Aloo Phudina Paratha

I really like the flavour of mint leaves! Be it soups, mocktails, subzis, breads.. or whatever! It just lends a beautiful flavour to the final dish.

I can talk about food for hours especially if the one I am talking to is a foodie like me! So one of such conversations led to my friend sharing this recipe with me as her office packed lunches!

Potatoes (Aloo) are a versatile base to experiment with different flavours. Although I had tried Aloo Phudina Paratha in a dhaaba in Amritsar a few years back I never made it at home! Theirs was mainly potatoes, mint, onions. Whereas mine was sans onions and with little methi leaves (fenugreek) instead.

I don't like potatoes much but with mint I had to try!

And hey! a quick fact: Mint aids digestion and has relaxing properties. So this is another reason why you should try this!

So here it is:

Serves: 3-4 Makes: 15 Parathas. Preparation Time: 15 mins. Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

For Filling:
350 gms Potatoes (6 medium sized), boiled
2 tbsp fenugreek/methi leaves, washed and chopped (optional)
1½ tbsp garlic (5 cloves), crushed (optional)
1 tbsp ginger, grated
¾ cup mint leaves, washed and chopped
1 tbsp green chilli paste
1 tsp Garam masala (optional)
1 tsp Kitchen magic masala (optional)
1 tsp Amchur (dry mango) powder
Salt as per taste
1 tsp oil
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)

For Dough:

2 cups sifted wheat flour
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp salt
Water as required

Some dry flour for dusting
Oil or Ghee (Clarified Butter) for roasting

Method:

1. Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients under 'For Dough' and knead into a soft dough. Cover it and let it sit.

2. Heat oil in a small and shallow pan, add jeera. Once it crackles, add the methi leaves. Stir and let it cook for about 1 min and put it off heat.

3. In another mixing bowl, mash the potatoes and add all the remaining ingredients along with the methi leaves and mix well. (I added the amchur after taking the picture! oops!)

4. Divide this mixture into equal sized balls.

5. Now, divide the dough into equal sized balls. Roll each ball into a flat bread/roti and place the stuffing. Close it like a dumpling and roll it  using some flour kept for dusting.

6. Dry roast it on a griddle, once light pink/brown spots appear change sides and roast using ghee or oil as preferred.

7. Serve hot with raita or flavoured curd! Enjoy!!

Notes & Tips:

1. For Jains:

Substitute the potatoes for raw bananas/plantain (2 -3 medium sized). Skip the garlic. Proceed as it is.

2. Alternatively, the fenugreek can be skipped completely. If doing so slightly increase the quantity of mint.

3. You may also sauté some onions with jeera (and or methi) and add to the filling.