Radish stuffed flat bread/ Muli paratha/ mullangi paratha

Muli paratha

                             Radish stuffed Indian flat bread

Like thousands of people out there I have this quintessential question I ask everyday…What do I cook today?

It is such a tiring question and no day goes without a struggle to find the perfect dish that the family can eat without much grumbling. Every time I encounter the crucial question, I get multiple answers depending on the available ingredients in the pantry. I tried several tricks to ease the dilemma, like making a list of things that could be routinely cooked, a bunch of recipe books at my disposal, inspirational pictures on my fridge…but still the question pops up. Today I was stuck with the same inevitable question and as I was teasing my grey cells, I saw an envelope on the coffee table with a scribbled recipe. Recently, when I was talking to my friend I asked her how she makes those tasty parathas that I ate at her house and jotted down as she explained. So that was the inspiration for dinner.

I had a radish hiding in the far end of the fridge and voila the parathas took shape. Radish has a pungency and a horrible smell. Adding other ingredients and heating it enhances the flavour and makes it mildly smelly.

Grated white radish

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups grated radish
• 1 medium sized onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 piece ginger chopped
• 1 green chilly chopped
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper flakes or chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds crushed
•  few cilantro leaves chopped
• little butter/oil
• salt as needed

Method

Preparing the stuffing

1. Grate the radish and add some salt and keep it aside for the juice to separate.
2. Squeeze the juice out and save it for later use.
3. Fry all the ingredients except the wheat flour until water evaporates and the mixture turns dry
4. Add salt as required and cilantro/coriander leaves.
5. Allow it to cool and use it as the stuffing

Making the paratha

1. Add salt to the wheat flour.
2. Make a soft dough using the radish juice, water and some oil.
3. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into small equal parts and form small balls with them.
5. Flatten each dough and place the filling in the center
6. Gather the edges together and seal it like a pouch
7. Press it gently with the fingers and flatten it.
8. Dust some flour and roll out with the rolling pin.
9. Shape it into circular flat bread/ paratha.
10. Heat a griddle and cook the paratha on both sides by flipping it frequently.
11. Spread some oil or butter and fry the paratha until slightly crispy.

Serve it hot with yogurt and mango pickle.