SPRING ONION PARATHAS
Ripping apart parathas and dunking them into yoghurt or daal is one of the most gratifying parts of an Indian meal. These flatbreads are versatile and can take the addition of various flavours and ingredients, such as onions, potatoes, cauliflower, radishes, and even hard cheese. Here I have chosen the simple addition of spring onions.
SERVES: 4
PREPARATION TIME: 25 minutes
COOKING TIME: 5 minutes 300g spelt flour, plus more for dusting
2 tsp rapeseed oil
4 tbsp ghee, plus more for brushing 5 spring onions, finely sliced Handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ajwain (aka carom seeds, optional)
To serve:
Lime pickle Greek yoghurt
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1 Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and rub through with your fingertips. Gradually pour in around 200ml of tepid water, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, elastic dough. Knead well for around five minutes, then cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for half an hour.
2 Knead the dough again. Divide it into eight equal balls, dust each with flour and flatten into patties. Using a rolling pin, roll out to a disc of roughly 15cm in diameter. Dust with extra flour if you need to.
3 Heat a cast-iron frying pan over a medium heat. Lay a paratha in the hot pan and cook for a minute before flipping over. Brush the hot side with ghee using a pastry brush, cook for a further minute and then flip over again. Brush once more with ghee and then flip and cook until the paratha is golden brown all over. Repeat with the remaining parathas and serve with lime pickle and Greek yoghurt, sprinkled with toasted cumin seeds.