Kothu Phulka/tortilla-a Healthy version of the Kothu Parotta!

 Kothu Phulka-the healthy version of the "Kothu Paratha"

Traditionally in Tamil Nadu, 'Kothu Paratha' is made from 'parotta' or the South Indian 'paratha' which is a layered paratha made with loads of oil and maida. I did try it out once with frozen Kerala Parotta's (available in all Indian stores) and I admit that it is sinfully delicious!
The tasty Kothu Parotta never became a regular feature as obviously I had my reservations of using the frozen 'maida' (refined flour) oily parotta's.

Yesterday, I had 3 leftover phulkas (roti's made whithout oil) from lunch and with it came the idea of the 'healthy version of the Kothu paratha/ parotta'!! This I have renamed as "Kothu Phulka" !
Kothu Paratha's are made by tearing up the cooked paratha and then cooking it in a gravy of either meat, chicken or egg. The kothu phulka that I made is with egg. Vegetarians/vegans can omit the egg and make it with just the onion+tomato gravy or replace the egg with tofu. Here are the ingredients for the 'healthy version of the Kothu Paratha(the Kothu Phulka):
Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• Phulkas/whole wheat tortillas: 3-4 nos. ( broken into 1" pieces)
• Eggs: 3 nos. (can be substituted with 200gms tofu or omitted entirely)
• Red onion: 1 medium or 1/2big (chopped fine)
• Tomatoes: 2 medium (chopped fine)
• Green chillies: 1-2nos. slit in half (use more or less according to your spice tolerance)
• Cilantro/Coriander leaves: 2-3 tbsp (finely chopped)
•  Red chilli powder: 1-2tsp(again according to your spice tolerance)
• Coriander powder: 1tsp
• Salt: to taste

Tempering:

• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Cumin/jeera: 1tsp
• Curry leaves: 8-10nos.
• Turmeric: 1/4th tsp
• Oil: 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds and when it starts popping add the curry leaves.
2. Then add the turmeric powder,chopped onions, the green chillies and salt and fry till the onions become translucent.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder and the coriander powder and stir till the tomatoes are cooked.
4. Add the eggs/tofu and mix well. Keep stirring on a low flame till the eggs are almost cooked but not too dry. Test for salt.
5. Now add the phulka/tortilla pieces and mix well such that the egg/tofu mixture coats all the phulka pieces.
6. Garnish with lots of cilantro and serve the 'Kothu Phulka' piping hot.

For those who want to avoid the egg/tofu-add the phulka pieces directly after the tomatoes are cooked (point 4).
Enjoy this healthy version of the "kothu Paratha" at lunch/dinner, breakfast or even for a Sunday brunch !
It also makes a good lunch box recipe!

Kothu Phulka- the healthy version of the 'Kothu Paratha'

Back To School-7 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas

 (Japanese Bento box-Image courtesy BBC News )

Getting a child to eat his lunch at school and making sure it's also a healthy meal can be a daily nightmare for most parents. A child's lunch plays an important role in meeting their day to day nutrition needs. To know more about the right foods for your child you can read  Is Your Child Getting the Right Nutrition .
Packing a healthy lunch box for a kid isn't always difficult. Sometimes it may not be always possible to pack a balanced meal into a child's lunch box. Just make sure to avoid packing junk food or processed foods like cookies,chips, jello's and such. Here are 7 Healthy lunch box ideas for your child: 

1.  Parathas+ Yogurt+ Salad/Fruit: when made with less oil can become a healthy and filling lunch box favorite. Avoid the frozen commercially packed varieties (which may be more convenient) as they can be too oily. Alternatively (if time is a constraint)you could roll out the parathas in advance and cook them in the morning. Kids love aloo parathas,methi parathas, gobi parathas, radish parathas and even the most fussy kid will devour a broccoli paratha.
2. Sandwiches/Wraps+ Fruit: (Use 100% whole wheat/ double fiber breads,pita breads or whole wheat tortillas/wraps). Fillings can be with the good ole' P&B(Peanut butter) or other nut butters(almond/sunflower/cashew nut,etc), chutney, guacamole, hummus, tofu spreads. You could add freshly cut fruits like bananas, strawberries, peaches  or vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce to the filling or put it as a side. Avoid adding salt/sugar as this could make the sandwiches soggy.Cold cuts of turkey,tuna, eggs, grilled chicken, or cheese slices could also be a filling option for kids
3. Roti's, tortillas,bagels, English muffins (whole wheat)+ egg/paneer/tofu burji(scrambled), chole/rajma(lentil/pulse/bean) curry + salad/fruit.
4. Rice dishes+ low-fat yogurt/Greek yogurt+ fruit/salad. You could make a mixed vegetable pulav, mint/pudina pulav, palak/spinach rice, peas pulav, curd/ yogut rice, egg/chicken fried rice and such.Try adding some pulse/lentil/paneer/tofu/soy nuggets to add some protein to the rice dish. Avoid dishes like khichdi, bisibele bath which are not palatable when eaten cold.
5. Idli/dosa/dhokla + chutney/nut butters+ salad+ Low-fat milk. You could try out different varieties of dosas like adai, pesarattu, neer dosa and idlis like rava, coin, stuffed vegetable idlis.
6. Mixed vegetable upma + low-fat yogurt+ fruit. The upma can be made from rava/semolina, oats, vermicelli poha or dhalia/broken wheat.
7. Noodles, pasta+ salad+ 100% fruit juice. Try adding some mixed vegetables to the noodles/pasta along with chicken/tofu/paneer/egg to increase the fiber and protein content.

Try to be as creative as possible with the foods. Children love fun shapes, so use a cookie cutter to cut the salad vegetables/ fruits. Even sandwiches can be made into different fun shapes with the help of different sandwich cutters. Use desserts as an occasional treat for the kids. Don't make it a habit of giving a sweet drink (juice, flavored milk) on a daily basis.
Take a look at these creative Japanese moms: Japan's Amazing lunchboxes

 Bento Box-Image Courtesy BBC News Magazine