* Mughlai Parathas *

4 cups whole-wheat flour
1-2 pinches of soda bi-carb
1 cup whisked curds
Salt to taste
Desi ghee or oil as required
For the gram flour batter:
1 cup gram flour
1/4 tsp ajwain, roasted
1/4 tsp kalonji
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1 to 1 1/4 cup water
Salt to taste
For the filling:
2 tbsp oil
2 pinches shah-jeera
1 bay leaf
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
1-2 tsp ginger paste
2 cups mixed finely grated vegetables (carrots, french beans, green peas, cauliflower, cabbag) (the vegetables can be processed in a food processor)
1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
1/2 tsp amchoor powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Sift the whole-wheat flour with the soda and salt. Knead to a medium-soft dough with the curds. Cover and keep aside for 3-4 hours.
Mix the ingrediants for the besan batter. Divide into 20 portions and keep aside.
Heat the oil, add the shah-jeera and bay leaf. When the shah-jeera crackles, add the green chillies and ginger and stir-fry. Add the grated vegetables and stir.
Cover and cook on low heat for about 5-6 minutes. Add the potato, masala powders, coriander and salt. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. Remove the bay-leaf. Divide into 20 portions.
Heat a heavy non-stick skillet. Divide the dough into 20 portions. Roll out one portion into a thin roti, on an oiled rolling board. Put the roti on the tava. Spread one portion of the filling on the roti. Carefully cover the filling with one portion of the besan batter.
When the roti is cooked on the first side, gently turn the roti over. Fry on medium heat using ghee or oil as required, till done.
Similarly make all the parathas. Serve immediately with a green leafy vegetable and raita.

* Hara Bhara Parathas *

3 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4 tsp roasted ajwain
1/4 tsp amchoor powder
1/4 tsp anardana powder
1/4 tsp roasted sesame powder
2 tbsp desi ghee
1 cup finely chopped palak
1 1/2 cups grated white radish (mooli)
1/2 cup finely chopped tender white radish leaves
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Sift the flour with the masalas and salt. Rub in ghee till evenly mixed.
Add the spinach, radish, coriander, chillies and lemon juice. Knead to a stiff dough. If the dough is very soft, add 1/2 cup or more of flour. Add water only if required.
Roll out to thin parathas. Cook on a heated tava using oil as required. Serve hot.

* Masala Kulcha *

4 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp melted ghee
4 tbsp thick curds
1 cup lukewarm milk
1 tsp fresh yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kalonji
Salt to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Mix together for the filling:
2 cups boiled and mashed potatoes
1 cup mashed cottage cheese
1 tsp ginger-green chillies paste
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
1/4 tsp amchoor powder
Pinch of turmeric powder
2 pinches ajwain
Pinch of coarse pepper powder

Dissolve the sugar in the milk and gently stir in the yeast. Cover and keep aside for 1 hour.
Sift the whole-wheat flour and salt. Rub in the ghee. With oiled hands (the dough can get sticky), gently mix in the milk and curds to form a medium stiff dough. Add water only if required. Cover with a plastic wrap and keep aside for 2 hours.
Punch the dough back, and knead thoroughly with oiled hands. Make thick kulchas using the filling, and roll out using plenty of maida for dusting (since the dough will be sticky).
Sprinkle one side of the kulchas with kalonji and press lightly to stick. Roast the kulchas using oil as required.
Serve hot with a gravy dish and raita.

* Mint Vegetable Parathas *

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp ghee, or oil
Grind for the mint paste:
1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves
1/2 tsp roasted cumin seeds
Pinch of sugar
Mix for the stuffing:
1 tbsp oil
1/8 tsp ajwain
1 onion, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 cup very finely chopped cabbage
1 cup steamed green peas, mashed
2 potatoes, boiled and mashed
1/4 tsp amchoor powder
2 pinches garam masala (optional)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste, ghee or oil as required

Sift the flour and rub in the ghee. Add the mint paste and
minimum water to make a stiff dough. Divide into 10 equal
portions. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan. Add the ajwain, onion
and green chillies and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the ginger
and cabbage and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes without adding any
water. Add the green peas and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the potato, amchoor, garam masala, lemon juice and
coriander. Fry for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly.
Cool and divide into 10 portions.
Roll out a dough portion into a 3 inch round. Place the
stuffing in the centre. Cover and seal the stuffing and
roll into a smooth ball. Place a large oiled piece of foil
on the rolling board. Gently roll out the dough ball, using
an oiled rolling pin.
Heat a cast-iron tava. Lift the foil and place the paratha
on the tava. Roast well on both sides, using ghee or oil as
required. Serve hot with raita, curds or masala buttermilk.

* Cauliflower Parathas *

2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp ghee
2 cups cauliflower, grated very fine (in the food processor)
2 green chillies, chopped fine
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped fine
2 tbsp cornflour
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1/2 tsp anardana powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp kalonji (optional)
Salt to taste, water as required
Ghee or oil as required (for oiling and cooking)

Sieve the flour with the salt, then rub in the 2 tbsp ghee.
Add all the other ingredients, and knead to a medium-hard
dough, using only as much water as required. The dough
should not be too soft. Make lemon-size balls.
Heat a cast-iron tava. Place a large well-oiled piece of
foil on the rolling board. Roll out slightly thin parathas
using an oiled rolling pin. Sprinkle kalonji on one side
of the paratha and press lightly so that it sticks to the
paratha.
Lift the foil and gently place the paratha on the tava.
Remove the foil. Cook the paratha on medium-high heat on
both sides, using ghee or oil as required.

Make all the parathas, and place in a casserole lined with
a thick muslin cloth, to prevent them from becoming soggy.
Serve hot with mango chutney or mixed-vegetable pickle.

Tip: Make the dough only when you are ready to make the
parathas. Keeping the dough aside, makes it soggy, and the
parathas cannot be rolled out properly.

* Potato Parathas *

2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp chilled butter; or oil
Salt to taste and water as required
For the filling:
4 large potatoes, boiled and mashed well
4 green chilies, chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1/2 tsp anardana powder
1/2 tsp ajwain, lightly roasted
1/4 tsp kalonji, lightly roasted (optional)
Salt to taste, oil or ghee as required

Seive the flour with the salt, and rub in the cubed
butter or oil. Add water to make a medium soft dough.
Make lemon-size portions, and roll into smooth balls.
Cover with a lightly damp muslin cloth and keep aside
for half-an-hour.
Mash the potatoes properly, and add the chillies, ginger
and coriander leaves. Mix well. Add the amchur, anardana,
ajwain and salt. Mix thoroughly. Divide into the same
number of portions as the dough portions.
Now take a dough portion, pat with your hands into a
small circle, and place the filling on it, cover from
all sides to re-form a smooth ball. Similarly make balls
of the rest of the dough and filling.
Heat a cast-iron tava.
Cover the rolling board with lightly oiled foil. Roll
out the parathas gently with an oiled rolling pin.
Lift the foil and place the paratha on the tava.
Gently remove the foil from the paratha. Brush the
paratha with oil or ghee and cook well on both sides
till done.
Similarly make all the parathas. If you are not serving
them immediately, place them in casserole lined with
thick muslin cloth. This prevents them from becoming
soggy.
Serve hot with curds or raita, and mango pickle.

Tip: Do not use extra flour while rolling out the
parathas. This prevent the slight charring which occurs
while roasting the parathas. Instead, brush the parathas
lightly with oil as required, while rolling them.