Spinach Chappathi / Spinach Paratha / Palak Paratha / Green Chappathi

Spinach Chappathi / Spinach Paratha / Palak Paratha / Green Chappathi

 

School is getting started and my mind is thinking of various school lunch options, healthy dinners for the kids. Whole bag of spinach was sitting in the refrigerator and I decided to make some different variety out of it. Though Palak Paneer is our all time favourite, spinach paratha won my mind. With a tangy, spicy side dish, its a very good combination for dinner. I made Black eye beans masala in a tangy,spicy tomato gravy which makes the dinner more colourful.

Ingredients

 

For Grinding :

Spinach Leaves - 3 Cups

Green Chili - 1 Medium

Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

For the Dough :

Wheat Flour - 4 Cups

Sugar - 1 Pinch

Salt - To Taste

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Ajwain Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Thick Curd - 1 tbsp

Grounded Paste - Add fully.

Water - Little as required for making the paratha dough.

Oil - As required.

 

 

 

Method 

• Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly and steam cook them along with green chili and cumin seeds in the kadai / pan with the lid on. No need to add water. When it gets cooked and reduced in size, grind them in a mixer grinder smoothly with no water added. Keep the green paste ready.
• In a big mixing bowl, add all the other ingredients for making the dough and the green paste too and make a smooth paste. Knead the dough well with little oil to make it more softer. Keep it aside for few minutes.
• Heat the frying pan on medium flame. Take a small ball of the paratha dough and spread the ball into a thin round paratta.
• Fry them uniformly on the heated frying pan on both sides. Apply little ghee on its top while serving for kids.
• An excellent healthy paratha for breakfast, colourful lunch for kids and delicious dinner along with a good side dish. Can be eaten at all times and loved by all ages.

 

Tips / Variations

• While kneading the dough, care should be taken while adding water. Green paste and curd should be added first while making the dough and then water should be added slowly till you get a desired consistency.
• I prefer not to add so many powders while making the dough as I wish to retain its original flavour and make it more simpler.

Black Eye Beans Masala / Black Eye Beans in Tomato Gravy

Black Eye Beans Masala / Black Eye Beans in Tomato Gravy

To go with the colourful green spinach parathas, I made this spicy, tangy Black Eye Beans Masala in tomato gravy. Its a very good combo with green and dark orange food items. I should have made this combo on our Independence day with a side of white raita too. Try this out in your kitchen and enjoy...

 

Ingredients

Black Eye Beans - 2 Cups

White Potato - 1 ( Optional )

Ripe Tomato - 4 or 5 Medium

Red Onion - 1 Medium

Green Chili - 1 Medium

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp

Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp

Kasoor Methi - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp

Dhana Jeera Powder - 1 tsp ( Coriander Cumin Powder )

Sugar - 1 pinch

Salt - To Taste

Water - As required for the gravy

Oil - 1 tbsp

Butter or melted ghee - 1 tsp ( OPTIONAL )

Coriander Leaves - To Garnish

Method

• Soak the Black Eye Beans in water for an hour and pressure cook them for 4-5 whistles. Peel the potato skin and cut them into medium size squares. Cook them in a microwave and keep the potato cubes ready too. Make the tomato puree by grinding five tomatoes and the green chili using a mixer grinder. Cut the onion into small pieces and keep them ready.
• In the frying pan / kadai, add oil first. When its heated, add the cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, onion into the pan. Fry them on a medium flame till the raw smell goes off.
• Add all the powders into the pan and fry them for a minute. Pour the tomato puree into the pan and mix everything well and allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes with the lid closed.
• Add some water if you notice thickness in the tomato gravy. Adjust the gravy consistency as you wish.
• Then, add the Black Eye Beans, cooked potato squares and the Kasoor methi into the pan along with salt and a pinch of sugar. Mix the contents thoroughly in the pan and allow them to set properly in the gravy by cooking them on a medium flame for another 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with your nutritious green parathas. Add a tsp of melted butter or ghee on its top just before serving.

Tips / Variations

Don't overcook the Black Eye Beans in the pressure cooker. It should be well cooked and visible separately.