Mix Kale in the Dough – Easy and Delicious Parathas

Mix Kale in the Dough – for easy and delicious Parathas! These easy to make wholesome Parathas (Puh-raa-thaa-s, Hindi) are appealing any time of day, any day of the week. Lots of folks like it for breakfast … as for me, I prefer having Parathas for lunch or dinner.

This Kale Paratha recipe is inspired by the ever-popular Methi Paratha (Methi Thepla: May-thi, with ‘thi’ as in think; Thay-plaa, Gujarati), that Indian folks love so much. I simply mix “Superfood” Kale in the dough, along with green onions and simple seasonings, then make Parathas. I like to serve them sizzling hot, straight from the griddle, directly onto a dinner plate.

Put out some cool yogurt, sprinkled with crushed mint, salt and pepper, along with your favorite spicy pickle… mango… chilli… lemon….. and prepare to devour. Yumm..!

Kale and green onions… a great combination

Kale and green onions go really well together, complementing and balancing their respective flavors as well as their rich micronutrient profile. However, the somewhat tough texture of raw Kale, and the crisp texture of green onions (especially the white and light green parts) makes it hard to knead them into a smooth dough. And if the dough is not smooth, rolling out the Parathas becomes a challenge.

My solution? Very simple – just cook the chopped veggies briefly in the microwave first. Both veggies becomes quite soft in just about a minute or so. When I mix in the softened kale and green onions with the other ingredients to make the dough, it is super-easy to make a smooth dough for the Parathas. After letting it rest for a bit, I’m ready to roll them out like Chapatis (or tortillas).

Fennel – Carminative and Other Health Benefits

Fennel long been known to possess a range of health benefits, especially in the context of food digestion. Its carminative properties help to mitigate gastrointestinal distress often caused by various cruciferous vegetables, like kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. In India, it’s a common practice to chew on some fennel seeds after a meal – a mouth freshener and digestive aid, all-in-one!

I regularly add fennel to various foods that have a tendency to cause flatulence and bloating, including certain vegetables and legumes (i.e., different kinds of beans – black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, etc.). In these Parathas, I also love how the fennel adds just a hint of sweetness to offset the slight bitterness of kale.

Superfood Kale- sure, but don’t go overboard!

Yes, Kale sure is a “Superfood”, but perhaps you should consume it in moderation. Like many other cruciferous vegetables, kale contains Progoitrin, which can interfere with proper functioning of the thyroid gland.

On a positive note, cooking the vegetable destroys the enzyme that converts Progoitrin into Goitrin, the substance which actively inhibits thyroid activity. Unfortunately, though, cooking also decreases some of the benefits that raw kale possesses. So, maybe one should consider have some kale raw and some cooked.

If you do have an under-active thyroid, or are at high risk for hypothyroidism, perhaps you should moderate your overall intake of various cruciferous vegetables, especially in the raw form.

Parathas with Yogurt – a scrumptious treat

Although these Parathas provide a rich array of micro-nutrients, they are somewhat low in overall protein content – about 7 g per serving (2 Parathas). This is not a real problem, though, since Parathas taste best when paired with yogurt – together, the Paratha-Yogurt combo delivers all the protein one needs from a meal!
Simple, yummy and so very nutritious!

Special Diets

This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and soy-free. If you want it to be nut-free, be sure to use a nut-free oil of your choice. I do not recommend using extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) while cooking these Parathas. To preserve the nutrients in EVOO, it should not be subjected to high heat.

So, go ahead… mix in some finely chopped kale and green onions with the Chapati flour to make the Paratha dough. Let it rest for a bit while you set out the yogurt along with some delicious toppings. What kind of toppings? Kala Namak (Kaa-laa Num-uck, Hindi; black salt), regular salt, black pepper (preferably in a pepper grinder), Chaat Masala, and freshly crushed dried mint flakes. And… oh yes, don’t forget to also set out some of your favorite spicy pickles.

Home-made Pickles

I like home-made pickles best – they taste so much better than store-bought pickles and don’t have as much oil or salt either. Perhaps you would like to try your hand at making some of my favorite pickle recipes – green chilli pickle, cranberry pickle, lemon pickle, pickled purple kale stems, pickled radish greens…. I haven’t yet posted a green mango pickle recipe, but plan to do that soon… So, do be on the lookout for it!

