Carom and Spinach Parathas
If you like curries and are looking for a new accompaniment, try these parathas instead of rice. They’re buttery, iron-rich and delicious toasted the next morning for breakfast.
2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach
2 cups whole wheat flour (or coconut flour?)
2 tablespoons semolina (or polenta?)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp carom seeds* (or ajwan in Indian groceries. They’re supposed to be good for your digestion and have a very similar flavor to thyme, which would be a good substitute.)
Water, as needed
6 tablespoons melted butter (or coconut oil?)
1. Boil spinach until wilted (i.e., put it in the microwave with water to cover and nuke for about a minute) and drain off the water. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, flour, semolina, salt and carom seeds and mix well. Add 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and then slowly add small amounts of water as needed to achieve a doughy consistency. Knead for 10 minutes–the dough should be pliable and not sticky, since you’ll need to roll it out later. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
2.Lightly dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with flour, and grease your hands with a little oil. Divide the dough into 10 pieces. Roll one of them into a ball with your hands, then flatten and roll out with a rolling pin into a 5-6 inch circle. Brush with melted butter, fold in half, brush with butter again, and fold in half once more to form a triangle. Roll the triangle out until the base is 5-6 inches.
3.Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle on medium and brush with butter, then add the paratha. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown, then flip and cook 2 more minutes. (Some parathas will puff up, which looks really cool. But don’t cry if yours don’t–they’ll still taste good, because they have 6 tablespoons of butter in them). Remove paratha and cover with a clean towel. Repeat the rolling and frying until all the dough is used up.