Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

makes 2 sandwiches

splash of olive oil
1 small clove garlic
3 cups (or 3 big handfuls) baby spinach

4 slices bread (I used sourdough)

about 2 tablespoons cream cheese

1/3-1/2 cup grated or crumbled jack cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup coarsely chopped canned artichoke hearts, drained

1 heaping tablespoon sour cream

1/2 to 1 teaspoon sriracha

large pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon butter, for grilling the sandwiches

Sandwiches are very personal so the ingredients above are entirely flexible and up to you!

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Add spinach leaves and saute until wilted.  This should happen quickly.  Spinach just wilts in a hot pan.  Remove spinach from skillet, place in a medium bowl and set aside.

Spread each slice of bread with a bit of cream cheese.  You don’t need much.  We’re using it as edible sandwich glue.

Squeeze or press as much liquid as possible out of the canned artichoke hearts using a paper towel.

To the bowl of sautéed spinach add, jack cheese, Parmesan cheese, chopped artichoke hearts, sour cream, sriracha, and salt.  Stir until combined.

Top two slices of bread with spinach and artichoke filling.  Make sandwiches with the two remaining slices of bread.

Heat butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.  Add sandwiches and grill until each side is golden and the insides are melty warm.  Serve immediately. 

Bhature

bhature

For 35 bhature:

Ingredients

5 cups white refined flour
3 tbsp yogurt
200 ml buttermilk/milk/water or more
1 tsp salt
2 tsps ghee
2 tsps sugar
1/2 tsp yeast OR/and 1 tsp baking soda

Oil/ghee for frying, 600 ml or so

Preparation

Sieve the flour and salt together.
Mix the yeast and sugar in 2 tbsp of lukewarm water and keep aside for ten minutes or till rising.
Mix the ghee with the flour. Add the yogurt and mix, add the dissolved yeast and/or the baking soda.
Add about two tbsps of the buttermilk at a time and knead well till the dough becomes soft and pliable, it should look to have too much buttermilk and unworkable at some point. Leave it as it is then. Cover it with a wet cloth and go back to it after an hour. Knead with a spatula or a fork. If it doesn't come together, oil your hands and knead. Once done, keep aside for at least four hours, outside in 28°c or in the fridge in hot north-Indian summers.
Heat ghee/oil in a frying pan. Make fist-size balls or bigger and roll them, or oil your hands and spread the balls with your palms to flatten it till 4 inch in length and less than half an inch thick. Fry in absolutely hot ghee and pat and turn it with a frying sieve while in the oil and cook till light golden. Transfer onto good old newspapers or kitchen tissues. Serve with chhole.

To heat, on a smoldering hot tawa, drizzle water and quickly place the bhaturas. Drizzle about 20 ml more water and then turn. Once done on both sides, take the bhatura off the tawa with a flat serving spoon when all the water has evaporated. The surface should be crisp and golden again. Should take about 40 seconds on each side.

Chhole Bhature

Ingredients
1/2 cup chickpeas/chana

2 Tbsp ghee
  1 large onion, chopped
 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seed
  1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 pinches asafoetieda/heeng
  A bunch of coriander, chopped (for garnishin)
 1 tsp garlic clove, finely chopped or ground, fresh   1 tsp ginger, finely chopped or ground to paste
 1/2 tsp ground coriander
 1 tsp chili powder
  1/2 tsp garam masala
  1 1/2 medium fresh tomato(es), chopped

 1/2 tsp khataai and/or 1 tsp ground anaardaana/ or 1 tbsp imli paste, or according to taste

1 tbsp ghee
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  1/10 tsp ground cloves
   2 hot green chillies

Instructions

1. Pressure cook the chickpeas till soft (1 whistle and 20 minutes on low flame for chana soaked overnight)
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pateli. Fry the onions till light golden, strain and set aside in a plate
3. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds to the oil. Allow to crackle and splutter. Add ginger, garlic, and asafoetida. Add all dry masala, except cinnamon and clove (powdered).
4. Stir well, add tomatoes and cook till oil separates.
Drain chickpeas, add to the pateli and stir well. Add the khatai/imli extract.
Mix and cook for about 15 minutes. Keep aside.

In a small saucepan, heat ghee and add the powdered cinnamon and clove and chopped green chillies.
Let pop a bit, then add to the pateli with the chana. Add the fried onion bits. Stir mix.
Garnish with dhanya and onion rings.  Serve hot with naan or bhature.