Methi and Spring Onion Paratha / Thepla - Indian Flat bread with fenugreek leaves and Spring onions

Fenugreek brings remarkable health benefits! Its seeds, leaves(both fresh and dried) is extensively used in Indian cuisine.

Fenugreek leaves helps increase the good-cholesterol levels (HDL-C), the seeds helps ease stomach aches and I've heard that fenugreek helps new mothers boost lactation capacity.

But be careful not to use too much of fenugreek as they leave a bitter taste in the end-product.

Methi Parathas / Teplas

What you need to make Methi Parathas / Teplas -

Fresh Fenugreek leaves

• Methi / Fenugreek leaves/ Mendaya Keerai - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Spring Onions - 1/4 cup (chopped) - Just my addition, you could skip if you do not have them in hand! They do add to the taste though.
• Whole wheat flour - 4 cups
• Green chillies - 2 (finely chopped)
• Ginger (shredded) - 2 tsp
• Coriander powder / Dhania - 2 tsp
• Cumin + pepper powder (Milagu-jeera podi) - 3/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (Adjust to your preference, according to the hotness of green chillies)
• Omam (Ajwain seeds ) - 1 tsp
• White sesame seeds - 1 tsp (Gives added flavor)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp ( to counter the bitterness of methi)
• Salt - to taste

• Water - as required (~ 1 cup)
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Yogurt / Fresh curd - 2 tbsp

• Ghee - 2 tsp (optional)

How To Make the Dough -

• First wash the fenugreek leaves (shake off excess water) and remove the leaves alone discading the stalk.

• Take whole wheat flour in a big mixing bowl and add all the ingredients listed above, upto salt. Add water, in steps and mix everything together to form a dough.  Add yogurt as well. Keep kneading and bring all the flour together, adding water as and when required. Add oil towards the final stages and get a soft, pliable dough. Cover the bowl and let rest for an hour.

The dough is ready!

To Make Teplas -

• Flour a clean, dry surface, take a lemon-sized ball of dough and roll it into a circle using a rolling pin (also floured). Sprinkle flour in between to prevent the tepla from sticking to the surface or the pin. Repeat until the dough is all used up. The quantities given yield about 12-14 teplas. 

• Heat a tawa and place a rolled-out tepla on it. When the underneath surface starts to show brown spots (in about 10 seconds), flip it and press the corners with a flat wooden spatula. Flip again after 10 seconds and ensure the teplas are cooked well. Finish with a drop (or two) of ghee on each tepla for that enhanced taste! :-)

Store the teplas covered with aluminum foil in a keep-hot casserole.

Teplas are best enjoyed with Yogurt!

Serve with fresh yogurt (plain)/ curd. You can also make dal or any simple gravy to go with these. I can eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner (of course, not all 3 times on the same day, too boring :P ).

Theplas stay good for about a week. I used to make a big batch of these on Sundays when I had exams the following weeks.You might want to heat them up again on a hot pre-heated tawa (microwaving doesn't yield great results according to me, unless you're gonna eat it immediately) before serving.