Parathas are the stuff of life, especially in Punjab. No breakfast or brunch is complete without a paratha. Depending on the season the stuffing changes. During the winters some common paratha stuffings are gobhi and mooli. Sakshi shared her recipe for Gobhi ke Parathe a while back. The last few times that I’ve spoken to my aunt in Mohali, Punjab she’s mentioned that the mooli are quickly being used up for parathe, not as much for salads like mooli ka kass, which you must try if you have radishes in the veggie drawer. Here’s a simple recipe for Mooli ke Parathe that help me relive a lot of weekend brunches at home.
Ingredients for Mooli Paratha
For the Mooli Stuffing:
- Mooli/Daikon Radish – 1 to 2, more if making a large batch of parathe
- Adrak/Ginger – 1 inch piece, washed, peeled and grated or finely chopped
- Lehsun/Garlic – 2 to 3 cloves, grated or finely chopped
- Pyaaz/Onion 1/2 or 1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped
- Hari Mirch/Green Chillies 2 to 3, finely chopped
- Hara Dhania/Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) ~ 5 sprigs, finely chopped
- Namak/Salt to taste and more for salting mooli to extract water
- Haldi/Turmeric 1/2 tsp (optional)
- Dhania/Coriander Powder 1/2 tsp
- Laal Mirch/Red Chili Powder 1/2 tsp
- Kaali Mirch/Black Pepper a few cracks ~ 1/4 tsp
- Bhuna Jeera/Cumin Powder (optional) ~ 1/4 tsp
- Ajwain/Carom Seeds (optional) ~ 1/4 tsp
To make the paratha:
- Whole Wheat Dough – salted or unsalted
- Oil – a high smoking point oil such as Canola
- Utensils: chakla-belan (rolling platform and rolling pin), flat spatula, tawa/griddle, lined insulated box for storing Mooli Paratha
- Palethan/ dry flour for dusting
Let’s make Mooli Paratha
Firstly, since this is a stuffed flatbread the carrier of the recipe is whole wheat flour. I used dough already in my fridge. If you need to make fresh whole wheat dough, try using the following proportions:
Whole Wheat Dough/Roti ka Atta for 4 paratha
- Whole wheat flour ~ 1.5 cup, more as needed
- Water ~ 1/2 cup, more as needed
- Salt (optional) ~ 1/2 tsp
- Ajwain (optional) ~ 1/2 tsp
- Stand mixer or a large mixing bowl or parath
Add whole wheat flour, salt and ajwain in the bowl of a stand mixer (if using one) or a large mixing bowl. I chose not to use salted dough since I had a plain batch sitting in the fridge. The benefit of using salted dough is the ability to cut down salt in the stuffing. Ajwain is optional too. It adds another flavor to the paratha; use based on your preference or add another herb or flavoring such as cumin seeds. Next, if using a stand mixer add water in a steady stream and mix the dough on a medium setting. Continue until it comes together in a coherent lump. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle some dry flour. Continue mixing for a few minutes. The hook will beat against the dough and help it build gluten and gain elasticity.
If using a mixing bowl and your hands then measure the flour and make a well in the center. Add water in that depression and gently start incorporating flour. Continue until all the flour is moist. Fold this sticky flour into itself and massage it with the base of your palm. Moisten your hands slightly while doing this if flour is still dry. Fold and massage repeatedly until the dough becomes soft and pliant. Cover and keep aside or refrigerate in an air tight container until needed.
Grating and seasoning Mooli
First, wash and peel daikon radishes.
I used one stubby daikon for making four parathe (plural for paratha) which yielded about 2 cups grated mooli that reduced to almost one cup after squeezing out water. Daikon contains a lot of water. So it is vital to remove as much of it as possible before stuffing a peda to roll a paratha. Otherwise it will be a wet, sticky mess which will not roll out. Based on how many parathe you plan to make increase the amount of grated radish and proportionally add other aromatics.
Next, grate the mooli and collect it in a large bowl where it can sit comfortably with enough room to squeeze and separate out the moisture.
Salt it generously and leave aside for the time you need to clean and prepare other ingredients.
Chop onion, ginger, garlic and coriander
While grated radish absorbs salt and osmosis works to extract water from it, clean and chop other ingredients. I finely chopped quarter of a large onion, 5-6 sprigs of fresh coriander also finely chopped and, grated ginger and garlic. You can just as easily finely chop ginger and garlic as well or even use a paste. Green chillies add a crunch to the paratha as well as a good amount of heat. Use them only if you enjoy that kind of heat. I chose to skip green chillies using chili powder instead.
Season and mix grated mooli
Squeeze out all the water from salted mooli. Move the squeezed out daikon to another bowl. Top it with chopped onion, ginger, garlic, coriander and green chillies (if using). Then season with dry spices – turmeric(optional), coriander powder, black pepper, red chili and roasted cumin (if using) and some salt. Don’t add too much salt since it will again make the mooli wet. Mix well.
Keep a tawa or griddle on medium high heat while you proceed to the next part i.e. making pedas and rolling out the paratha.
Stuff dough and cook mooli paratha
Bring out the whole wheat dough made earlier and set up your mise en place. I use a wooden rolling chakla belan. Along side it I keep a bowl of container of cooking oil, a bowl with extra dry flour or palethan for dusting the dough as I roll it out, a flat spatula to flip the paratha on the griddle and a lined insulated box often called a casserole in Indian English (not the baked one!). This setup is a very common one for making any kind of paratha. Of course you’ll need the filling close at hand too.
Break off a golf ball sized bit of atta or whole wheat dough. Flatten it into a disc about 2 inch wide. Then place a tablespoon or more of mooli in the center. Enough that you can pinch the edges together to close, just as a dumpling. Dust it in dry flour/palethan, place in the center of the rolling board and flatten with a rolling pin in gentle strokes. Add more dry flour if the filling breaks through and the dough becomes wet.
