Tuesdays, a veggie day for our household, also calls for a simple rice and daal meal. Yellow moong daal is by far the easiest and quickest daal to make. This morning, thinking of ideas for dinner,I opened the fridge, to find a container of this leftover daal from last night's dinner, staring at me. Not wanting to ignore it, I decided to mix it in with a cupful or two and more of flour, a handful of spinach, a few sprigs of fenugreek, a cupful of chopped onions, a healthy sprinkling of fresh coriander, some spices , to make some wholesome layered delights. I have already had a couple for lunch with some sweet mango pickle and a hot cup of tea . Very filling and satisfying on this dull, damp Fall day. Try some! Truly delicious and nutritious and an easy way of having your greens too!!
Moong Daal and Spinach Parathas
Ingredients
3 cups chapatti flour
OR
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
11/2 cups yellow moong daal, cooked and tempered with oil, onions and spices
11/2 cups spinach, fresh, finely chopped
1/2 cup fenugreek, frozen, chopped
3/4 cup onions, red, very finely chopped
1/2 cup coriander, fresh, very finely chopped
1 tsp salt, to taste
1 tsp red chilli powder, to taste
1 tsp coriander seeds, dry roasted, finely crushed
1 cup warm water as necessary
1/2 cup soft butter or crisco shortening for spreading in the parathas.
14-16 tsp oil for frying the parathas
Directions
· In a mixing bowl of kitchen machine, add the flour and mix well on low speed.
· While the machine is still running add the daal and all the other ingredients except for the water, oil and butter. Mix well on medium speed until the mixture is lumpy and soft.
· If the mixture is still too hard, add the water a little at a time and continue to mix the dough on medium speed. The dough is ready when it forms into a smooth ball pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
(Finger test – when finger inserted into dough makes an impression and no dough sticks to it – the dough is perfect.)
· Cover dough and set aside for about half an hour.
· Divide dough into 14-16 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball.
· Roll each ball onto a lightly floured board-into a thin circular shape 6 inches in diameter.
How to Fold Parathas
1. Spread a 3/4 teaspoon of shortening or butter onto the rolled disc.
2. Turn over one edge into the middle and press lightly.
3. Turn over opposite side,overlap it in the middle and press lightly, You now have a rectangular shape.
4. Turn over the two short edges-overlapping them to form a square shape.
Roll this gently, maintaining the square shape until the paratha is about 1/4 inches thick. Dust with flour whenever necessary. Cook on a hot griddle on medium high heat. When the underside is slightly brown and spotted flip the paratha and cook the other side until light brown. Add 1 tsp. of oil. Cook until both sides are crisp, 2-3 minutes and edges are evenly cooked.
• Cover with aluminium foil.
• Cook all other parathas this way.
• Serve with your favourite pickle and yoghurt.
Suggestions
Parathas can also be made into a round shape by spreading the butter on the rolled dough and then folding it into a long log which is then twisted and rolled in a coil shape. Press the coil down and roll in to a flat disc, maintaining the round shape.
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