Sweet potatoes are still in season, and I was trying to create a recipe to use them in the form of Parathas, because my daughter loves flatbreads, and its an easy way to sneak in some veggies into her system. As I mulled over the idea, my eyes fell on the pot of fresh basil growing in my garden. Instantly, an idea clicked into my head, and I knew what I was going to make.
I snipped off some fresh Basil and chopped it finely. I boiled my Sweet Potatoes to make a puree and threw both of these into my flatbread dough, ready to roll out colorful Orange Parathas, with specks of Green decking them up – after all, food which looks good and tastes good is an instant hit, right!
These Prathas are an excellent source of beta-Carotene, Fiber as well as packed with flavor. They are soft, and hence carry well as your kids lunch-box item. You can also use these to make Veggie Rolls. And for another great variation, cut each Paratha into 4 triangles and bake them in an oven at 35o F for about 15 minutes. Similar to Tortilla chips, but much more flavorful!
Sweet Potato & Basil Parathas
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Servings: 12-15 parathasIngredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sweet potato puree
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
3/4 cup fresh curd or milk (or use 2 tbsp oil for Vegan recipe)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder (optional)
1 teaspoon oil
salt to taste
oil for cookingMethod
You can make your own Sweet Potato Puree at home. Just boil 2 large sweet potatoes, peel them and mash them in a blender to produce 3/4 cup of puree, or use store-bought one if you like. I make fresh, as it tastes much better, and also lends a better color to the Parathas. You can freeze the leftover puree to use next time.Mix all the ingredients and knead into a soft dough, adding very little water, only if required. The dough should be smooth, yet not too sticky. Cover with a cloth and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.
Now divide the dough into 15 equal portions. Roll out each portion thinly into a 5″ diameter circle, using a rolling pin. you can use flour on your rolling surface if the parathas tend to stick to the surface..
Heat a pan on a stove, then cook each Paratha on both sides till light brown spots appear on each side. Smear a little oil on each side, so it stays soft and does not burn.
Repeat for all the Parathas, then serve them hot with you favorite Indian Curry.
As I said earlier, Parathas are a great way to include more vegetables into your meals. Plus, they do tend to stay fresh for at least a couple days, so you can put those leftovers to good use the next day.
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Hara-Bhara Paneer Paratha
Tandoori Peshawari Naan
Vegetable Cheese Parathas
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