Home style toasty Parathas with cottage cheese and blue cheese!

Makes 4 parathas

Imagine coming home on a frigid cold  winter day,to the aroma of these warm, toasty and yummy parathas ! Well, I am imagining with you too. Because in our home, I am the one making the parathas as my family walks in:) The delight on their faces says it all. And that is enough to make me feel warm and toasty inside….aside from having had some warm parathas right off the griddle, that is 🙂

Parathas are Indian flatbreads that are generally made of whole wheat flour. The dough is basically made from the whole wheat flour, water and oil. I add cottage cheese to the dough to add softness and for the  extra protein. Why not, right? Also the spices added to the dough make it yummy inside and out. I love blue cheese so I added a filling of blue cheese crumbles and served it with apple and blue cheese raita. I will post the raita recipe next week.

The parathas came out just as I love them- soft and luscious, with crispy edges around the circumference. Brush them with a little ghee or melted butter and serve them right off the griddle….serve them or serve yourself first like I did:) A warm and happy mama makes everyone happy, is what I feel. Don’t you agree?

Ingredients-

• 1/2 cup small curd fat free cottage cheese. I used the Hood brand.
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (medium hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon chat masala
• salt to taste
• a fistful of coriander /cilantro leaves, chopped
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, plus a few tablespoons to dust the surface when rolling
• water, if needed to make a soft dough
• 1 teaspoon oil. I used extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons blue cheese crumbles. I used Belgioioso brand
• melted ghee or butter to brush the parathas (optional, but super yummy)

To make the parathas-

1. In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese, turmeric powder, cumin seed powder, red chili powder, chat masala, salt and the chopped cilantro leaves.
2. Add the 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and knead to make a soft dough. Drizzle with the one teaspoon oil and coat the dough all over with the oil. Cover the bowl and set aside or you can make the parathas right away too.
3. Divide dough into 4 portions. With each portion, make a ‘cup’, add 1/2 teaspoon of the blue cheese crumbles and close the dough around it. Repeat with the other 3 portions of dough.

   

4. Roll the stuffed dough on a lightly floured surface.

   

   5. Dry roast the parathas on a hot griddle on each side until roasted and golden brown.They puff up as they roast!

   

   6. Remove from heat. Brush them with a little melted ghee or butter.Repeat with the other 3 parathas

   

Enjoy! May the warmth and aroma of this Paratha keep you toasty and happy this winter weekend.

Love,

Sandhya