Mint, Ginger, Feta, and Romanesco Parathas
Parathas and Pancakes both fight for their space on our Sunday list of indulgences. And this Sunday, I conjured these Feta and Romanesco Parathas. Redolent with the freshness of mint and ginger, these parathas are everything that you look for in Paratha. This joins my Alu/Potato Paratha and Paneer Paratha recipe. The truth is that your can pretty much stuff anything into a paratha and be happy about it. A great vehicle for any vegetable of your choice. I actually did this as a Demo for my Greenmarket instagram live series. The technique and flavors are very similar to the other flatbread recipes in the Spices and Seasons cookbook.
My Romanesco Paratha Story
Romanesco is a fun cross between broccoli and cauliflower. I love to pick some up in season which is fall. In fact, I cannot believe I have not posted or written about it before. In essence it has more character than cauliflower and is milder than broccoli. As for the feta, its briny notes are perfect with the mild fresh flavors of everything else. Yes, by some standards this is a fusion dish. Although, cheese parathas are not unheard off.
More paratha ideas for paratha fans include my lentil parathas and paneer parathas
I seem to have gotten the hang of these on weeks and off weeks of hybrid schooling. Well sort of. Last week was quite busy and all meals were covered. This week is live at school week. They seem to be happy about the change in lunches. Mostly of course, they are happy to be back in school. As for me, I am happy that I can now make good biscuits on demand.
And for the parathas, the best way to get lots of flavor and veggies into to your flatbread is to use a good food processor to chop everything up. This saves you the effort of having to cook the filling. It is easy to fill as well. The entire head of romanesco , went into the 8 parathas that I made. Balanced with whole wheat flour it made fore a nice and wholesome meal.
So, here is an interesting way to get your romanesco on.
A fun and flavorful way to enjoy seasonal romanesco.
Ingredients
- For the dough
- 2 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (atta), plus extra flour for rolling
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
- ¾ cup to 1 cup water (enough to form a soft pliable dough)
- 2 cups of romanesco (about 3/4 pounds)
- 1/2 cup of chopped mint
- 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
- ¾ teaspoon red cayenne pepper powder
- 1/2 pound of crumbled fresh feta cheese
- Extra salt if needed
- Extra oil to fry the parathas
Instructions
- Sift the whole wheat and all purpose flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and work in 1 and ½ tablespoons of ghee until mixed. The mixture will be crumbly.
- Gradually add in water a little at a time and work in to form a pliable smooth dough. It should not be too soft or wet.
- Place the dough on a flat surface and knead well for about 2 minutes.
- Shape into a ball and cover and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, place the romanesco, mint cilantro, garlic and ginger in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Place in a bowl. Mix in the cayenne pepper and the feta cheese. Add in the salt if needed.
- Give the prepared rested dough a good kneading. Gently knead the dough and break into 16 uniform lime sized balls.
- Working with 2 balls at a time, roll them out to about 5 inches in diameter. Fill with a comfortable amount of the filling. It should be just slightly heaped. I use about 3 to 4 tablespoons for each paratha. Cover with the second circle. Using your hands gently seal around the edges.
- Place back on a floured rolling board and gently roll out until the edges fuse further and the paratha flattens a little.
- Place a cast iron skillet on fire and heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Place the paratha on the skillet and let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes and turn. The paratha will lighten considerably and develop golden spots at several places.
- Cook the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes until you get a generous amount of golden brown dots across the surface of the paratha.
- Gently drizzle a teaspoon of oil around the paratha and allow it to cook and crisp. Turn and do the same on the other side.
- Place in a tortilla warmer and continue cooking the remaining parathas. Serve hot with pickles and raita.
Cheesy Masala Laccha Paratha - Spice Chronicles
[…] of paratha or Indian flatbread recipes on this site. Classic Alu parathas, paneer parathas and this romanesco paratha just to name a few. Today’s paratha is just a little different. It takes a laccha paratha and […]