Lehsuni Kasoori Methi Lachcha Paratha (Layered Flatbread with Garlic and Dry Fenugreek Leaves)

Various nutritious flatbreads come from the colorful subcontinent of India. You pick any grain and you will come across a unique style of flatbread preparation with it. Be it millets, johar, wheat, rice, chickpea, etc etc. Then there are unlimited types of stuffed flatbread...it is simply amazing!

In this post, I am going to show you how to make a simple layered paratha called as lachcha paratha and I am making it even more special by adding some ghee with garlic and dry fenugreek leaves ( kasoori methi). My fav herb, kasoori methi, it smells so great and adds amazing flavors in your dish. This lachcha paratha with a twist tastes super yummy! My kid enjoys his lachcha paratha by dipping in the melted ghee.

Having a perfectly made paratha to go with the delicious curry is like sone pe suhaga ( icing on the cake :))

Lachcha paratha is basically made using all purpose flour to make it flaky and sometimes crisp. But in my recipe, I have tried to use half maida and half whole wheat flour, it comes out just as good!

Let us take a look at the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (maida)
• water for kneading
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp sugar (add little more if you like, or skip altogether if you don't like sweet)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• more flour for dusting
• salt to taste

For the filling:

• 2-3 tbsp ghee melted ( or butter )
• 1 tbsp minced garlic (or garlic powder)
• 3 tbsp crushed fenugreek leaves

  

                                                                    Stuffed Lachcha (Strips and spiral)

OR

                                                                       Plain Lachcha (Pleated style)

Roast

Plain Lachcha Paratha with Gobi sabji

Preparation:

• Add both the flours and salt into a mixing bowl. Add warm one tablespoon of ghee into the flours. Warm the milk and dissolve the sugar in it. Add the mixture to the flours and mix thoroughly. 
• Add enough water little by little and knead lightly to make a soft dough. Keep aside for 15 minutes covered.
• Now make the filling mixture. In 2 tbsp of warm ghee add 1 tbsp of minced garlic or garlic powder. In another dry bowl, take kasuri methi and crush with your hands nicely and keep it aside.
• Divide the dough into 4-5 equal portions of balls. Roll out each ball into a thin, six to seven-inch round roti. 
• Brush the entire surface of each roti with garlic ghee mixture and sprinkle kasoori methi generously over it, and then dust with flour. 
• There are 2 ways of making this, either pleat the rolled disc of roti or cut into strips 1 inch apart with a knife. They will look like ribbon strips. Now start spiraling each strip from left to right, one inside the other. See the pics. Make one big roll. 
• Press gently, dust  more flour on it and roll out lightly into a five to six-inch paratha. Heat a tava, cook each paratha on both sides on medium heat.
• Pour a little ghee all around and shallow-fry the paratha till both sides are golden brown. Lightly crush the parantha with your hands to separate the layers. 
• Serve hot immediately with any vegetable curry or non-veg curry! I usually make gobi or baingan sabji or egg curry along with boondi raita.

You may also like Aloo Paratha, Mooli Paratha, Ragi Poori.....

njoy!! happY cookinG!!

my 'twist' idea to lachcha paratha is adapted from cubes n juliennes site.

Notes:* I have shown both plain Lachcha and Stuffed Lachcha in the pics!

dry fenugreek /kasoori methi

Health Benefits: Fenugreek leaves is highly beneficial for treating poor liver functions and dyspepsia. It is also helpful in treating gastric problems and other intestinal issues.  These leaves are also used in the powdered form for treating GI issues, as well as allergies or congestion of the upper respiratory zone. Kasoori Methi is tremendously beneficial for breastfeeding women; its regular use enhances milk production. 

Whole wheat flour has less gluten and is said to be a healthier grain to be used for baking etc. Said to improve metabolism.

Garlic a herb used widely as a flavoring in cooking, and has also been used as a medicine throughout ancient and modern history to prevent and treat a wide range of conditions and diseases.

Garlic has been used to treat hypertension, TB, liver disorders, dysentery, flatulence, colic, intestinal worms, rheumatism, diabetes, and fevers.

Khoba Roti (Indian flat bread)

It is simply amazing to know how Indian culture has so many variations of flat bread. I came across preparation of Khoba roti recently and fell in love with how it is made, the technique, its texture, how it tastes. Everything about it is unique, pretty and yum! It comes from Rajasthan- a land of bright colors, folk culture, camels, sand, forts, mahals, sun, dances, clay pots, rusticness etc and then there's their food!! Papad ki sabji, dal bati churma, lal maas, meva pulao, missi roti hmmm so many traditional dishes. I will be posting most of it soon...:) Stay tuned! :)

Let us take a look at this decorative Khoba Roti recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (traditionally they use coarse flour)
• 2 tbsp ghee warm
• salt to taste
• water to knead (around 1/2 cup)

Preparation:
Take wheat flour in a mixing bowl, add warm ghee over it, salt and mix it with your fingers or a fork. I prefer to do it with my hands...get all that love in there :) and get some gentle exercise for your fingers!:)
Now add water little by little and knead to make a dough, should be stiff dough and not soft like we knead for chapatis. Close it with a lid and keep aside for 15 minutes.
Make equal portions of dough. Take tennis ball size portion (yes big portion) and roll it into 5-6 inches round shape disc. Don't roll it out thin, it should stay thick.
Make some marks with a knife on one side.
Heat a tawa/griddle and place this khoba roti with knife marks facing down. Let it cook for some time about a minute.

• Turn the khoba roti and cook for very little time maybe 30 sec. Turn around and with 2 fingers[ index and thumb] pinch the roti all around in circles. If the roti is too hot for you to handle use flat tongs to pinch the roti, it makes a beautiful impression and design.

• This method is used to cook the roti evenly as it is rolled out thick. Don't add any oil or ghee while roasting.
• Once the pinching is done, take it out from the tawa and place it directly on the stove with the pinched surface facing the stove heat.

• Move it evenly using tongs till all sides are cooked. Take it out and add ghee in the dips created due to pinching. Serve with any spicy gravy/curry or potato sabji. It is delicious!!!!

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

note*: If you add ghee khoba roti will be soft to eat, if you don't it will get little hard.

You may also like papad ki sabji, khatti dal

Health Benefits: This whole wheat is a rich source of vitamin (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9), iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium etc so you should not avoid roti in your diet. It has soluble fibre to help clean plaque from blood vessels and prevent constipation. Doesn’t make your blood sugar shoot up and then crash. If you add ghee, you are getting more calories but ghee has its own set of benefits too. If you are on strict dieting avoid it, else add a dollop of ghee and enjoy these swadhisht Khoba rotis!