- 1
Start with fresh methi leaves, and get 2 cups of it. Do not pick up yellow leaves or ones that wilt; instead, choose leaves that are shiny green in appearance. Fresh methi adds some nutritional value to the parathas besides increasing the flavour.
- 2
Once washed, pat the leaves dry and place them on a chopping board. Chop the leaves as finely as possible with a cutting knife. The smaller the pieces chopped, the better they will distribute in the dough for the good flavour to be infused in the paratha.
- 3
Take methi leaves and chop them. Put in a huge mixing bowl 2 cups of whole wheat flour, atta; 1 Tsp salt, 1 Tsp red chili powder, 1/2 Tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 Tsp garam masala. The spices add warmth and richness to parathas.
- 4
Add two tablespoons of oil to the mixture. Use any cooking oil you desire, but in most cases, ghee or mustard oil is preferred for flavour. With your fingers, mix the oil into the flour and spices till the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This helps soften the parathas.
- 5
Gradually add water to the mixture, beginning with about 1/2 cup. You will add as much water as the mixture needs, considering the moisture of the methi leaves and the flour. Water slowly while stirring everything together either by hand or by spoon.
- 6
Once you have kneaded the dough, cover it up with a wet cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes. If you let them rest, they will help relax the gluten in the dough, making it easy to roll them up and eventually soften them.
- 7
Once the resting time is done, take the dough and chop it into small equal pieces. You can make about 6-8 balls, but it's up to you how big you want the balls. Roll each piece of dough around your palms between smooth balls.
- 8
Spread a clean and flat surface with just enough dry whole wheat flour so that the dough won't stick.
- 9
Press one of the dough balls with your fingers, pushing it flat but not too thin. Using the rolling pin roll it out circularly; the diameter should be between 15 cm to 20 cm. But ensure that the sides are equal.
- 10
3Apply flour if the dough is sticking to the rolling pin or mat.
- 11
Preheat a tawa, a flat pan, on medium flame. The tawa must be heated sufficiently so the parathas can be cooked properly, which helps in considerable ways to achieve a fantastic texture and taste.
- 12
Place the rolled-out paratha carefully on a hot tawa.
- 13
Cook for 1-2 minutes on one side. You would see tiny air bubbles forming on the surface, which indicates that it is high time to flip.
- 14
Allow the second side to brown also, for about 1-2 minutes. Remember not to miss the golden-brown spots. That is when the paratha is cooking.
- 15
When you get brown spots on both sides, add a little ghee or oil on both sides. Now, with a spatula, press lightly and cook on both sides for another half minute. That is, this would give flavour and a crispy texture to your paratha.
- 16
Fry the rest of the dough balls and place the prepared parathas inside a container, which is lined with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft for a longer period.
- 17
Methi parathas should be consumed when hot. Place them on a serving plate and garnish with fresh coriander to make it look more appetising.
- 18
These methi parathas can be enjoyed with any number of sub-dishes. Yoghurt, pickles, or any curry of your choice would do pretty well. The slight bitterness of the fenugreek tastes perfectly, as does the tanginess of yoghurt and the spiciness of pickles.