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Rajgira paratha
Amaranth flatbread
राजगिरा पराठा: soft amaranth-flour flatbreads bound with potato, green chilli and coriander, cooked in ghee on the tawa for upvas days
In Maharashtrian homes on Ekadashi, Mahashivratri and the Navratri fast, rajgira, amaranth, replaces wheat, and these parathas are the most filling way to eat it. The flour has a mild, nutty, grassy flavour and no gluten, so boiled potato is kneaded in to hold the dough together, with chopped green chilli, cumin, coriander and rock salt for a lightly spiced flatbread. Cooked on a griddle with ghee, they turn golden-spotted and soft with crisp edges. Serve them with sweet dahi, upvasachi batata bhaji or a dab of peanut chutney. Strict fasts in some homes skip cumin and coriander leaves, so leave them out if your family does. Use flour labelled gluten-free if that matters to you. Chef's tip: pat the dough out between two sheets of oiled plastic and lift it onto the tawa on the sheet, peeling it off as it goes down; rajgira dough is too fragile to roll and flip like wheat.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 5 ½ oz potatoesboiled, peeled and mashed
- 1 green chillifinely chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- ½ tsp sendha namak (rock salt)
- 2 tbsp wateronly if needed
For cooking
- 3 tbsp ghee
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 5 ½ oz rajgira atta (amaranth flour), 5 ½ oz potatoes, 1 green chilli, ½ tsp cumin seeds, 2 tbsp fresh coriander and ½ tsp sendha namak (rock salt) and knead into a soft dough, adding 2 tbsp water a few drops at a time only if it is crumbly.
5 minStep 2: Divide into 6 balls. Heat a tawa over a medium heat.
Step 3: Pat each ball between two sheets of oiled plastic into a 13–14 cm round, about 4 mm thick. Common mistake: making them too thin; they crack and turn dry and brittle.
5 minStep 4: Peel off the top sheet, flip the paratha onto the hot tawa and peel off the other sheet. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the base has brown spots.
2 minStep 6: Serve hot with sweet dahi or batata bhaji.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does rajgira paratha take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of green chilli?
- A pinch of chilli flakes per chilli.
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