Mooli Paratha - White Radish Stuffed Indian Flat Bread

I wanted to write this post for a while but was in two minds. I have already posted few paratha recipes that most of us know how to make, so there was no point in blogging about. But at the same time the love of parathas kept me thinking.

Earlier this week, we were at our friends over a birthday party and had a casual convo about street foods of Delhi. Somebody just mentioned 'parathe walli galli'(‘gali' means street that sells ‘parathas' - stuffed rotis.) situated in Chandni Chowk, has been there almost for three passed centuries.

I had to post some pictures of this street, so these pictures are borrowed from a friend of mine, who is a passionate photographer.




'Parathe Wali Galli'

 

In continuing with the spirit of parathas, we had mooli paratha this morning for breakfast. ‘Mooli’ is a hindi word for white radish. The infusion of cumin, aniseed with white radish is incredible.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

For the filling

White Radish (1 medium size, grated) 1 cup  

Green Chilies (4-5, finely chopped) 

Coriander leaves (chopped) 

Ginger (½ inch, grated) 

Cumin seeds ½ teaspoon

Aniseeds ½ teaspoon

Salt 

Oil  

For the dough

Wheat flour 1 ½ cups

Salt ½ teaspoon

Water

Method

For making the dough

1. Combine the wheat flour and salt in a large bowl.

2. Carefully sprinkle little water at a time till the dough binds together.

3. Knead the dough thoroughly until it forms a soft ball.

4. Make sure the dough is not loose or wet.

6. If required, drizzle a few drops of oil over the dough ball.

8. Let it rest for 10 minutes. In the meanwhile, make the Mooli filling.  

For making the Mooli filling  

1. Heat oil in a wok and add Cumin and aniseed. Let it splutter, add green chillies and ginger.

2. Sauté for few seconds and add grated radish along with its juices.

3. Cook till all the juices are absorbed, radish turns brown and oil starts to appear on corners of the wok.

4. Add salt; be careful while adding salt as radish has natural salts present. So always wait till the juices are absorbed and you are sure about the quantity.

5. Add coriander and give a good stir. Allow this filling to cool or reach room temperature.

For making the paratha  

1. Keep a small bowl of wheat flour on the counter for you to flour the dough.

2. Take a small piece of dough and form it into a flat ball.

3. Dip the dough in wheat flour.

4. Place it on a clean, flat surface for rolling.

5. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a round. Don’t worry if you are not able to achieve a perfect round. The paratha will still taste good.

6. Sprinkle a little flour on the surface of the dough.

7. Place 1 tablespoon of the mooli filling in the center.

8. Gather the edges of the parantha and bring them close and pleat them over the filling, to form a pouch.

9. Seal the top of the paratha.

10. Dip it in flour, flatten it a little, and gently roll it using a rolling pin. Don’t panic if you see filling oozing out. Just dust the parantha with some more flour.

11. Roll gently till the paratha is about 1/4 inch thick.

12. Heat a flat pan on medium heat. Drizzle some oil on the pan.

13. Place the parantha on the skillet. Cook on medium heat for a minute.

14. Drizzle some oil on the top and flip the parantha and check for spots appearing on top.

15. Now cook the other side for a minute the other side.

16. Cook paratha on both sides till the dough is cooked and lightly browned.

17. Serve mooli paratha with yogurt or white butter and Indian pickle.