5 healthy parathas that are perfect for winter breakfast

From onion to multigrain broccoli paratha, check out five healthy and delicious winter favourite parathas that are perfect for your breakfast in the chilly weather.

On one side, the winter frost; on the other, a heated paratha! The winter season is here to binge on yummy parathas. Whatever the nutritional value of that egg, oat, and fruit breakfast, there's no substitute for a paratha in Indian homes. Parathas are the first and true love of every Indian. They are easy to make, satisfying, and hearty, making them the nation's favourite breakfast choice. There isn't a strong enough will not give in to this exquisite mix of butter-laced, fried thick rolls of bread and a cup of very milky, extra sweet chai, to taste. This winter favourite is not only delicious but also nutritious as it is high in fibre, gives you energy, and keeps you warm and full for a long time.

One of India's most popular breakfast dishes, parathas can be prepared in jiffy when the hunger strikes at any time of the day. (Kunal Kapur/Pankaj Bhadouria)

To make your winter breakfast healthy and tasty, here are some mouth-watering paratha recipes that you must try.

1. Lachcha paratha

( Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)

Lachcha paratha recipe

Ingredients:

1½ cups whole wheat flour + for dusting

¼ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Take whole wheat flour in a large plate, add carom seeds and salt and mix well. Add ghee, mix and add ½ cup water and knead to a soft dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into equal portions, shape each portion into a ball, dust the worktop with flour and roll each ball into a thin disc. Spread a little ghee on top, sprinkle flour, pleat from one end to the other, roll into a ball and gently press.

3. Dust the worktop with flour again, place each rolled ball into a parantha.

4. Heat a tawa, place the parantha, cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, drizzle ghee on both sides and cook further for 1-2 minutes.

5. Arrange the paranthe on a serving plate and serve hot.

2. Multigrain broccoli paratha

(Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)

Multigrain broccoli paratha recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta) + for dusting

¼ cup pearl millet flour (bajra ka atta)

¼ cup sorghum flour (jowar ka atta)

¼ cup finger millet flour (ragi ka atta)

300 grams broccoli, grated and squeezed

½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)

1 tbsp white sesame seeds

1½ tbsps ghee

Salt to taste

½ cup grated cottage cheese (paneer)

2 tbsps chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 medium onion, finely chopped

¼ tsp red chilli flakes

½ tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ lemon

Ghee for drizzling

Yogurt to serve

Butter to serve

Method:

1. To make the dough, take whole wheat flour in a large bowl. Add pearl millet flour, sorghum flour, finger millet flour, carom seeds, white sesame seeds, ghee, salt, and ¾ cup water and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

2. To make the stuffing, take broccoli in another large bowl. Add cottage cheese, coriander leaves, onion, red chilli flakes, salt, cumin powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and squeeze the juice of lemon and mix till well combined.

3. Dust the worktop with some whole wheat flour. Take a portion of the dough and shape it into a ball. Make a cavity into the centre and stuff with a generous portion of the stuffing and bring the sides to the centre and press to seal. Roll it into a disc.

4. Heat a non-stick tawa. Place a disc on it and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, flip and apply some ghee on top. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side as well. Drizzle some ghee and cook till done.

5. Serve hot with yogurt and butter.

3. Mooli ka paratha

(Recipe by Chef Pankaj Bhadouria)

Mooli ka paratha recipe

Ingredients:

2 large radish/ mooli (with leaves)

2 cups whole wheat flour

1tsp carom seeds

1 tsp red chili powder

Salt to taste

2 green chilies, finely chopped

2 tbsp coriander leaves

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed

oil as needed

Method:

1. Wash, peel and grate the radish with the largest eye of the grater. Mix in 1 tsp salt and set aside for 15 minutes to sweat.

2. Meanwhile add 1/2 tsp carom seeds, 1/2 tsp salt to the flour and knead to a soft dough with water as required.

3. Add 1 tbsp oil to the dough and knead till the oil is incorporated in the dough. Rest the dough for 15 minutes.

4. Squeeze out all the water from the grated mooli. Discard the water. Finally chop a few tender mooli leaves and add to the grated mooli.

5. Add carom seeds, cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds, red chili powder, chopped green chilies, salt to taste and mix well.

6. Break tennis ball sized portions of the dough. Roll into a ball. Flatten the dough and fill in 2 Tbsp of the stuffing. Bring together the sides and pinch to seal. Roll in fry flour.

7. Roll out the Paratha and cook on medium hot tawa till crisp on both sides. Add 1 tbsp and cook till crisp. Serve with yoghurt, butter or pickles.

4. Gobhi ka paratha

(Recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor)

Gobi paratha is rich in fibre which further helps in lowering the cholesterol amount of the body.

Ingredients:

1 cup grated cauliflower (gobhi)

Whole wheat flour dough as required

1 teaspoon carom seeds

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 medium onion, chopped

1 -2 green chillies, chopped

1 teaspoon dried mango powder

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

Ghee for basting

Method:

1. To prepare stuffing, combine cauliflower, carom seeds, chopped coriander, onion, green chillies, dried mango powder, salt and chilli powder into a bowl and mix well.

2. Divide dough into equal portions, make a dent and fill with the prepared stuffing. Cover and shape into balls.

3. Heat a non-stick tawa.

4. Dust the worktop with some flour and roll out the prepared balls into thick paranthas.

5. Roast the paranthas from both sides, basting with ghee, on hot tawa on medium heat till evenly done from both sides.

6. Serve hot with sauce or chutney.

5. Onion paratha

(Recipe by Chef Pankaj Bhadouria )

Onion stuffed parathas with pickles are very fulfilling.

Ingredients:

4 Onions

2 cups Flour

¼ tsp Ajwain

2-3 Green chilies

2 tbsp Coriander Leaves

½ tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Kasuri methi

1 tsp Coriander seeds

Salt to taste

½ tsp Red Chili Powder

¼ tsp Garam Masala

Oil as required

Method:

1. Finely chop the onions, add 1 tsp salt and set aside to sweat for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile make the dough. Add ½ tsp salt to the flour and sufficient water to make a smooth and soft dough.

3. Add 1 tbsp oil to the dough and knead till all the oil is incorporated. Set the dough aside for 15 minutes to rest.

4. Meanwhile lightly roast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds till fragrant but not coloured. Coarsely crush the seeds. Finely chop the coriander leaves and the green chilies.

5. Squeeze out all the water from the onions. Add the chopped chilies, coriander, crushed seeds, red chili powder, salt to taste, garam masala powder, ajwain and kasuri methi. Mix well.

6. Knead the dough again for 2 minutes. Break into tennis sized balls. Flatten the balls and pace ¼ cup of the stuffing.

7. Pick up all sides, bring together and pinch to seal. Roll into a ball and press the sides down. Now dust the surface, roll the ball in flour and roll out into a disc.

8. Place the disc on medium hot tawa. Flip when the underside gets golden spots. Again flip when the underside gets golden spots.

9. Apply oil or ghee on both sides and cook on both sides. Press to cook till crisp. Serve hot.

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