Spinach Paratha/Spiced Flatbread
When Natasha was young, Sujata always made an effort to pack her food with maximum nutrients. This paratha recipe is the result of that effort. They are the perfect balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber without sacrificing taste. Cottage cheese makes these parathas soft and melt-in-your-mouth. The cottage cheese can be substituted with paneer if cottage cheese is not readily available. These parathas taste great by themselves or with chutney or Indian pickle.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 cups fresh spinach leaves OR 12 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed
- 4 tbsp cottage cheese OR crumbled paneer
- 2 green chilies (optional)
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Salt, to taste
- 3 tbsp rice flour to roll the parathas
- water as needed
- butter or oil, to fry parathas
Instructions
- Dry roast whole spices (fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds) on medium heat for one minute. Cool and grind it to a fine powder.
- If using fresh spinach leaves, wash and dry thoroughly. If using chopped frozen spinach, thaw and drain all water from the spinach.
- In a food processor, pulse spinach, cottage cheese, green chilies, whole wheat flour, cilantro, chili powder, and the roasted spices until it forms a ball. Add water to the flour mixture slowly as needed to make the dough. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Remove the dough from the food processor, and with a little oil on the palms, knead it with your hands for two minutes.
- Divide it into lemon size balls and roll it with a rolling pin on a smooth surface. Use rice flour as needed to prevent parathas from sticking to the surface.
- Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat and fry parathas on both sides until you see tiny light brown spots all over the parathas. Spread butter or oil on both sides.
