Cabbage 'Paratha' - A delicious, pan-fried Indian bread stuffed with vegetables and lightly spiced

 

A 'Paratha' is to Indian cooking  what a dinner roll is to Western food or rice is to Asian food.  It is a staple.

Like most Indian breads it is of the unleavened variety. A variation of paratha in it's plain form is served as an accompaniment to a main dish. However, when it is stuffed or spiced then it may be served alone with a bowl of plain yogurt or a hot cup of 'chai'. It serves a myriad roles for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

When it is not pan fried in clarified butter 'ghee' and is simply roasted  it is called a 'roti'.  The ingredient most frequently used  to make Indian breads is stone milled whole wheat flour referred to as 'atta' making  it nutritionally superior and healthier to its cousins elsewhere.

A  note about the flour - it is best to buy your flour at an Indian/Asian store. You won't get the best results using any flour that has been mixed with all purpose flour. I have tried using the whole wheat flour available in organic and fine food stores and have been disappointed.

The 'atta' I have used successfully for all Indian breads thus far are Swarna and Sujata brands.  (Please share if you've used other brands successfully)

Rolling and pan-frying the parathas takes a bit of practice and patience with oneself. So to be perfectly honest, if you are complete novice at cooking,  handling dough or using a rolling pin now would be a good time to grab a friend or relative with some experience to help. But I do hope, no matter what your skill level,  that the step by step instructions will help you prepare these with ease.

My first brush with cabbage paratha's was just yesterday. I was talking to my mother on the phone and telling her how I have this quarter piece of cabbage in the refrigerator that I have to use up and can't for the life of me think what to do with it. Well it turns out that her best friend was telling her about cabbage paratha's just the other day.  So here goes.....and thanks to Aunt Rekha and Mom!

There are couple of things we need in terms of cooking equipment to begin-

   (stock photo)

• A concave iron griddle called tavaa or  a non-stick frying pan at least 8 inches round.A rolling pin and wooden base. If you do not have a wooden base or butcher block you can use, thoroughly clean your counter top with warm water and dry completely. Not a good idea to use any spray chemicals. Flour the base lightly.
• A traditional large parat or any large bowl or utensil in which to knead dough.
• A metal spatula

 

To begin with cut cabbage in large chunks and place in a food chopper or food processor. Chop cabbage for a few seconds till finely chopped. 

Empty out the food chopper and rinse out. Dry completely. In the same chopper place green pepper chunks and chop till fine.

  

In a large utensil for kneading dough or a parat  put flour in a mound and make a dip in the middle. Add all the finely chopped vegetables and spices to the flour.

   

Wash your hands thoroughly clean and mix up the flour. Now add oil to the flour.

Add warm water to the flour 1 tbs -1/4 cup at a time,  and no more than 3/4 cup for the time being.

Cook's Note - Remember you can always add more water later if needed as the vegetables will also release their own moisture. When my mother  made this, she needed to add only 1 tbs water it depending on the quality of the cabbage - so begin adding water sparingly.

  

Knead the dough by mixing all the ingredients thoroughly and shape into a ball. The dough should be malleable - not too soft and not too hard.

Cook's Note - You can also knead the dough in a food processor or the 'dough' setting on a bread machine. Just place all the ingredients  as stated and remove as soon as a dough ball is formed. Do not allow it to enter the rise cycle if using a bread machine. 

A word of caution, if you are using a machine to knead the dough add water little at a time because it may need lesser water than if it is hand kneaded.

 

In a separate plate spread 1/2 cup of flour. Pull at a piece of dough with your finger and knead into a ball 2 inches round. Roll the dough liberally into the flour and place on rolling base.

Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. You should have a big enough piece of dough that when you are done rolling you have a paratha that is 6-7 inches round. The paratha should be about 1/8 inch thick rolled out.

Cook's Note - This point on it would be a good idea to  let the phone go to voice mail and let the DVR record your shows!

  
 

On medium low heat gently place the paratha on the frying pan or tavaa. Count to 30 and flip over. Now increase to medium high heat. A whitish cooked surface should have appeared on the cooked side. Count to 30 again and flip over.

   

Now add 1/2 tsp ghee all around the perimeter of the paratha and onto its surface. Keep pressing down with a metal spatula on the surface of the paratha. Count to 30 and flip over. Brown spots should have appeared on the paratha surface.

Repeat the above step for the other side of the paratha as well. Now both sides of the paratha  should be cooked with golden brown spots on its surfaces.

Cooks Note- Reduce flame to lowest setting while you are rolling out the next paratha. If not chances are you will end up with black burnt spots on your paratha.

 
Serve hot with a bowl of plain yogurt or a hot cup of 'chai' . These parathas were savory and quite delicious even without the yogurt. I also had no problem getting the kids to eat these and with the vegetable too which was definitely an added bonus!

Recipe for

CABBAGE PARATHA

Serves 4

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 45 minutes

Shopping list

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups chopped green cabbage

1/2 chopped green bell pepper                                

1 tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp salt

2 tbs Vegetable oil

Warm water for kneading (1/4-3/4 cup)

4 tbs Ghee (clarified butter) - for pan-frying

Preparation

Dough - In a large utensil for kneading dough or a parat  put flour in a mound and make a dip in the middle. Add all the finely chopped vegetables and spices to the flour.

Wash your hands thoroughly clean and mix up the flour. Now add oil to the flour. Add warm water to the flour 1/4 cup at a time,  and no more than 3/4 cup for the time being.

Knead the dough by mixing all the ingredients thoroughly and shape into a ball. The dough should be malleable - not too soft and not too firm.

Cook's Note - You can also knead the dough in a food processor or the 'dough' setting on a bread machine. Just place all the ingredients  as stated and remove as soon as a dough ball is formed. Do not allow it to enter the rise cycle if using a bread machine. 

A word of caution, if you are using a machine to knead the dough add water very cautiously because it will need lesser water than if it is hand kneaded.

In a separate plate spread 1/2 cup of flour. Pull at a piece of dough with your finger and knead into a ball 2 inches round. Roll the dough liberally into the flour and place on rolling base.

Using a rolling pin, apply light pressure while rolling outwards from the center of the dough.

Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough with your fingers to make sure it is not sticking. Roll the paratha out to an even thickness of approx 1/8' approx  6-7 inches round. 

Cooking method -

Heat your tavaa or non-stick frying pan to at low heat.

On  low heat gently place the paratha on the frying pan or tavaa. Count to 30 and flip over. Now increase to medium heat. A whitish cooked surface should have appeared on the cooked side. Count to 30 again and flip over.

Now add 1/2 tsp ghee all around the perimeter of the paratha and onto its surface. Keep pressing down with a metal spatula on the surface of the paratha. Count to 30 and flip over. Brown spots should have appeared on the paratha surface. Repeat the above step for the other side of the paratha as well. Now both sides of the paratha  should be cooked with golden brown spots its surfaces.

Serve hot with a bowl of plain yogurt.

Enjoy!