Sizzling Hot Parathas… Coming Right Up!

When you’re ready to feed your brood, set your griddle on the stove to preheat and gather your folks. Make the Parathas and serve them up, sizzling hot, directly onto someone’s plate. The other folks will just have to wait for the next Paratha to be ready… it only takes a couple of minutes, after all, and it’s SO worth the wait!

Sure, you could finish making them all before you round up the hungry folks, and serve everyone warm Parathas at the same time – so no one has to wait. But Naah…. it’s just not the same!

When I was growing up, we all sat around the table, waiting eagerly for Mom to plonk piping hot Parathas onto our plates. My family is happy to do the same… I refuse to serve Parathas any other way – why would I mess with such time-honored perfection?!

However, if you’re planning to feed a larger crowd, then sure, some do-ahead tips would be nice. Check out my Recipe Notes for a few practical suggestions.

Hope you make these delicious Kale-Green onion Parathas and enjoy them with friends and family. Do write a review and give a star rating. Much appreciated.

Enjoy!

Mix Kale in the Dough- To Make Easy and Delicious Parathas

Chop Kale finely; slice green onions finely. Soften and wilt the vegetables by microwaving on Hi for 1 minute. Place all the dough ingredients in a bowl, including the greens, mix well and knead into a stiff dough, using minimum water. Rest covered dough for 20 min, then make Parathas. Serve sizzling hot, with Yogurt and spicy pickles. Enjoy!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Resting time for the dough 20 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 people

Calories 233 kcal

Equipment

• Tavaa / Griddle – cast iron, carbon steel or wrought iron (Lohaa – Hindi, Lokhand – Marathi) preferred; if not available, non-stick pan/griddle OK (see Recipe Notes for cleaning)
• Chakla-Belan (Polpaat-Laatney); or Pastry rolling board with rolling pin
• Sturdy heat-safe Turner – wood / metal / plastic

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup Kale – finely chopped (measure after chopping) (about 60 g) any variety; heaping cup, tightly packed
• 1/2 cup Green onions – thinly sliced about 4-5; use all the parts – white bottoms, light green and dark green tops
• 1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Chapati flour Whole wheat flour used for Indian Chapatis preferred; American wholewheat flour, with its higher gluten content, is not suitable for Parathas. See Recipe Notes for suggestions if Indian Chapati flour is not available.
• 1/4 cup Besan – fine texture Chana dal flour; Chickpea/garbanzo flour; if not available, use extra 1/4 cup Chapati flour instead
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Fennel powder
• 1/2 tsp Amchur powder If not available, use 1/2 tsp sour grape powder, or 1 tsp lime/lemon juice.
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder (cayenne)
• 1/2 tsp Salt adjust as per preference
• 1 tsp Oil I like to use peanut oil, but any mild edible oil is OK. I do not recommend using Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for this purpose
• 1/2 cup Water you will probably need less, maybe only 1/4 cup, for making stiff dough

For cooking Parathas

• 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Chapati flour for dusting while rolling; store the leftover flour in a small container, to reuse in the next few days. NOTE: Do NOT add it back to the container in which you store your Chapati flour, or your whole stock might get moldy!
• 5 tsp Oil or Ghee I like to use peanut oil or Ghee, but any mild edible oil is OK. I do not recommend using Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for this purpose

For serving (optional): Not included in Nutrition calculations

• 2 cups Yogurt – plain I prefer regular yogurt, but you can Greek yogurt if you like
• 1/4 cup Spicy Indian pickles – any kind green mango, lime, lemon, green chilli, etc.
• 2 tbsp Butter or Ghee

Instructions

 

• Wash, the Kale thoroughly. Any variety Kale is OK: shown here is Lacinato Kale
  
• Shown here: Purple Kale
  
• Trim the thick stems and leaf-stalks – set aside for another use, such as for making a spicy pickle (posted on this blog).
  
• Finely chop the trimmed leaves. Measure, tightly packed, to a heaping 1 cup. Shown here – chopped Lacinato Kale
  
• Shown here- trimmed and chopped Purple Kale
  
• Transfer to a microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl (cereal bowl works well) and microwave on hi for 1 min.

