Merry Tummy: Moong Ki Daal Ka Paratha :Split Yellow Gram Indian Flat Bread: Healthy Paratha Recipe

Moong ki daal ka paratha (yellow mung beans/split yellow gram lentil Indian flat bread) is so special to my heart. With it goes tons of childhood memories-ah those days! Even today whenever I cook these parathas, a walk through memory lane happens. Stuffed parathas such as aloo (potatoes) parathas, mutter (green peas) parathas or pyaz (onion) parathas were more likely to happen on a Sunday morning. While, moong ki daal ke parathe were happily welcomed for dinner; served along with any dry subji (Indian side dish) like gajar methi mutter, marwadi aloo pyaz, punjabi gobi mutter or bhindi do pyaza. Sometimes even simple pickle was acceptable.

You need to be simple here, simple things are tastier and the experience is satisfying. These parathas are more like theplas-thin and soft. Green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves are mixed with flour and moong daal to form dough. Later the parathas are cooked on tava/pan with oil; and then you have soft parathas with tiny bits of crunchy daal.

Moong daal as we know is a rich source of protein and when you are bored cooking normal daal or subji with it, these parathas is a good change. No boiling, pressure cooking the daal, just mix everything together and you are good to go. I have couple of friends who finds this as a great way to include lentils in their kids’ diets. Roll it up with subji, chutney, jams or pickles. Pack them for their schools, take them on summer picnics, train journeys etc.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups +for dusting, whole wheat flour

1/2 cup yellow moong daal

2 chopped green chillies

2 tablespoon grated ginger

4 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1 teaspoon fennel seeds/saunf

1 teaspoon coriander seeds/dhaniya

1/4 teaspoon turmeric/haldi

Pinch asafoetida/hing
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon oil+ for roasting parathas

Method:

Wash and soak moong daal for 30 minutes. Drain the water.

Coarsely grind coriander seeds and fennel seeds.

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric and asafoetida.

In it add washed moong daal, lemon juice, ginger, coriander leaves, green chillies and 1 tablespoon oil. Start kneading the dough. Add water only if needed. The dough should be medium soft. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat the pan/tawa. Start making the parathas. Divide dough into 10 equal parts and give them a round shape. Take 1/2 cup dry wheat flour in a plate for dusting. Take one dough ball, flatten it like pattie and dust dry wheat flour over it. Roll out the paratha.

Place it on a hot tava/griddle and cook over medium flame. When tiny bubbles starts to rise on the surface, flip it and reduce the flame to low.

Spread 1/4 teaspoon oil around edges and spread over the paratha. Flip it again and spread 1/4 tsp oil around over it. Press it with spatula and let it cook over medium flame. Cook until golden brown spots appear on both sides. Follow the same process for remaining dough balls.