Cook Mooli Paratha
Once rolled place the paratha on the hot tawa. Lower the heat to medium high. Cook on that side until some bubbling appears. Flip and oil the side facing up (which was just cooking). Cook the second side for a minutes or so, flip and oil it. Now both sides have been oiled once. After we do not need to oil the paratha again. Continue to cook and flip as need to get even coloring on both sides with some browning. If you are lucky the paratha will even fluff up! Slide off the tawa/griddle and place in an insulated container or serve right away. Repeat this until you’ve made the desired number of parathe or finished up the mooli stuffing. Store leftover stuffing in an air tight container in the fridge and use within a day or two.
Mooli Paratha is best enjoyed with homemade dahi or mathaa, chutney or achar, and a salad like mooli ka kass (why not go all out on mooli!) and a cup of tea or coffee, usually it’s masala chai.
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Mooli ka Parantha – Daikon Radish filled Flatbreads
Equipment
- Chakla-Belan i.e. Rolling board and pin
- Stand mixer or mixing bowl
- Tawa i.e. Griddle
- Box grater
Ingredients
For the Mooli Stuffing
- 1 or 2 Mooli/Daikon Radish washed, peeled and grated (see note)
- 1 inch piece Adrak/Ginger finely chopped or grated
- 2-3 Cloves Lehsun/Garlic finely chopped or grated
- 1/4 or 1/2 Pyaaz/Onion preferably red, finely chopped
- 2-3 Hari Mirch/Green Chillies finely chopped
- 8-10 Sprigs Hara Dhania/Fresh Coriander finely chopped
- 1/2 Tsp Salt more for dehydrating mooli
- 1/2 Tsp Haldi/Turmeric Powder optional
- 1/2 Tsp Dhania/Coriander Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Laal Mirch/Red chili Powder
- Few cracks Kaali Mirch/Black Pepper
- 1/4 Tsp Bhua Jeera/Cumin Powder optional
- 1/4 Tsp Ajwainwali/Caron seeds optional
- 4-5 Tbsp Cooking oil for paratha A high smoking point oil such as Canola
- Palethan/ dry flour for dusting
Whole Wheat Dough/Roti Atta
- 1.5 Cup Atta/Whole Wheat Flour more as needed
- 1/2 Cup Water more as needed
- 1/2 Tsp Salt optional
- 1/2 Tsp Ajwain/Carom seeds optional
Instructions
Making dough
- Add whole wheat flour, salt and ajwain in the bowl of a stand mixer (if using one) or a large mixing bowl. The benefit of using salted dough is the ability to cut down salt in the stuffing. Ajwain is optional too. If using a stand mixer add water in a steady stream and mix the dough on a medium setting. Continue until it comes together in a coherent lump. If the dough is sticky, add a bit of dry flour. Continue mixing for a few minutes. The hook will beat against the dough and help it build some gluten and gain elasticity.
- If using a mixing bowl and your hands then measure the flour and make a well in the center. Add water in that depression and gently start incorporating flour. Continue until all the flour is moist. Fold this sticky flour into itself and massage it with the base of your palm. Moisten your hands slightly while doing this if flour is still dry. Fold and massage repeatedly until the dough becomes soft and pliant. Cover and keep aside or refrigerate in an air tight container until needed.
Making the Mooli Stuffing
- First, wash and peel daikon radishes. Next, grate the mooli and collect it in a large bowl where it can sit comfortably with enough room to squeeze and separate out the moisture. Salt it generously and leave aside for the time you need to clean and prepare other ingredients
- While grated radish absorbs salt and osmosis works to extract water from it, clean and chop other ingredients. Finely chop onion, fresh coriander and green chillies (if using). Grate or finely chop ginger and garlic.
- Squeeze out all the water from salted mooli. Move the squeezed out daikon to another bowl. Top it with chopped onion, ginger, garlic, coriander and green chillies (if using). Then season with dry spices – turmeric(optional), coriander powder, black pepper, red chili and roasted cumin (if using) and some salt. Don’t add too much salt since it will again make the mooli wet. Mix well.
Stuff dough and cook mooli paratha
- Put a tawa/griddle on medium high heat. Let it warm up while you stuff and roll out parathe to cook.
- Bring out the whole wheat dough made earlier and set up your mise en place. You’ll need a chakla belan, cooking oil, a bowl with dry flour or palethan for dusting the dough, mooli filling, a flat spatula to flip the paratha on the griddle and a lined insulated box often called a casserole in Indian English (not the baked one!).
- Break off a golf ball sized bit of atta/whole wheat dough. Flatten it into a disc about 2 inch wide. Then place a tablespoon or more of mooli in the center. Enough that you can pinch the edges together to close, just as a dumpling. Dust it in dry flour/palethan, place in the center of the rolling board and flatten with a rolling pin in gentle strokes. Add more dry flour if the filling breaks through and the dough becomes wet.
- Once rolled place the paratha on the hot tawa. Lower the heat to medium high. Cook on that side until some bubbling appears. Flip and oil the side facing up (which was just cooking). Cook the second side for a minutes or so, flip and oil it. Both sides have been oiled once. Continue to cook and flip as need to get even coloring on both sides with some browning. Slide off the tawa/griddle and place in an insulated container or serve right away. Repeat this until you’ve made the desired number of parathe or finished up the mooli stuffing.
- Store leftover stuffing in an air tight container in the fridge and use within a day or two.
- Serve Mooli Paratha with homemade dahi, chutney or achar, a salad like mooli ka kass (why not!) and a cup of masala chai.