  The volume reduces quite dramatically as the Kale wilts upon cooking, to about 1/3 cup packed after cooking.
  
• Trim the base of each green onion (with the fibrous roots) and slice the green onions – all parts (white, light green and dark green) – about 1/2 cup, loosely packed.

  Transfer to a microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl (cereal bowl works well) and microwave on hi for 1 min.

  The volume reduces dramatically, to about 1 tbsp, after cooking.
  
• Place the whole wheat Chapati Atta in a shallow mixing bowl. Add Besan, cumin powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, Amchur, salt, chilli powder and 1 tsp oil. Add cooked Kale and green onions and mix well.
  
• The cooked veggies tend to clump together, so work with your fingers to "de-clump" and distribute the veggies evenly.
  
• Add water as needed to make a stiff dough. Depending on the moisture released from the veggies, you will likely need about 1/4 cup water.

  If you do need to add more water, add only about a teaspoonful at a time., working it in well to see if the dough comes together, before adding any more water.

  NOTE: Do NOT add too much water or the dough will become too soft. It will become even softer upon resting, as the salt in the dough makes the veggies release more moisture. Extra-soft dough will be sticky and difficult to roll into Parathas.
  
• Smear the dough with a few drops of oil, cover and set aside to rest 15-20 min.
  
• Meanwhile, get everything ready for serving the Parathas.

  Put out the yogurt and toppings (Chaat masala, salt, pepper (in a pepper grinder, preferably), red chilli powder, dried mint flakes), along with assorted spicy pickles – mango, green chilli, lemon, etc.

  Cut up some cucumber, carrots, radishes, etc., for a simple side-dish.
• About 5 minutes before you want to start making Parathas, place a Tavaa (griddle) on the stove-top and start preheating it, on low-medium heat for about 5-7 min.
• Meanwhile, divide the dough into 8-9 equal portions, and shape each portion into a smooth ball, about the size of a lemon.

  Keep the dough balls covered while you make the Parathas to prevent them from drying out.
  
• Flatten a dough ball slightly and roll in flour.
  
• Sprinkle a little flour on the Chakla (Polpaat; rolling board) and place the floured dough ball on it.
  
• With a dry rolling pin, roll it out into a 6-7 inch circle, dusting with a little flour, if needed to prevent sticking.

  NOTE: At this stage, decide whether you want to make simple Chapati-like Parathas or to make Parathas with flaky layers.

  Simple Parathas are a little faster, so if you're in a time crunch, this might be your better option. Continue with the directions below if this is what you decide.

  Flaky Parathas will take an extra minute or so for each Paratha. Thes separate into delicate flaky layers during cooking and taste a little richer than the simple Parathas. Scroll down to the section on Flaky Parathas for directions on how to make these from the rolled out dough circle.
  
• Carefully transfer the rolled Paratha to the hot griddle (pre-heated 5-7 min on medium-hi heat). Add a few drops of oil or Ghee on the top side, spread gently with the back of a spoon, cook for about a minute (medium-hi) and flip.

  You should see some golden-brown spots on the cooked side. Scatter a few drops of oil on the top and spread with the back of a spoon. Cook for about a minute and flip again to check for browning on that side.

  These golden-brown bits are just a bit crispy and really add a delightful burst of extra flavor to the Paratha.

  Note: You may need to adjust the heat settings on your stove – see Recipe Notes for detailed tips to ensure that you are using the correct heat setting on your stove.

  Serve the cooked Paratha immediately.
  
• Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. If not serving immediately, stack the "finished" Parathas on a plate or in a Roti Dabbaa (or Tortilla keeper box).
  
• Serve hot Parathas, preferably as soon as you make them, accompanied by Yogurt and spicy pickles. Shown here with spicy pickle made with kale leaf-stems and yogurt, sprinkled with salt, pepper and red chilli powder.
  
• Enjoy!

Flaky Parathas – optional

• Add a few drops of oil to the rolled dough circle, pat with your fingers to spread all over, and fold the dough circle into a half-moon shape, matching the edges as closely as possible.
  
• Add a few more drops oil on the top, pat and fold again.
  
