Green Peas Paratha - Indian Flatbread

Curries might be the first thing that comes to mind for any one in mood for an Indian meal but we often forget to praise what makes a curry shine.. the accompanied breads!! Today, I am placing one such flatbread on the center stage and basking in its glory – Parathas. So, lets prepare Green Peas Paratha.

Summers are in full swing here in California and I am struggling with keeping myself motivated to dish out 3 meals a day from my seemingly boiling kitchen. The usual meals these days comprise of assorted salads, lots of yogurt and fruits. When I feel like cooking something Indian, I resort to very simple curries and stuffed flatbreads. Today, I prepared some peas parathas which were loved by everyone at home and I thought I should share the recipe with you all 🙂

For those of you who are hearing the word “paratha” for the first time, paratha is a glorious version of the roti/chapati- an unleavened flatbread which is roasted using grease on a griddle. The grease was Ghee (clarified butter) traditionally and some still use ghee but many have switched to its lighter cousin, Oils. Parathas are so versatile that they can easily be defined as a cuisine in itself 😛 Parathas are usually cooked with plain or flavored dough and they are prepared both, with and without stuffing. Parathas are known for their crunchy, crust on top and soft, pillowy texture inside. They belong to the north Indian cuisine platter.

The famous Parathas of India

Since we are on the topic of Parathas, I feel it is my obligation to mention the ever so famous ” parathe wali gali (Paratha selling street corridor)”. A trip to Delhi is incomplete without a visit to this gali !! What makes this gali special is that the parathas are cooked using pure ghee and they offer a wide variety of stuffings – sweet and savory. All the items served here are strictly vegetarian but even the meat eaters go crazy with the flavors here! I have had the pleasure of enjoying a couple of parathas here and it is an enriching experience to say the least 🙂

The peas paratha that I am serving up in my kitchen today is nothing grand but it reminds me of home and is enough to make me all nostalgic. My mom makes the most delicious stuffed parathas and this is one of the “bucket list” food items on my mind whenever I visit home.

There is a saying in our house ” parathe ke teen yaar – dahi – makhan – achaar” which means : Paratha’s best accompanied friends are dahi (curd/yogurt), Makhan (butter) and Achaar (pickle). I am feeling really hungry now… so, lets get cooking!

Pea Stuffed Parathas

Peas stuffed parathas

Servings: 4-5 parathas
Time: 20 mins
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Ingredients

Dough

2 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon oil
Water for kneading

Oil for roasting the peas paratha (you can also use ghee/clarified butter)

Pea stuffing

frozen peas – 1 cup (can also use fresh peas)
chickpea flour / besan – 1 tablespoon
oil – 1 tablespoon
Red onion – 1 small ,finely chopped
grated ginger – 1 tsp
handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 small green chili, finely chopped
dry mango powder/amchur – 1/2 tsp
garam masala – 1/2 tsp

Method

Let us begin with preparing the stuffing : Heat a pan and add oil to it. Once hot, add in the onions and ginger & saute till the onions turn light brown.
Next, add in the frozen peas, salt, green chili and saute for a couple of minutes (till the peas are soft and mushy)
Finally, add in the chickpea flour/besan, dry mango powder and garam masala. Mix well and cook on medium flame for a couple more minutes till the besan is thoroughly cooked and the raw taste goes away. Remove in a mixing bowl. Mash the stuffing well and combine. Let the filling cool down.
To make the parathas, divide the dough into 4-5 dough balls. Take one dough ball and using your fingers, flatten it into a bowl shape. Apply a little oil inside the dough ball and add a scoop of stuffing inside.
Pinch the sides of the dough bowl to seal the stuffing inside the dough and using some flour and a rolling pin, roll the dough into a circular disc (paratha). Repeat with all the dough balls.
To roast the peas paratha, heat a skillet and put the rolled out parathas on it. Using some oil, roast the parathas on both sides till crispy and well cooked (approximately 2-3 minutes ). Remove from the skillet and serve immediately with condiments of your choice

I ended up making 6 parathas between me and hubby and we gobbled them all in 2 sessions 😛 They were delicious and so hearty .. it was the best brunch meal we could have asked for on a Saturday morning 🙂 So, don’t wait too long and make these right away !