dough:
In a large bowl, mix together the plain flour, wholemeal flour, salt and oil. Gradually add the warm water and knead until you have a dough which is soft but not too sticky. Brush the dough with oil until needed.
Cook the stuffed rotis:
Divide the dough into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece until you have a roughly 20cm circle. On one side of the circle, place about 2 tablespoons of the cauliflower filling. Fold the other side over and press down to seal well. Cook until golden brown on both sides in a hot frying pan over medium heat, brushing the stuffed roti with oil if you want it extra crispy. Continue making the rest.
Serve:
Slice the stuffed rotis and serve hot with red lentil curry and spicy achar pickle. Delicious!
Recipe Notes
Cut off the cauliflower leaves. Cut the cauliflower into large chunks. Blend in a food processor or grate until the cauliflower looks like rice. It will have a strong smell which will disappear once it is cooked.
Cook the cauliflower chilli cheese mixture:
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and fry until golden brown and soft. Add in the green chillies and ground cumin. Stir fry until fragrant then add in the cauliflower. Cook for 5 minutes before stirring in the salt and pepper and removing from the heat. Finally, stir in the grated cheese.
Knead the roti dough:
In a large bowl, mix together the plain flour, wholemeal flour, salt and oil. Gradually add the warm water and knead until you have a dough which is soft but not too sticky. Brush the dough with oil until needed.
Cook the stuffed rotis:
Divide the dough into 12 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece until you have a roughly 20cm circle. On one side of the circle, place about 2 tablespoons of the cauliflower filling. Fold the other side over and press down to seal well. Cook until golden brown on both sides in a hot frying pan over medium heat, brushing the stuffed roti with oil if you want it extra crispy. Continue making the rest.
Serve:
Slice the stuffed rotis and serve hot with red lentil curry and spicy achar pickle. Delicious!
Recipe Notes
- In the roti dough, feel free to use all plain or all wholemeal flour, if you prefer. All plain flour will give you a softer roti. All wholemeal flour will result in a roti that isn't as soft but will definitely fill you up. You can also just use your favourite roti flour mix.
{adapted from fresh india}
Keep me in your duas please, and enjoy your stuffed rotis!
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
