Soya Bean Parathas

What do you like to stuff inside your parathas? This soya bean stuffing is a constant favorite of mine. The main ingredient in the stuffing is soya bean granules, quick and easy to prepare, with all the goodness of soya.

You Need:

For the paratha:

• Whole wheat flour (atta) – 2 cups
• Water – to knead

For the stuffing:

• Soya bean granules – 2 cups
• Onion – 1, finely chopped
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
• Green chilies – 1 or 2
• Salt – to taste
• Dry mango powder (amchoor powder) – 1/2 teaspoon
• Mustard oil – 1 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Coriander leaves – half cup, finely chopped

How To Make Soya Bean Parathas:

Preparing the stuffing:

Boil soya bean granules in a saucepan with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes. Let it stand covered for another 20 minutes. Drain, run cold water through it and squeeze the granules dry.

Blend the boiled granules along with green chilies to paste.

Heat the mustard oil, crackle cumin seeds and add chopped onion. When the onion begins to turn golden, add the ginger-garlic paste and then stir in the soya bean paste. Sprinkle salt and amchoor powder. Roast the mixture till the rawness goes away (5 mins or so). Finally add the finely chopped coriander leaves. Let the mix cool while you work on the paratha dough.

Preparing the paratha dough:

The paratha dough is made much the same way as for chapatis. Follow step A: Preparing the dough on that link, and let it stand for 30 mins.

Stuffing it:

Take a ball of atta the size of a golf ball. Flatten it slightly between your palms, use a little dry powder to roll it into a disk of 3-inch diameter. Hold the disk in the hollow of your palm making a katori (curved receptable) out of it, and with the other hand, press 2 heaped tablespoons of soyabean paste into it and press the ends close.

You should now have a ball of atta, a little larger than a golf ball, stuffed with soyabean paste filling. No matter if this ball isn’t a beautiful sphere – it doesn’t have to be – it’s going to be rolled out!

Rolling and cooking:

Dab some dry powder and carefully roll the stuffed atta ball into a large disk. Make sure that the dough does not crack and the stuffing does not spill. At the same time, at the end the dough should not be too thick.

When rolled, you should have a stuffed disk of 6 to 7-inch diameter.

Place a non-stick pan on the fire, put one side of the stuffed paratha on it. You can keep the flame high for the first two minutes and then set it to medium. When brown spots begin to form, turn it around and spread a little oil on it. Use a spatula to gently press the paratha so that it browns evenly. Repeat the same on the other side.

Take the paratha off the fire and press a tissue paper to remove excess oil, if any.

Your stuffed soya bean parathas are ready to eat.

To Serve:

The best thing about stuffed parathas is that you don’t need any other curry to go with them – yogurt and tomato chutney on the side and you have a complete meal. Try these stuffed parathas too: dal paratha, sattu paratha.