Palak paratha (spinach paratha)

Parathas are unleavened flat breads and one the most popular parathas in Indian cusine. Parathas are usually stuffed with any vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, potato, can stuff with cheese or paneer, or mince meat. A paratha simply can be eaten with spread of butter on top, with any pickle or chutney. I have made spinach(palak) and potato paratha with simple ingredients, so that we can taste only the vegetables not the spices. I have used wheat flour for the dough and used baby spinach, can use ordinary spinach. The method is the same as I have already shown you for the aloo ka paratha (potato paratha).

Ingredients

  1. Wheat flour dough (refer recipe)
  2. Spinach – 150 to 200gms
  3. Potato (medium size) – 2(boiled)
  4. Oil – 1tbsp
  5. Cumin seeds – 1tsp
  6. Onion (medium size) – 1(chopped)
  7. Green chilli – 2(chopped)
  8. Ginger – 1tsp (chopped)
  9. Salt as per taste

Method

  1. Make lemon size balls as many from the dough or as you require and keep it aside. Apply oil in your palm and roll; it will be easy for you.
  2. Take a vessel add spinach leaves, cook it on simmer by closing the lid. Spinach gets cooked fast in its steam only, as spinach leaves water while cooking.
  3. It will take 5 to 8 mins as per your spinach or less time also.
  4. When spinach is cooked it gets shrinked, so add the ingredients as per its quantity. Keep the spinach aside.
  5. Take a vessel, add oil, when hot add cumin seeds, let it splutter for 3sec; add onion and green chillies, sauté for few mints, till it is transparent and soft. Switch it off. Allow it to cool.
  6. Take a wider bowl, add mashed potatoes, spinach, onion mixture and salt, mix well, and keep it aside.
  7. Make little balls with the stuffing prepared.
  8. Take the ball sized dough in your hand and flatten it so that the stuffing can be placed in the middle of the flattened dough. Seal the edges properly by stretching the dough carefully making sure the stuffing does not come out. Make it a ball again by rolling in your hand. Apply oil so that the dough does not stick to your hand. You should have equal number of dough balls and stuffing balls. If the dough is sticking to your hands, apply oil in your hand or dust the dough ball with flour.
  9. Roll the dough very gently and carefully, sprinkle flour, so that it won’t stick on the rolling pin. Roll it to about 6 inch diameter circle (like a chapathi). It will be thick.
  10. Pre-heat the tawa/pan, flip the paratha on the tawa and then cook it on medium flame so that it is cooked well. When on both sides, light brown spots are seen and it is cooked, you can apply oil or ghee on both sides and cook on both sides for another 30 seconds.
  11. Oil or ghee or butter should be applied when both sides are cooked well. Do not apply oil or ghee or butter in the beginning.
  12. Eat it with pickle or chutney or curd. You can mix sugar in curd and have it with the paratha and it is really good.

Notes

  1. Can avoid cooked onion mixture and just make it simple way by adding cooked spinach and other spices like pepper powder, lemon juice, chopped green chilli, spring onion and try.
  2. Sprinkle flour on the dough if it is sticking to the rolling pin and the base where you are rolling the dough.
  3. Stuff the mixture as per your taste and place the stuffed paratha on the tava carefully as it can get tore or stuffing can come out.