• Gently pinch all the open edges together.
  
• Roll in flour again.
  
• With a rolling pin, roll into a triangle., dusting with a little flour if needed. Try to maintain an even thickness as you roll out the Paratha.
  
• Place the rolled Paratha on the hot Tavaa (griddle); add a few drops of oil all over. Spread the oil with the back of a small spoon. Cook on medium-hi heat – adjust the settings on your stove as needed – see Recipe Notes.
  
• Flip after about 1 minute, using a sturdy turner. Add a few more drops of oil and spread with the back of a small spoon.
  
• Flip again after about a minute, to check if well-browned.
  
• Serve sizzling hot, with yogurt and spicy pickles. Enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t have whole wheat Indian Chapati Flour:

Whole wheat Indian Chapati flour has medium gluten content, which is perfect for soft, supple, unleavened Indian flatbreads like Chapatis, Parathas, Puris, etc. In India, of course, it is available everywhere. Outside India, you can find it in specialty grocery stores that sell international foods. In the US, it is readily available at Indian grocery stores. Be sure to check for freshness when you buy – old flour tastes rancid and will ruin your Parathas.

In the US, Whole Wheat flour from (American) Red Wheat berries has much higher gluten content – while this is perfect for leavened yeast breads, it is NOT suitable for Indian style flatbreads – the higher gluten content tends to make these unleavened flatbreads tough and chewy – not quite how they’re supposed to be!

So:

If you do not have Indian Chapati flour, but do have American Whole Wheat flour you can decrease the gluten content of the flour by mixing in some gluten-free flour. The color and texture of these Parathas will be slightly different than with Indian Chapati flour, but they will not be tough and chewy.

• Instead of 1 1/4 cups of Chapati flour, use one of the following combinations:
  • 1 cup American whole wheat flour + 2 tbsp finely ground yellow Corn (this is not the same as the white corn starch/corn flour used to thicken sauces and make puddings)
  • 1 cup American whole wheat flour + 1/4 cup Jowar (millet) flour
  • 1 cup American whole wheat flour + 1/4 cup Oat flour
  • 1 cup American whole wheat flour + 1/4 cup Quinoa flour
  • 1 cup American whole wheat flour + 1/4 cup buckwheat flour

 

Adjust the heat setting on your stove:

When the heat setting on your stove is just right, each Paratha will take about a minute on each side to become properly browned. You may need to adjust the heat settings on your stove to achieve this.

Note: If you cook the Paratha on too low a heat setting, it will take too long to develop brown spots and your Paratha will become dry and hard. On the other hand, if the heat is too high, the Paratha will likely get burned before it properly cooks.

Follow these directions to ensure that your cooking setting is just right!

• Be sure to pre-heat your Tava/griddle on medium-hi setting for about 5-7 min before you begin cooking the first Paratha.
• For the first Paratha, check “done-ness” by flipping after about 30 seconds.
  • Look for a few light brown spots
    • If you see several light brown spots, the heat setting is probably just right. Flip back and continue to cook as directed.
    • If you don’t see any spots at all, your Tava needs to be a little hotter. Flip back the Paratha and increase the heat slightly; check again after 30 seconds or so – now there should be several slightly golden-brown spots
    • If you see very dark spots after just 30 seconds, your Tava is too hot! Remove the Tava from heat for about 30 seconds. Decrease the heat setting a little and continue as directed.

 

Make-Ahead tips for serving larger crowd

A useful strategy is to make a stack of partially-cooked Parathas ahead of time – up to 24 hours in advance.

• If you plan to serve them within 3-4 hours, you can set the half-cooked Parathas on the counter.
• If it is going to be longer, it will be better to store them in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator about an hour before you’re ready to serve, to allow them to come to room temp before you “finish” cooking them

SO: how to do this?

