Every Easter I make parathas and kebabs for the family – its a tradition that goes back some years and the whole process was learnt from my wife’s father Philip who was brought up in the Indian Raj in the 1930′s. I am wheat intolerant and for the last few years have found it impossible to eat traditional parathas. I have been hunting down the perfect recipe and have finally come up with one of my own after some research in to the ingredients (and many crumbling disasters!)

Parathas: (Gluten Free)

For the wheat free parathas we need to make a dough that will roll satisfactorily – this is how I make it!

250 grms Rice Flour
125 grms Besan Flour (gram flour)
1 tsp Powdered Xanthan Gum (Tesco sell it!)
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 Pint water with 1/3 milk
1 tsp Crushed Kalonji (onion seeds)

This is really important – you need to add about 1/2 a pint of water to a wok or deep pan and bring to the boil. Add the rice flour and mix over the heat for about 2 minutes. Allow to cool and take out, dropping in to a mixing bowl. Be careful because its hot! Slowly mix in the Besan Flour, adding the milk/water mix and crushed kalonji and salt.

Knead the mixture in to a firm ball – adding extra water if necessary to help but keep it firm. wrap in cling film or a damp cloth and put in the fridge for half an hour – 1 hour.

Roll out in to a long sausage 3 inches across and chop off a 3 imch end. (Or grab a walnut shape off and start rolling like I do!) , sprinkle a smooth work surface or chopping board with rice flour and roll out in to as good a circle as you can make. Its not that important its circular! make sure it doesn’t stick and roll outwards, you’ll find that its not that hard to do because the xanthan and boiling process adds gooyness (if that’s a word!)

I do all of them and put them on a plate separated with a sprinkle of rice flour. Now I have to admit that while I was rolling out the smaller balls before rolling I added some ghee to the mix and kneaded them with extra ghee inside, rolling them round and kneading them before rolling. This adds more taste (and fat!) but is not necessary

When you have a plate full sprinkle a little oil (sunflower or ghee!) in a large frying pan and pan fry for 2 minutes in each side, so you get brown patches on the paratha. Put a casserole dish in the oven. heat to 120 degrees and put a damp folded up tea towel in the bottom (bear with me!) When the paratha is cooked put it quickly in the dish and put the lid on. This keeps them hot and moist! keep frying them and putting them in the dish until you have finished.

Seek Kebabs:

500 Grms Minced Beef
1 minced onion
4 cloves crushed garlic
Handful Coriander leaves
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 tbsp fenugreek leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground corainder
1/2 tsp cloves*
1 inch cinnamom stick*
1 tsp black pepper seeds*
1 tsp aniseed or fennel*
1 tsp ground ginger
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp yellow poppy seeds
olive oil
1 tsp salt
Chilli if you like! I usually put 1/2 a tsp but the kids complain if there is more!

Grind all the items *rd and add the other powders.
Put onion, garlic and leaves in a mixer and chop up finely and add all to the mince.
Add powders and salt to the mince as well.
Add yolk of an egg
wash your hands in olive oil or wear plastic gloves and make 4 inch bulbous ‘sausages’ we call these ‘wossocks’ ahem for good reason! rolling the meat between your hands and place them on a grill tray.
rub all over with olive oil, (or ghee if you like!) and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Grill until cooked through – about 20 mins turning nbd basting with juices.

Make a salad of cucumber, tomato and onion (we like to keep the onions separate as some don’t like them), and of course have some hot chillis and lemon juice handy!

Take the parathas and if they are too big cut them in half, butter them on one side. Roll the ‘wossack’ in the paratha not forgetting the salad, chilli and lemon juice and maybe a touch of salt if you have underseasoned. Eat and enjoy!

Well that’s my Easter treat for the family!

It takes some effort as I make about 5 lbs of meat and 30 parathas and people can eat up to six! (I did!)

Parathas and wossocks!