Mooli (Long White Radish) Paranthas

Makes: 6 Paranthas

Preparation time: 20 minutes. Dough resting time: 10 minutes

Rolling out/cooking time: approx. 25 minutes

Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans (use a vegetable oil to brush each side of parantha).

Serve piping hot with any curry, a pickle or chutney and yoghurt.

Mooli Paranthas

Raw ingredients with cooked filling on the right

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds

3 spring onions, finely chopped (the white and tender green parts)

1 large white mooli, grated coarsely (readily available from an Asian grocers)

1 clove garlic, crushed or finely grated

½ green chilli, finely chopped

¾ - 1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon garam masala

For the dough:

200g chapati flour (I use white or medium chapati flour)

1 tablespoon of plant based milk (dairy for non-vegans)

100g of cooked mooli filling

70 - 80ml water

Extra chapati flour for dusting and rolling out

Oil to brush each side of the parantha (ghee can be used by non-vegans)

Method:

Making the filling:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the cumin and allow it to sizzle.

2. Add the chopped spring onions and fry on medium heat until soft, about five minutes

3. Add the crushed garlic and chilli, stir and cook for a minute or so.

4. Add the salt, turmeric and garam masala, stir to incorporate into the fried onions. Cook for a further minute or so.

5. Add the grated mooli, stir and cook on medium heat until it’s soft and cooked, stirring occasionally, about 10 - 15 minutes.

6. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.

Making the parantha dough and paranthas:

1. Place the flour in a bowl, add the milk and combine.

2. Add the mooli filling, mix the contents together until a crumb like consistency forms

3. Pour in the water a small amount at a time, mix/knead to form a pliable dough.

4. Knead for a few minutes until the dough feels smooth, dipping your fingers in the water to add small amounts of additional water if needed.

5. Cover the bowl with cling film and allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes or so.

6. Place the tawa or frying pan on the hob and heat on a medium to hot setting

7. Knead the dough once again for a couple of minutes then divide into six portions. If the dough feels too soft at this stage, roll it in thin dusting of dry chapati flour.

8. Starting with one portion, knead this again using your hands to form a ball and then flatten slightly with your fingertips.

9. Dust each side and roll out into a circular parantha approximately 6 inches in diameter using additional flour to dust where needed

10. Place the parantha on the hot tawa and allow it to cook partially on one side for a couple of minutes. Turn the parantha over and allow this (raw) side to cook for a few minutes checking a couple of times and pressing lightly around the edges if needed to ensure this side is fully cooked.

11. Turn the parantha back over once this side is fully cooked and coat the cooked side of the parantha with some ghee (c. ¼ teaspoon). Turn the parantha over once again and repeat the ghee coating process on this other side. Turn over once more and gently cook for a further 30 seconds or so. The parantha should be crisp on both sides yet soft in the middle

12. Remove from the tawa and place the parantha in a clean tea towel folded over on a warm plate.

13. Repeat steps 8 to 12 until all paranthas have been made.

14. Serve hot