What is Mooli Paratha ?
Paratha is an unleavened style of Indian flatbread and when you stuf it with grated white radish/ daikon radish, it is called Mooli Paratha. Unlike Aloo Paratha, Mooli Paratha is little tricky as mooli/ daikon radish is a water content vegetable and if you do not follow the right steps, the filling will burst out turning into a soggy mess. I am saying this from my experience. Stuffed Paratha is a very comforting winter food, and if this is your first time tying, definitely go with Aloo paratha or paneer paratha. Having said that, if you follow all the steps I am mentioning here, your mooli paratha will turn out delicious, and it will be effortless to prepare.
Ingredient List:
Daikon Radish: In India white radish/ daikon radish is very popular but the variety we get there are very tender as compared to what you see in Asian store. Daikon Radish has a peppery pungent flavor which can be a little difficult for some people to enjoy but with all the spices that goes along, it lands up tasting amazing and the strong pungent taste mellow down. Whole Wheat Flour: Regular everyday Paratha and stuffed paratha is always prepared using whole wheat flour and not all purpose flour. You can definitely mix it up, but traditionally it is only prepared with whole wheat flour. Spices: Every family has their own choice of spices that they add, and there is no right or wrong. I like to add carom seeds, cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder, chopped cilantro leaves, chopped green chili, dried pomegranate seeds powder (anar dana) and aam chur (dry mango powder) Ghee: Stuffed paratha is often prepared with ghee as it not only adds the richness but also enhances the flavor. You can definitely prepare mooli paratha with oil too.
Steps to prepare:
There are two set of steps involved in making stuffed paratha. You have to make the paratha dough and you have to make the filling. Then you stuff the filling in the paratha dough to prepare the stuffed paratha. 3. Pour a little oil on the soft dough and leave it covered for 30 minutes for the dough to relax and turn pliable.
Prepare the filling:
- While the dough rests, prepare the filling. Daikon Radish as a lot of water content, and the first step is to peel and grate the daikon radish.
- Sprinkle a little salt on the grated daikon radish and leave aside for 30 minutes. The salt will help to release all the moisture. Then you squeeze out all the excess water as much as you can and place the grated radish in a sperate bowl.
- Sprinkle all the spices, chopped chili, chopped cilantro leaves and give it a mix. Now that the filling is ready, and the dough is well rested, let’s prepare the paratha!
- Divide the dough balls into equal portions or small dumplings. And using both the hands or rolling pin, flatten out the small dumplings. As you do this step, remember to always thin out the outer edges more than the center.
- Place the filling in the center and try not to over fill.
- This step can be a little difficult for beginners. You want to gently bring the edges together to seal it tight. As you do so, keep rotating. This long video of Paneer Paratha explains this step very nicely.
- The last step is to roll out the stuffed dumpling evenly. You will need to dust a little flour as you roll the dough, and you might notice that the flour might tear a little bit here and there, and that’s pretty normal with Mooli Paratha. When you cook the paratha in a flat skillet, make sure the skillet is warm and drizzle ghee or oil as you cook the paratha. Any stuffed paratha tastes best when served warm right after making it.
Recipe Video
How to serve Mooli Paratha
Mooli Paratha is oftened served for breakfast or lazy weekend brunch. I personally don’t mind it for The simplest way to enjoy any stuffed paratha is with some fresh butter, yogurt and Indian pickle of your choice. The homemade fresh butter you will love to pair with any stuffed paratha. You will definitely enjoy it with Amm Ka Achaar or Garlic Achaar
