Gujarati Methi Thepla (Flat-bread)

Thepla is a Indian flat bread just like roti, but spiced up and flavored with herbs or greens. This bread can be eaten as it is for snacking or served with simple dal or pickle for dinner. It also stores well for 3-4 days at room temperature. The addition of yogurt not only makes the bread softer, it also brings down the heat from the spices. Next time i would like to add minced green chili and garam masala to my theplas. Feel free to add your favorite spices and enjoy'em warm. And here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Chapathi Flour

1 tbsp Canola Oil

1/2 cup Plain Yogurt

1 tbsp dried Fenugreek Leaves

2 tbsp fresh Cilantro (minced)

1 1/2 tsp minced Garlic

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

3/4 tsp Salt

2-3 tbsp warm Water

 How to:

• In a big bowl with whole wheat flour, pour oil and mix well with your hands to incorporate the oil into the flour.

• In another bowl, add the yogurt, and mix together the fenugreek leaves, cilantro, garlic, turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder and salt.

• Now pour the yogurt mixture to the flour and start kneading gently. Slowly add water 1 tbsp at a time and knead to bring the dough together.

• Prepare a smooth and well-hydrated dough, smear oil on top, cover it with plastic wrap and let rest for 20-30 mins.

• Take a lime-size dough dusted with flour and flatten the dough with a press or rolling pin, meanwhile heat the tawa/griddle.

• Place the flattened dough on the hot griddle (smear oil if you want to) and gently press with the back of the spatula. 

• Let cook for a couple of mins and flip the bread and cook for another min, until you see golden brown spots on the bread.

• Serve hot with pickle or thokku. Store'em in a thermal food container until ready to eat.

Rawa Dhokla

Dhokla originates from Gujarat and served as a snack or breakfast. This is a savory dish with a spongy and porous texture, spiced with green chilies. Normally these are steamed and fried in oil along with the seasonings. But here, the seasonings are poured over the dhokla to reduce the oil consumption. There are different kinds of dhokla prepared with rice and dals, and the batter is left for fermenting. And here is the recipe for instant dhokla, so go ahead and enjoy it,

Ingredients:

1 cup Rava/Semolina

1tbsp Oil

1 pinch Ajwain seeds

1/2tsp Ginger (minced)

2 small Green Chilli (finely chopped)

1/2 cup Water

1/2 cup Yogurt

1 pinch Turmeric powder

1tsp ENO fruit salt

1/2tsp Salt

Seasonings:

1tbsp Oil

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1/2tsp Urad dal

3 Green chilli (slit and de-seeded)

2tbsp Cilantro (chopped)

How to:

• In a big bowl, add the rava, ajwain and oil. Mix well and keep it aside.

• In a small bowl, add the yogurt, green chilli, ginger, turmeric powder and salt. 

• Add the yogurt mixture into the rava mixture along with water and prepare a lump-free batter.

• Let the batter rest for 15 mins.

• Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a pressure cooker/stock pot and grease the dhokla plates/cooker vessel and keep it aside.

• Add the ENO salt to the batter and mix well. It foams up and makes the batter light and airy.

• Now pour the batter into the greased cooker vessel and cook for 15 mins with cooker lid closed, without whistle.

• Remove and let sit for few mins. Garnish with cilantro.

•  Heat oil in a small skillet, add the seasoning ingredients and pour over the hot dhokla.

• Cut into desired shapes and serve warm with chutney.