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Dal paratha
Soft flatbreads made with leftover dal kneaded into the dough
In north Indian kitchens, last night's thick dal rarely goes to waste: the next morning it is kneaded into wholewheat flour with ajwain and coriander and rolled into soft, savoury parathas for breakfast and the school tiffin. They are golden-flecked, faintly spiced and filling, and taste good cold with yoghurt or pickle. They contain gluten (wheat) and milk (ghee); use oil to make them dairy free. Chef's tip: add the dal before any water; it is often all the liquid the dough needs.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz chapati flour (atta)plus extra for dusting
- 7 oz cooked toor or moong dalthick leftover dal, cooled
- ¼ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp chilli powderoptional for children
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderfinely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp wateronly if needed
- 3 tbsp gheeor oil
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz chapati flour (atta), ¼ tsp ajwain (carom seeds), ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp chilli powder, 2 tbsp fresh coriander and ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Add 7 oz cooked toor or moong dal and work it in with your fingers.
Step 2: Knead for 4 minutes into a soft, smooth dough, adding 2 tbsp water a spoonful at a time only if it feels dry. The usual mistake is adding water first, which makes a sticky dough that tears when rolled. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
14 minStep 3: Divide into 8 balls. Roll each into a 16 cm round, dusting with flour as needed.
Step 5: Stack in a cloth to keep soft. For the tiffin, cool, wrap in foil and pack with an ice pack. Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat on the tawa until hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dal paratha take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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Perfect for:Picnic & travel