• Partially cook each Paratha on both sides until just a few light brown spots appear.
• • Do NOT over-cook the Paratha! It will become hard and brittle when you’re ready to serve.
  • Transfer each half-cooked Paratha to a plate when done, stacking them on top of each other, covered with a kitchen towel.
  • After you finish cooking all the Parathas, let the covered stack cool on the plate for about 10 min. This will trap the moisture as the stack cools.
  • Transfer the stack to a Roti-Dabbaa (or Tortilla keeper) when done.
    • If you don’t have a Roti Dabbaa, place the stack in a round cake pan and use a dinner plate to keep covered.
    • Store on counter-top (up to 4 hours) or refrigerator (up to 24 hours) until ready to serve.
• When it’s time to feed the hungry folks, just heat up the griddle and finish cooking each Paratha just before you serve it, sizzling hot.
  • It only takes about 30 seconds per Paratha.
  • Once your griddle is nice and hot (pre-heat on medium hi at least 5-7 min) place a Paratha on it, smear the top with a little Ghee (or oil), flip and repeat – all done!
  • Make sure you get lovely crispy brown spots on both sides – and enjoy the big smiles all around as you serve it up!

 

How to Clean a non-stick pan after making Parathas:

The dry flour used to dust the parathas while rolling them out sticks to the Parathas and has a tendency to burn on the pan. It mixes with the oil/Ghee used for cooking the Parathas and burns, making a sticky substance which clings to the pan and forms a burnt crust on the surface. To thoroughly clean the pan after making Parathas, follow these tips immediately after you finish making the last Paratha. Do not wait until later, or it will definitely be harder to clean the pan.

• While the pan is still hot, i.e., just after you finish cooking the parathas
  • Wipe up the greasy brown, burnt crust with a clean dry paper towel. Fold the paper repeatedly to clean with a fresh surface. Try to “catch” most of the burned material.
  • Scrub and wash the pan with soapy hot water – be sure to use a non-stick safe scrubber to prevent scratching the surface.
  • Heat the pan, and when hot, wipe again with a fresh paper towel to catch any residual crust that persists.
  • Add about half cup water, add 1/4 tsp baking soda and bring to a boil. Decrease heat and let it simmer for 5-7 min. While simmering, use a turner/spatula to gently scrub the base of the pan to loosen any more burnt crust that may still be stuck.
  • Wash with soap and water again.
• If you accidentally wait until later to clean the pan, reheat the pan for a few minutes – when it is quite hot, follow the cleaning directions described above.
• If you’re making a lot of Parathas (double/triple batch):
  • Stop after cooking about 8-10 Parathas.
  • Clean the Tava as directed above
  • Continue to cook Parathas
  • Doing this will prolong the life of the non-stick coating of your pan.
    • It will prevent excessive buildup of sticky “gunk” that will burn to a hard black crust on your pan by the time you have cooked 25-30 Parathas.
    • This burnt crust is nearly impossible to clean and will essentially ruin your pan.

 

Storing leftovers

In the refrigerator:

Store leftover Parathas in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Consume refrigerated Parathas within 2-3 days.

• If the lid is too loose-fitting, the Parathas will dry out.
• Traditional stainless steel Roti Dabbaa typically works well, but many Tortilla-keeper lids are not sufficiently tight and will likely dry out the Parathas during storage.
• Plastic-Ziploc type bags work well for storing Parathas.
• Reheat Parathas before serving by one of the methods described below:
  • microwave hi for 10-15 seconds – no more, otherwise it becomes tough.
  • toaster oven – directly on the wire rack, about 1 1/2-2 minutes per Paratha
  • Tava/griddle on the stove-top: preheat the pan, then heat Parathas, about 15-20 seconds on each side, until heated through.

In the freezer:

Store leftover Parathas in a Ziploc bag, then place the bag in container with a tight-fitting lid. Lasts for about a month, possibly longer. If left too long, Parathas may become brittle and crumble upon thawing.

• To thaw and reheat:
  • Remove from the freezer and transfer to a dinner plate. Set aside, covered with a kitchen towel. They will thaw in a few minutes. 
    • Only remove as many as you need.
    • Put the remainder back in the freezer right away.
  • Reheat as described above for refrigerated Parathas, using the microwave, toaster oven or on a Tava/griddle on the stove-top.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 7gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 303mgPotassium: 289mgFiber: 6gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 767IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Amchur, Besan, Chickpea flour, Coriander powder, cumin powder, Fennel powder, Green Onion, Kale, whole wheat Chapati Atta, Whole Wheat Chapati flour

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