Palak Ke Parathe | Spinach Flatbread

My earliest memories of parathas come from seeing them in my school lunch box. My Mum is a genius with dough, and when I was in school, and she would create the most amazing parathas, make rolls with them with vegetable filling, and place them in our lunch boxes. This always a made a very tasty, filling, and nutritious lunch, and needless to say - much in demand amongst my friends.

I like to think I am as experimentative as her as creating with new tastes and flavours is something I adore. The great thing about these spinach parathas, apart from the fact that they are delicious, is that they taste great hot or cold. They can be prepared in advance, wrapped in foil and served hot with lime pickle, sliced cucumbers and yogurt. And as they travel rather well, they can be cooled after cooking, and used to make rolls with whatever filling you fancy, foil wrapped individually for a nice healthy picnic lunch. Either way, they are yummy!!

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup spinach cooked
1/2 onion chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green chillies, chopped fine
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oil
Ghee, as needed
Extra flour as needed



Method:

1. Sift together the flour, salt, chilli powder, and cumin seeds. Add the oil and rub into the flour with the palms of your hands.
2. Once the spinach has cooled, puree it.
3. Next add the onions, garlic, green chillies, and the pureed spinach to the flour mix, and using water if needed make into a semi-soft dough. Knead it for 2 minutes.
4. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into golf ball sized portions. Using the extra flour to dust the kneading board and roll out the dough into discs 4 inches in diameter.
6. Heat a non-stick griddle. Reduce the heat to medium, and place one paratha. Cook, then turn over and cook the other side.
7. Remove from the griddle, brush with ghee, and place in foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining dough.
8. Serve these nutritious parathas with yogurt and chutney.
   

These Spinach Parathas are my contribution to Joanna's Heart of the Matter HotM - Picnics!! Interestingly, Johanna of the food blog The Passionate Cook has chosen the theme of picnics for this month's WTSIM. I hope I can tempt at least some summer picnics with these Spinach Parathas!!

And as greens (yes greens!!) are my favourite foods, these parathas also go out to Easycrafts at Simple Indian Food for her wonderful event WYF - Colour in Food!

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