Gobhi paratha (cauliflower stuffed flatbread)

 

Hello readers!

Welcome to easy cooking blog no: 14!

Introduction

Gobhi paratha/ Cauliflower flatbread: This is a famous North Indian breakfast recipe that is equally liked around the globe. It is a flatbread/ paratha made using whole wheat flour stuffed with spicy and flavourful grated cauliflower mixture later shallow fried on a skillet or a non-stick pan. Parathas are integral part of North Indian cuisine for instance simple paratha, aloo paratha etc. These parathas are perfect for vegans, vegetarians as well as meat lovers. 

Cauliflower has immense health benefits; it has all the goodness of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients needed for our body to perform its function efficiently. There are different ways by which we can incorporate this vegetable in our diet; some are like gobhi paratha itself, gobhi and aloocurry, gobhi Manchurian, gobhi 65, etc. 

I am a huge fan of this paratha; I love all different kinds of paratha, though. I am sure all the Indians or non-Indians too binge on this often. This paratha was another sumptuous wholesome paratha that I used to carry in my lunch box during my school days. My Mother would love to make this paratha my lunch box because it was easy to wrap, incredibly filling, and an energetic meal for school kids. 

Even after coming to South Africa, I often make this paratha due to its easy preparation; no extra veggies needed, no special spices, just a fresh cauliflower, and few basic spices. Eating two parathas in the breakfast, I am sorted for the next 4-5 hours. 

So, without wasting much time praising high this paratha, let me quickly show you its ingredients and procedure. It is very simple, and it hardly takes half an hour to make these parathas. It is up to you how you want to have it. If you are fine with the ghee, butter, or oil, do shallow fry them or otherwise dry roast the paratha on the griddle and have it with hot tea, Pickle, or Curd. 

Check out other interesting recipes link given below!

Aloo paratha (potato stuffed flatbread)

Aloo gobi curry (cauliflower & potato curry)

Bread cutlets

Aloo tikki (potato patties)

Ingredients                                       Qty

Cauliflower                                   1 large

Green chilies                                as per taste

Fresh Coriander leaves              as per taste

Spring onions leave (optional)  as per taste

Cumin seeds                                  1 tbsp

Coriander seeds                           1 tbsp

Carrom seeds                               1 tsp

Red chili powder                         as per taste

Asafoetida                                   a pinch 

Kalonji (nigella seeds) optional as per taste

Fenugreek leaves                        1 tbsp

Salt                                              as per taste

Oil/Butter

 

Cooking time: under 60 minutes (including kneading the dough and grating for cauliflower).

 

Step 1: Kneading soft and pliable dough and the grating of cauliflower

Take 2-3 cups of whole wheat flour (atta)/ all-purpose flour (maida) (if you do not have whole wheat flour, you can use all-purpose flour) in a large mixing bowl. 

 

Now add the water gradually; wash your hands nicely and knead the flour. Do not add water in one go; add little by little and knead the flour till it's soft and pliable (You can use a dough maker as well to make a soft dough).

 

Transfer the kneaded dough into a bowl and keep it in a fridge for at least 20 minutes. You can knead the dough beforehand and refrigerate it. 

 

Grate the cauliflower: Use a food processor or grater to grate the cauliflower uniformly. Make sure big chunks of cauliflower should not be left behind. It will hinder the rolling of paratha. Mix the grated cauliflower with all the dry spices and herbs. 

Step 2: Rolling of paratha

I roll the parathas in two different styles; it can be a sandwiched paratha (two-layered) or adding the stuffing in the centre of the roti and later rolled into paratha (single-layered).

 

Sandwiched paratha: this style is my absolute favourite. This particular one is crispier and can be filled with a generous amount of stuffing. 

To make this paratha, take two small-sized dough balls, dust them with the dry flour, roll both the balls to small rotis, spread the spicy and flavourful cauliflower mixture on one of the small roti, later gently place the other one over the stuffed roti and gently press the corners to seal them properly. 

Sprinkle some dry flour on the sides and gently roll this stuffed roti as big or small you like. It should not be too thin or too thick.

Single layered paratha

 

Take a large dough ball, dust it with the dry flour, roll it into a medium-sized shaped roti, place the cauliflower stuffing in the centre, folds from both sides, and sprinkle some dry flour again and roll it gently to your desired size. It should not be too thin or thick, should be of moderate width. 

Step 3: Shallow frying of paratha

Once you are ready with your stuffed roti, heat the pan or tawa on medium heat; once your pan is hot enough, slowly place your paratha onto it.

When you see the bubbles in the roti, flip the roti to the other side, lightly roast both sides first.

Drizzle some oil, ghee, or butter and gently press the paratha to cook it using a spatula evenly.

Once the paratha is golden brown and cooked well, take the paratha off the flame, and serve it while hot for better taste. 

Serving suggestions

I strongly recommend having it while hot; though it tastes pretty good when cold, it loses its crispiness. 

I have a trick to make and enjoy them at the same time. First, dry roast all the parathas; once you are about to eat it, only apply ghee or butter. In this way, you can still taste the freshness of the paratha. 

I often enjoy aloo, gobi, muli paratha with hot masala tea.

I do not mind having this paratha with scrambled eggs, paneer curry, spicy cold curd, or chilled lassi. 

 

Garnishing

Although it does not need any extraordinary garnishing, you can sprinkle some chat masala on it or top it with some butter or ghee if you don't mind fat.

 

Now comes essential tips and tricks:

To make a perfect paratha, the first thing is the dough. It should not be too soft; instead, it should be like how we make for poori; if it is too soft, rolling the paratha can be a problem. 

Any flour can be used to make these delicious parathas. However, I prefer to use whole wheat flour. It is easy to digest and has all the fiber in it. You can mix different flours and make the dough.  

To knead the dough, I use room temperature water only. Knead the dough and make it sit in a refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. 

You can knead the flour and grate the cauliflower beforehand. 

Roast the paratha on medium heat for extra crispiness. 

These parathas can be an excellent meal for outdoors, parties, or any other special occasion; they are filling and high in energy. That is it for today. 

You can use any oil, butter, or ghee to make these parathas; I make them in coconut oil or ghee only.  

That is it for today's blog!

 

I hope you like my recipes. Do let me know in the comments below.

Thank you! Stay safe!

Neha