PITA POCKETS WITH CARROT AND COUSCOUS FILLING

Pita pockets with carrot and couscous filling served along with cucumber and mint dip

PITA POCKETS WITH CARROT AND COUSCOUS FILLING

INGREDIENTS

PITA POCKETS
Wheat flour	1 cup
Fresh  or dry yeast	1 tsp
Sugar	1 tsp
salt	¼ tsp
Luke warm Water	As needed
Oil	1 tbsp
CARROT & COUSCOUS FILLING
Dalia / broken wheat / couscous	½ cup
Carrots grated	¼ cup
Onion minced	¼ cup
Cottage cheese / paneer crumbled	¼ cup
Coriander leaves finely chopped	4 – 5 tbsp
Red Chilli sauce	2 tbsp
Green chillies chopped (optional)	1 no
Salt	T.T.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
Tomato deseeded and sliced	1 no large
Lettuce shredded	1 cup
Cucumber and mint dip http://paripoornapaksiddhi.blogspot.in/2014/04/cucumber-mint-dip.html	1 cup

METHOD:

PITA POCKETS

1.       To the fresh of dry yeast add warm water 4 tbsp and sugar and keep in a warm place.

2.       Make sure the water is luke warm and not hot as it will kill the yeast.

3.       After some time it will start to froth.

4.       Take the wheat flour in a bowl, add in the frothy yeast, salt and add little water at a time to make soft smooth pliable dough. Apply the oil and knead again.

5.       Cover the dough with a moist cloth and leave it for an hour or till the dough doubles up in size.

6.       Knead it again and divide into cricket ball sized rolls.

7.       Roll out the divided balls on a flat surface into a palm sized circle and which is around ¼ inch thick. Use a little flour if it gets sticky.

8.       Heat a griddle, when its hot put it in low flame.

9.       Put the rolled out dough on the griddle.

10.   When you see small bubbles in it flip it over.

11.   Now increase the flame and allow to cook till light brown spots start to appear onto it.

12.   Flip over again and use a clean kitchen towel to press down lightly on the edges as it starts to puff up.

13.   Remove and cut into half and separate the cut edges to create a half moon shaped pita pocket.

CARROT & COUSCOUS FILLING

14.   Wash and soak the dalia or broken wheat in 1 cup water for 15 – 20 min. Then put it on heat and bring the same to a boil, simmer for 2 min, press it lightly between your fingers to check and see that it is cooked but still is firm.

15.   Drain out the excess water in a sieve and run it under cold water to stop further cooking.

16.   Take the dalia in a bowl, to it add all the other remaining ingredients and mix it all up lightly.

17.   This is your filling.

18.   If you like it then you can add a little more crumbled cottage cheese to it and little besan or chick pea flour just enough to hold it together. Shape into patties and shallow fry till golden brown on both sides.

19.   But during the summer I prefer not frying it.

ASSEMBLING

20.   In the halved pita pocket put a little shredded lettuce.

21.   Spoon the filling in, almost to the top.

22.   Stuff more lettuce at the sides and add in some tomato in the gaps that remain.

23.   Serve with a thick dollop of cucumber and mint dip on top and more of the chilli sauce …….aaahhhhh so refreshing….

 For cucumber and mint dip click on the link below
http://paripoornapaksiddhi.blogspot.in/2014/04/cucumber-mint-dip.html
 

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