Lahsuni Paratha

This layered paratha is made with fresh crushed garlic.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 10-14 pods of garlic crushed (big size)
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chat masala or mango powder
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp mint (pudina) leaves
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cooking oil for dough
• 1 cup ghee (clarified butter) or cooking oil to pan-fry parathas

Method:

• Add 2 tbsp cooking oil and pinch of salt to wheat flour.
• Knead the flour into smooth, firm dough. Keep aside in refrigerator for ½ hour.
• Mix crushed garlic, chopped green chilies, chat masala, chopped cilantro leaves and mint leaves in a bowl. Add little salt and two tbsp cooking oil. Mix well and keep aside for later use.
• Follow Making Paratha - Method II
• Divide the dough into equal sized balls.
• Flour a clean surface and roll each ball out into a circle about 6” in diameter.
• Spread 1 tsp of garlic mix over the surface of the circle.

• Now roll it into a finger shaped structure (roll it like carpet). Coil this finger shaped structure into a spiral.
• Flour the rolling surface lightly and very gently roll out the spiral into a flat paratha about 5-6” in diameter.
• Heat a griddle and put a paratha over it. Flip the paratha when you see tiny bubbles rising on the surface of the paratha. Drizzle a bit of ghee/oil on the top and spread well over the surface of the paratha. Flip again and drizzle some more ghee/oil on this surface too. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.
• Serve with Aloo sabji and/or any other side dish.

Do You Know?

Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating back to when the Egyptian pyramids were built.

In early 18^th -century France, gravediggers drank a concoction of crushed garlic in wine they believed would protect them from the plague that killed many people in Europe.

More recently, during both World Wars I and II, soldiers were given garlic to prevent gangrene. Today garlic is used to help prevent heart disease, including atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries that can block the flow of blood and possibly lead to heart attack or stroke), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and to improve the immune system.

Garlic may also protect against cancer.