Kale Gobi Paratha (Stuffed Indian Flatbread)
Many Indian food fans believe that Indian flatbread is best consumed in restaurants or as packaged food. These dough and batters are very much doable in your home kitchen with common ingredients, and just a little imagination to get to your favorite topping or stuffing.
Indian flatbreads are a versatile collection of healthful, and always delicious flatbreads from different parts of India ranging from simple chapati and roti to slightly more complex dosa and naan (for which I offer a step-wise video guide). One of my personal favorites is the stuffed paratha, where the stuffing can be made with absolutely anything ranging from common versions with aloo (potato) and paneer (cheese) to lesser-known methi (fenugreek leaves) and mooli (radish).
This recipe uses a stuffing of gobi (cauliflower) and not-so-traditional kale leaves.
Variety of Paratha in an Indian ‘Thali’
Difference between Paratha and Chapati-Roti
Techniques for making paratha and chapati-roti differ, but the dough for both flatbreads is similar and generally, made using whole wheat flour Atta. Although at times, other flour varieties can be mixed in. Both doughs are sometimes flavored with whole spices like cumin seeds or carom seeds (ajwain).
A Paratha can be stuffed with vegetables, or even ground meat, or served plain and is cooked in clarified butter ghee or oil. Since chapati-roti plays the same role in an Indian meal, as regular sliced bread or bread rolls in a western meal, it is served plain.
How to Make a Paratha
Plain paratha is generally layered in a multitude of ways using ghee or oil. Common layering techniques give rise to the triangular paratha, and the much-loved and rather rich Laccha Paratha, in which coils of dough are rolled into a circle.
The well-known stuffed Parathas of north India use a simple technique of adding a stuffing mix of spiced vegetables to the dough, which is then rolled out into a flatbread, like the one in this recipe.
Indian Whole Wheat Flatbread Paratha with Lightly Spiced Stuffing
of Healthy Kale, Gobi (Cauliflower) and Aromatic Roasted Fennel Seeds
At times, ingredients for the stuffing are kneaded directly into the dough, a method is most often seen when using leafy greens like spinach or fenugreek leaves. Paratha is always cooked in oil or clarified butter ghee, on a flat griddle called Tawa, with a flat spoon used for flipping the flatbread.
While taking you through the basic technique of making a stuffed Paratha; for this recipe, I’ve created a delightful and minimally spiced stuffing mix of kale leaves (easily replaced with spinach), gobi (cauliflower), and aromatic roasted crushed fennel seeds.
Serve Kale Gobi Paratha for a heavy breakfast, brunch, or as a light meal, with your favorite chutney, a bowl of plain yogurt, or flavored yogurt Raita and pickled onions.
More Stuffing Ideas for Paratha
Spring onions; finely chopped and spiced
Sage and garlic mix
Shredded cheese with fresh herbs
Grated hard-boiled eggs
Stir-fried and spiced ground meat like turkey or beef
Shredded zucchini, carrots or radish
Steps to Make Kale Gobi Paratha, a Wholesome Indian Stuffed Flatbread
