Minced Broccoli-ginger mix stuffed into the dough to make this wholesome and delicious Broccoli Parantha. Serve hot with yogurt, pickle, or butter.
My Mom has always emphasized on healthy and balanced eating. Different colors on a plate, no consecutive rice meals, prefer lentils to bread, are just a few of the many things on which she laid a lot of importance. Eating stuffed flatbread was one such healthy habit that I learned from her. Like many North-Indian households, Parantha or Indian flatbread was a favorite while growing up. Mom would stuff healthy vegetables in the bread, and we would love them, especially in the winters, with all seasonal vegetables available. Those delicious, mom-made healthy paranthas inspire this Broccoli Parantha.
What is a Stuffed Parantha?
Stuffed Parantha is a popular North-Indian dish, especially popular in the state of Punjab. The idea is to roll whole-wheat dough into small roti-like flatbread, apply ghee to it and then stuff with minced vegetable of choice. Then, roll it bigger and cook on a flat pan into a parantha.
In the chilly North-Indian winters, seasonal vegetables like Radish and Cauliflower are in abundance. Filling them into a parantha is the easiest and delicious way to have these.
What are the Key Ingredients for Broccoli Parantha?
Servings
5 6-inch Paranthas
Ready In:
30 mins
Diet:
Vegetarian
- 1 cup Minced Broccoli ~ 7 oz/200 g
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 cup whole wheat flour ~ 7 oz/200g
- 150 ml water for kneading the flour
- 5 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp salt
- Spices
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp carom seeds
How to make “Broccoli Parantha”?
– Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 – Preparing the Dough
Take 200 g (7 oz) whole wheat flour and 150 ml water. Slowly add water as you knead the flour into a soft dough. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
Step 2 – Preparing Dough Balls
Let the shallow flat pan heat up on a low flame and roll the dough into balls (~2-inch diameter). Press the dough balls to flatten them out a little and ready to roll. For more clarity, please see the video for how to make the dough-balls.
Step 3 – Rolling
Dip the ball into dry flour. Using the rolling pin, roll the dough ball into a circle ~4-5 inches.
Step 4 – Filling with the Broccoli Mix
Hold the partially-rolled dough in your hand and apply Ghee/Oil on it. Add 3-4 Tbsp of Broccoli-Ginger Mix and pack it in by folding in the periphery.
Step 5 – Roll into a Parantha
Dip into dry flour again. With very little pressure, roll the stuffed dough into a thin flatbread. Use dry flour as needed.
Step 6 – Cooking
Grease the pan with a bit of Ghee/Oil. Put the Parantha on the pan. Turn the Parantha and cook both sides on a low flame. A high flame can cook the outside of Parantha and keep the inside uncooked.
Step 8 – Serving
Once cooked, apply Ghee/Oil on the top and serve with Yogurt, Butter, or Pickle. You may choose to shallow fry both sides with Ghee/Oil, but the Parantha will taste delicious as is!
Watch the “How to make Broccoli Parantha” Video
Expected Problems and Recommendations
for making Stuffed Broccoli Parantha
Problem 1: The dough is soft and sticking to the rolling pin
1. Apply Ghee/Oil on the rolling pin and the Base before you begin.
2. Make sure that the dough is not too soft – It should come together when you knead the flour.
Problem 2: The filling tears the dough apart and Broccoli sticks to the Rolling Pin
1. If this is your first stint at Paranthas, please don’t stuff a lot – 2 Tbsps should suffice for a 2-inch diameter dough ball.
2. If it is a small tear, take a small piece of the dough and patch it up. I like a little filling sneaking out of the dough, though.
Problem 3: The filling is watery and sticking
Broccoli, unlike cauliflower and radish, has less water and should be better for filling. However, if you still have this issue, please press and squeeze out the water from the filling as soon as you blend it (before adding the spices).
Problem 4: The Parantha sticks to the Pan
1. Make sure that you grease the pan before putting the Parantha on it. You might want to do it after every Parantha.
2. The first time you turn the Parantha, do it soon enough and not let it cook a lot in the first go.
Problem 5: The Parantha Seems cooked from outside but tastes uncooked from within
1. Make sure that the Parantha is rolled really thin – as far as you can go!
2. Keep the flame medium. High flame can get the outer layer cooked quickly and keeping the overall Parantha uncooked.
Problem 6: The Parantha is very greasy!
1. For a healthier Parantha, please don’t shallow fry both sides. A little ghee on the top before serving is fine. The ghee inside the Parantha will keep it soft.
What are the health benefits of Broccoli Parantha?
Whole wheat dough provides carbohydrates essential to provide our bodies with energy/fuel. However, refined flour has simple carbohydrates which can raise the blood sugar levels. Therefore, in any flatbread, I prefer using whole-wheat flour. Also, filling the bread with Broccoli makes the Parantha healthier – richer in fiber and more filling.
Moreover, Broccoli is rich in Vitamin C which helps build immunity and fight chronic inflammation. Also, it is a cruciferous vegetable (like cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts). Research shows that these vegetables can prevent and fight cancer [1].
References:
1. http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2018/05/15/1940-6207.CAPR-17-0423
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Healthy Broccoli-Stuffed Parantha
Equipment
- stove-top pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup Minced Broccoli
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 150 ml water for kneading
- 5 tbsp ghee or plant-based oil
- 1 tbsp salt per taste
Spices
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder per taste
- 1/2 tsp carom seeds
Instructions
- Take 200 g (7 oz) whole wheat flour and 150 ml water. Slowly add water as you knead the flour into a soft dough. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Let the shallow flat pan heat up on a low flame and roll the dough into balls (~2-inch diameter). Press the dough balls to flatten them out a little and ready to roll. For more clarity, please see the video for how to make the dough-balls.
- Dip the ball into dry flour. Using the rolling pin, roll the dough ball into a circle ~4-5 inches.
- Hold the partially-rolled dough in your hand and apply Ghee/Oil on it. Add 3-4 Tbsp of Broccoli-Ginger Mix and pack it in by folding in the periphery.
- Dip into dry flour again. With very little pressure, roll the stuffed dough into a thin flatbread. Use dry flour as needed.
- Grease the pan with a bit of Ghee/Oil. Put the Parantha on the pan. Turn the Parantha and cook both sides on a low flame. A high flame can cook the outside of Parantha and keep the inside uncooked.
- Once cooked, apply Ghee/Oil on the top and serve with Yogurt, Butter, or Pickle. You may choose to shallow fry both sides with Ghee/Oil, but the Parantha will taste delicious as is!
Very nice 👌
Thanks, Meera!