Beetroot Paratha (Stuffed Beet Flatbread)

Making paratha dough

1. First take whole wheat flour, salt and oil in a mixing bowl or pan. Mix very well.
2. Then add ½ cup water.
3. Begin to knead. Add more water if required while kneading.
4. I added overall ⅔ cup water. Depending on the quality of flour, you can add less or more water.
5. Knead to a soft and smooth dough. Cover the bowl with a lid and keep aside the paratha dough for 30 minutes.

Making beetroot stuffing

1. Rinse, peel and grate 350 grams beetroot or 4 medium sized beetroots. You should be able to get 2 cups tightly packed beetroots.
2. Heat a pan and add 1 teaspoon oil. Then add the grated beetroot.
3. Saute the beetroot on a low heat for 5 to 6 minutes, till there is no moisture in them. They will be partly cooked and also appear dry.
4. Now add the following seasonings - finely chopped green chilies, dry mango powder or dry pomegranate powder, garam masala powder and salt as required.
5. Mix very well. Switch off the heat. Keep the beetroot mixture aside. Ensure that there is no water in the stuffing. Otherwise the paratha can become soggy while rolling and roasting.

Stuffing and rolling

1. Pinch medium sized balls from the dough. Roll them and keep covered.
2. Take a dough ball. Flatten it a bit. Sprinkle with some whole wheat flour.
3. Roll to a round of 5 to 6 inches in diameter.
4. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the beetroot stuffing on the rolled dough.
5. Begin to pleat the edges.
6. Then bring them together at the center and press them at the center.
7. Flatten the pressed edges with your fingers and dust some flour on the stuffed dough. You can also roll two small rounds and then place the beetroot between the dough circles.
8. Gently roll to a paratha of about 7 to 8 inches. Sprinkle flour as required while rolling.

Making beetroot paratha

1. Heat a tawa or skillet and let it become hot. Place the paratha on the hot skillet.
2. On a medium to high heat, begin to roast the paratha. Avoid roasting the paratha on a low flame as then they will become hard or dense and won't taste good.
3. When one side is partially cooked (about ¼th) then flip with a spatula.
4. Spread some oil or ghee on top and flip again.
5. Now spread some oil or ghee on this side too. If the paratha has been stuffed and rolled well, it will start puffing up while cooking. Flip again.
6. Press the paratha edges with a spatula too, so that they are also roasted well.
7. Flip once more and roast till the paratha is evenly cooked and has golden blisters on top.
8. Cook the remaining parathas the same way in batches.

Serving Suggestions

1. Serve beetroot paratha hot or warm. You can also stack them in roti basket and later serve warm.
2. Serve them for breakfast or lunch with a side accompaniment of a sweet mango pickle. You can also serve with some butter or curd or have them plain with a cup of tea.