Matar Bhara Paratha (Green Peas Stuffed Pan-fried Flat Bread)

This shallow fried unleavened bread stuffed with green peas can be enjoyed with green cilantro chutney.

Ingredients:
To prepare dough:

• 1 cup maida
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• Warm water to knead

To prepare stuffing:

• 1 cup green peas
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp chat masala powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger or ½ tsp dry ginger powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 green chilies finely chopped

To pan fry:

• 1 cup ghee (clarified butter) or cooking oil to pan-fry parathas

Method:

• In a pan heat two tablespoons of the ghee/oil, add green peas and all the spices given for stuffing. Stir-fry peas mixture on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until soft; remove from the heat and cool it. Stuffing is ready.
• Follow Making Paratha - Method VI
• Put the maida flour, wheat flour, 1 tbsp cooking oil and salt in a bowl and gradually add water to bind the mixture into soft dough. Keep the dough for 15-30 minutes in refrigerator in a closed container.
• Divide the dough into 8-10 equal sized small balls. Flour a clean surface and roll each ball out into a circle (like pancakes) about 2-3" in diameter.
• Place generous amount of stuffing on one circle of dough and cover with the other. Press gently around the edges.
• Carefully roll out the stuffed circles into paratha, sprinkling whole-wheat flour on the surface, to avoid sticking of paratha with rolling pin.
• Heat a griddle (tawa) and place a paratha on the griddle. Flip the paratha when tiny bubbles rise on the surface. Drizzle a bit of ghee/oil on the top and spread well over the surface of the paratha. Flip the paratha again after few seconds and drizzle ghee on this surface too. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.
• Remove from the griddle and repeat with the other parathas until all are cooked.
• Serve with chutney / plain yogurt / pickle / aloo sabji (curry).

Note:

If you are not using fresh peas on the day of purchase, which is the best way to enjoy them, you should refrigerate them as quickly as possible in order to preserve their sugar content, preventing it from turning into starch.

Unwashed, unshelled peas stored in the refrigerator in a bag or unsealed container will keep for several days.

Fresh peas can also be blanched for one or two minutes and then frozen.

Do You Know?

Green peas are a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, dietary fiber, foliate and thiamin (vitamin B1).

They are also a good source of vitamin A, phosphorus, vitamin B6, protein, niacin, magnesium, riboflavin (vitamin B2), copper, iron, zinc and potassium.