You all must have a recipe for a food that never fails you every time you make it.  Paratha is one of them for me. Whoever cooked the first paratha is a genius. This is a dish that I’ve been making a lot after the kids got into school. Prepare the dough, stuffing the night before, and roll them in the morning. All you need to do after that is wrap well, and off it goes into their lunch boxes. How much easier can it be?!
There are so many ways to stuff it, and they all taste amazing. I’ve made one with leeks and potatoes, and that is one of our favorite combos. Traditionally in India where it’s a staple in North Indian homes, potatoes, radish, cauliflower, and paneer (cheese) are some of stuffing used. Beets are well loved in our family, so that’s what I make a lot of. Hubs is big on using ever part of the vegetable. He almost looks at me like I’ve committed a crime when he sees the beet stems and greens in our food waste. It’s all changed now. I enjoy cooking with them, and I believe the greens tone the earthiness of beets a bit. If you haven’t tried it, give it a shot.
Â
- 2 cups Whole Wheat flour
- 2 cups All Purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- ⅓ yogurt
- ½ cup of water
- 3 beets
- Stems of beets and leaves
- 3 russet potatoes
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp grated green chilli
- ½ tsp chaat masala
- some cilantro(optional)
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- Oil to cook the paratha, butter if you want
- 1 small gala apple
- 1 large bunch cilantro(chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp cumin/jeera
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 green chilies
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt or to taste.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and yogurt. Mix it with a wooden spoon well. try to get it incorporated a bit. Then add the oil and water little at a time and get it to a smooth dough. Not very tough or very soft at all. Cover and let it sit for an hour.
- Wash and peel the Beets. Grate Beet and keep aside. You could also use the food processor to finely chop it up.
- Cut 2 inches off the washed stems and finely chop the stems and leaves.
- Boil the potatoes with their skin on until soft. Peel and mashl after it's cooled a bit and keep aside.
- In a pan add oil and let it get little hot. Add the cumin seeds, let it splutter. Add grated beets, ½ tsp of salt and saute it. Keep stirring. Do not add water at all. Cook it for 5 minutes. Add the stems and the greens to the beets. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the grated green chili, chaat masala, mashed potatoes. Mix well. Turn off the heat. Adjust the salt. Add the lemon juice, finely chopped cilantro. Cool the mixture completely.
- Take a golf sized ball of dough and roll it with the help of little dry flour. Roll it pretty thin. You have to be able to work with the rolled dough. Don't roll it too thin that when you stuff it, it tears. Also not too thick, then it doesn't cook well later.
- Add 3 tbsp or ¼ cup of stuffing in half of the rolled dough(roti), and fold over. It should be a semi circle. Press the edges with a fork well.
- Warm a flat griddle to medium heat and cook the paratha with little bit of oil. Cook well on both sides and serve hot.
- It goes very well with some Cilantro
- Grind everything for the chutney and you can store it for up to a week in the refrigerator.
I have always love Indian stuffed bread. These look particularly delicious with beet filling!
The paratha sounds delicious with the filling. I liked how you used the fork to tuck the edge of the paratha. I use the stem and leaves of beets in stir fry and they taste yum.
Love paratha! Never made it, though. I should — your recipe is so clear and straightforward. Really good — thanks.
So beautiful!! Parathas are my weakness and my comfort food. I love every one you wrote about, the aloo and the gobi ones being my favourites. I haven’t tried beet ones, going to have a go with these! They are so pretty!!
These Paratha look INCREDIBLE!!! I love this kind of versatile recipe that I can change the stuffing based on whatever leftover. However, this beet stuffing looks great, and I love to make more beet recipe, so this recipe is wonderful 🙂
<3 <3 <3
LOVE it! you are so right, paratha is always amazing and I make it at least 1-2 times a week. It’s so versatile! Love the lifafa version!
Heyya..Parathas are my weakness and my comfort food. I love every one you wrote about, the aloo and the gobi ones being my favourites. I haven’t tried beet ones, going to have a go with these! They are so pretty 🙂 Even more , I liked how you used the fork to tuck the edge of the paratha. I use the stem and leaves of beets in stir fry and they taste yum and These look particularly delicious with beet filling.. 😉 🙂
I don’t see how you can lose with paratha either — that looks so delicious! I can see why it’s a staple for you. The beet filling sounds great with that apple cilantro chutney! I think I could eat that with a spoon. 🙂
That apple cilantro chutney is calling my name, I want to make a big batch right now!
Beets are my all time favorite foods. You do such a great job at finding creative ways to incorporate them with Indian flavors. This looks like such a great treat to bring along on a picnic this summer. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Now that’s a legit paratha!! Looks amazing and I love how you have a second-nature rhythm to making them and it’s such a breeze for you. Leek and potato stuffing had me drooling and this one with beets looks so beautiful. Your family is lucky! : )
You are right, Asha, whoever thought of that first paratha was a genius! I bet if they saw your versoin, they’d think it was you who was the genius! 😉 I love that beet and potato stuffing!
I love Indian food… and these stuffed parathas look terrific. They remind me of empanadas although the dough is different. I also love the fact they are cooked in a griddle instead of being deep fried.