Appetizers, Entrée

Spinach Parathas (Flatbread)

Posted by iavogoodmeal on

Sneha: we’ve had two types of weather this summer so far in Boston – extremely hot & muggy or rainy & muggy. In both cases, it makes us shy away from toiling over the stove and reaching for quick, cold summer time meals – lots of salads, sandwiches and THESE parathas (flatbread). My mom has been making these for years but like most thing she makes, I’ve always been content to just have her make them rather than ask for the recipe and watch how she made them because mine will never be as good as hers! 

This time, I had such a craving for these parathas that I had to learn it from her. These parathas are packed full of spinach and methi (fenugreek leaves) – the spinach offsets the slight tartness of the methi and the mix is delicately spiced with some chili powder and turmeric. I like to eat them with yoghurt on a hot summer day – also a perfect foil to sneak in greens for your young ones. This recipe will definitely be in my arsenal once our little human gets to the age where he’s eating adult foods! 

Tips & Tricks

  • Its important to do a slow cook on the greens – we use frozen spinach and methi and cook on medium low heat for about 30-40 min until all the water has evaporated, this will give you a nice thickened mixture to form the dough

Recipe Information

  • Prep time: 60 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: ~10 parathas

Ingredients

  • 1 cup frozen spinach
  • 1 cup frozen fenugreek leaves (methi)
  • 1-2 cups whole-wheat flour 
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp red chili powder
  • Salt to taste 
  • Yoghurt for serving

Directions

  1. In a pan on medium heat cook down spinach, methi and spices for ~5 min
  2. Turn to medium low and cook uncovered until water evaporates about 30 min
  3. Set aside to cool for minimum 30 min
  4. To make dough slowly add flour 1/2 cup at a time and use your hands to combine – the water content in the greens should be enough to form a nice thick dough (think pizza dough consistency)
  5. If you’ve added too much flour, warm water 1 tbsp at a time to get the desired consistency
  6. Divide doughs into 1 inch balls and roll out using extra flour on the counter to prevent sticking 
  7. Cook in a cast iron or non stick pan with a few drops of oil on either side 5-10 min 
  8. Serve with yoghurt