Making Pita Pockets

 

So a couple of years ago, I saw this ad on Instagram of Sun Café and Bar featuring their very own pita sandwiches. They looked so good. I convinced Priya didi, my colleague and we went together to Jhamsikhel to try it. It was as good as promised.

So I tried my own hand at making these pita sandwiches. They’re just perfect for lunch. Soft, fluffy, little pockets that you can stuff yummies into. But whipping up pockets for lunch is not much labor only if you have a little time.

Here is what you will need

Flour

Wheat flour

Sugar

Salt

Oil

Yeast

Warm water

Paneer (cottage cheese)

Curd

Onions cut into thin strands

Juice of 1 lemon

Green chilies

Spices of your choice

Preparation time: 3 hours

Cooking time: 25 mins

Instructions:

1. On a bowl of warm water, leave in your yeast to activate for around 10 to 15 minutes
2. On a big bowl add in two cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of wheat flour. You can adjust the amount according to your serving size. Your dry ingredients would also include 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt.
3. When your yeast has bloomed, add your yeast mixture to your big bowl and your oil and knead your dough. You will leave this dough to rest for at least 2 hours. With a dash of oil around your bowl, have it covered.
4. In a separate bowl, marinate your cottage cheese with 2 tablespoons of curd and spices of your choice like salt, pepper, red chili powder, garam masala and turmeric. Leave this aside for all the spices to get in.
5. After 2 hours, your dough should have risen to a sizeable amount. Push out the air and take a small portion to create a ball and then roll it out. You will be leaving the rolled out little rounds to rest for another half hour.
6. Meanwhile take your marinated paneer and fry them up gently.
7. Cut your green chilies
8. After half hour, set your pan on medium heat and when your pan is hot enough put in your rolled out dough. It should balloon up. Gently press on the sides if it does fluff up.
9. When your pita pockets are ready, cut them in half. Fill in your pockets with your cottage cheese, onions, green chilies and add in a around 1 tablespoon of curd (optional)
10. You can serve it some homemade potato chips.

During this situation, everything homemade works out best for this recipe. You can make your own cottage cheese, potato chips and curd. It does not take much work and tastes even better than store bought because it is fresh.