Gobi and Paneer Beet Paratha
Parathas are a quintessential, popular unleavened Indian flatbread that is made with whole wheat flour or atta. Paratha is made of two words – “para” and “atta” where par means layers and atta means whole wheat dough. Parathas are made either by laminating dough or as stuffed parathas, which is what I will be showcasing in this recipe.
Parathas are associated as a North Indian food. Stuffing for parathas can vary anywhere from only potatoes, to minced cauliflower, or radish (mooli) parathas, to leftover daal which is stuffed into parathas. There are meat parathas too where the dough is stuffed with keema or lamb.
What are Gobi and Paneer Beet Parathas?
I recently made these Potato-Paneer Spinach Parathas and they went completely viral on Instagram with over 1.5 million views! When my kids were little, I would think of ways to include protein, carbs and vegetables into a meal. I also wanted them to understand and learn different Indian foods and get them accustomed to it.
I would make spinach or beet doughs and fillings would vary from potato to finely grated paneer, and cauliflower (just one ingredient in the middle of the paratha) along with spices like garlic, ginger, green chillies, cumin seeds and cilantro. My kids devoured the parathas and it became a regular meal at home.
The dough is made with whole wheat flour, along with a quick boil of beet, that is pureed and added into the flour, along with a bit of salt and oil and kneaded until it forms a soft pliable dough.
The stuffing is added to the dough, covered into a tight parcel and then rolled until thin enough. It is then cooked on a skillet with a bit of oil or ghee until you see brown spots on either side, and served hot.
This way I was able to ensure that they get all the nutrients in the paratha to make it a wholesome meal, accompanied with some plain yogurt and mango pickle.
What is the stuffing for the Gobi and Paneer Beet Parathas made of?
The ingredients of the Gobi and Paneer stuffing are:
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- Gobi or cauliflower: cauliflower is grated using a box grater. You can use the fine or the large side. Mainly you want a crumble of cauliflower.
- Paneer : I use the Nanak Paneer brand from the Indian store. I finely grate the paneer so that it mashes well for the final mixture.
- Alliums: garlic and green chillies
- Spices : cumin seeds, Kashmiri red chilli powder and garam masala are the spices used in the stuffing
- Cilantro
How to make the Gobi and Paneer stuffing?
The stuffing is made by adding all the ingredients together on a large plate, and mixing it well until it is completely mashed.
The stuffing is then divided into 11 equal portions. Each portion is rolled between the palm of your hands to form a round and even ball.
TIP: The mixture is crumbly. So I use an ice cream scoop to get a heaped scoop of the filling and make a ball between the palms of my hands.
How to make the beet dough for the Gobi and Paneer Beet Parathas?
The beet dough is made with 4 ingredients:
- Whole wheat flour : you can use any brand that you are comfortable with for the whole wheat flour. I use the Sujata brand from the Indian store.
- Beet puree : Beet is cut into smaller cubes and boiled in water until fork tender. It is then pureed along with the water to make a smooth beet puree, which is used to bind the dough.
- Vegetable oil : to bind the dough and make it smooth.
- Salt
The beet dough is made by binding all the ingredients together in a large deep bowl. Be sure to cool the beet puree until you are able to handle it. It should be warm so that the dough binds well. You want to use up all the dry bits of flour in the bowl to form a dough. If the dough is slightly sticky, add 2-3 tablespoons of additional whole wheat flour and then bind again until it forms a smooth dough.
TIP: When you touch the dough after it is bound, it should form a nice smooth indentation.
Divide the dough into 11 portions and roll each portion between the palm of your hands to form a round ball. Flatten each ball to form a small disc.
Essential tips on how to assemble and cook the Gobi and Paneer Beet Parathas?
The steps are listed as below:
- First roll the small disc of dough to about 5 inches in diameter.
- Next add a ball of the gobi paneer stuffing in the center of the rolled dough.
- You want to start gathering the dough around the stuffing in a pleated fashion such that it forms a parcel, with extra dough on the top. Pinch off the extra dough, and then flatten the round ball to form a flat dough.
- Using a rolling pin, with gentle continuous movements, roll out the dough to form the paratha about 7 inches in diameter. Be gentle so as not to break the paratha.
- You want to cook the paratha on a hot skillet, using a little bit of oil or ghee around the paratha, and on top as well.
- Cook the paratha for 2 minutes until there are brown spots on the bottom. Flip the paratha using a spatula, add oil on the top of the flipped paratha and cook the other side for 2 minutes. You will see the paratha puff into a round ball. This comes with practice so do not fret if you do not see a puffed paratha.
- You want to have brown spots on both the sides of the paratha. Set it aside on a plate once you are done cooking the paratha.
What kind of marble board can I use for rolling the dough?
The marble board that I have is linked here. It is about 10 inches in diameter, has feet, and I use this for rolling out all the Indian unleavened breads.
What kind of whole wheat flour shall I use?
You can use the whole wheat flour brand Sujata that is available at the Indian store. You can also find Indian whole wheat flour on Amazon at the link here.
What kind of Kashmiri red chilli powder shall I use?
The Kashmiri red chilli powder is available at the Indian store, or you can purchase it from Amazon at the link here.
What shall I do with the leftover parathas?
You can cover the leftovers in aluminum foil and store in the fridge for upto a week.
How do I reheat the parathas?
The parathas can be reheated, either in the microwave or on the stove. I prefer the stove, so that it crisps up slightly on the edges.
What can I serve the parathas with?
Parathas are an important part of a traditional breakfast from the Indian subcontinent. Traditionally, it is made using ghee but oil is also used. The paratha is usually eaten with dollops of white butter or makhan on top of it. Common side dishes are curd, fried egg, omelette and/or mango pickle, along with some raw red onion slices as well.
Parathas can even be eaten as a main meal as it is in our home.
Other vegetarian recipes that are popular on the blog, that serve as main meals are:
If you do make this recipe, please do not forget to tag #thejamlab on Instagram and/or leave a comment on this blog post.
XO
Amisha
Gobi and Paneer Beet Parathas are a wholesome Indian meal with a stuffing of cauliflower or gobi, paneer with alliums, dry Indian spices in a pretty pink dough. The paratha is cooked in ghee or oil to perfection, and enjoyed with yogurt and some mango pickle. This Indian unleavened bread can be enjoyed as breakfast or as a main meal.
