This recipe reminds me of the time when I needed to pre-plan my daughter’s tiffin for school. These were the tricks I adapted and I have always managed to trick my daughter into eating this veggie without fuss. Like all mothers, I too felt a sense of accomplishment, especially when we take efforts to prepare something healthy like these, (parathas) and the child has eaten it with a smile.
These are a perfect wholesome breakfast idea too. You can either blanch the palak or alternatively chop the leaves finely and simply add them to the whole wheat flour with a few spices and knead the dough with curd or whey. That’s about it.
I spend more time cleaning and washing the spinach than making the parathas from scratch. I ensure the spinach is passed through running water at least thrice, thereafter soaked for a few minutes in rock salt and some turmeric.
The whey water lends a good flavour to the parathas and makes them protein-rich at the same time. I like them a little spicier, but when you are preparing these for the tiny-tots do control the spices
Palak Paratha
Ingredients :
- 3 cups of whole wheat flour,
- 1 ½ cup finely chopped spinach
- 1 tsp grated ginger,
- 2 tsp finely chopped green chilies,
- 1 tsp salt,
- 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain),
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- Whey or curd for kneading the dough (alternatively you can use water)
- Salt to taste
- Ghee for roasting
Method :
- Mix all the ingredients well using your fingers.
- Now add whey/curd/ water little by little and knead to make a slightly soft dough.
- Cover the dough with a dishcloth and keep it aside for 15 minutes.
- Divide the dough into medium-sized balls
- Roll the dough into a flat-shaped paratha smear some ghee in the center and fold it.
- Then dust some flour and flatten the folded dough to make a slightly thick paratha.
- Roast the paratha on the pan of either sides till brown. Apply ghee while doing so.
- Once cooked they are ready to be served hot with curd or pickle or sauce.
These parathas are great both as breakfast and for evening tea-time snack too.
