Topped with a generous amount of white butter, served with pickled radishes, carrots and onions on the side—and often with a bowl of creamy Dahi too—parathas personify a winter dream across India. As the fogs gently roll in and the days get shorter, parathas offer people across many parts of India—especially North India—with immense joy and sustenance first thing in the morning as the most delicious and culturally obvious breakfast option. Created with a balance of wheat-based dough, spiced veggie-based stuffings and fried to perfection, parathas are now popular across the world as a great breakfast option.
But, you might argue, parathas are made all through the year, so what makes them so special during the season of winter? Well, winter is that time of the year when many seasonal vegetables and leafy greens become available at their best. These vegetables are then used in myriads of ways in cooking everything from vegetarian curries to non-vegetarian delicacies—and parathas of course! Apart from adding a boost of seasonal nutrition, these veggies add plenty of deliciousness in the form of their unique flavours, colours and more.
If you are looking for the best parathas to make for breakfast this winter, here are some of the most unique and delicious paratha stuffings you can try out with seasonal veggies and greens.
Video Credit: YouTube/Kabita's Kitchen
1. Bathua
Also known as pigweed, Bathua is a green leafy vegetable that is found across North India during the winter months. The spiky green leaves are usually plucked from the bitter stems and cooked in myriads of ways to make everything from Saag to Chhole, making this one a winter favourite all over states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab. To make a paratha with Bathua, you simply need to wash, steam and chop up the leavy greens and add them directly to the paratha dough along with spices like cumin, turmeric and red chilli powder. Slightly green and delicious, this paratha stuffing is a must-have.
2. Mooli
Known in English as radish, Mooli is a winter favourite in Punjab ad other North Indian states not only as a paratha stuffing but also as an ingredient that is used across the board in curries, salads and more. When added to parathas, Mooli’s high water content and slight pungence can give the flatbread a delicious flavour and texture. One way to do this is to grate the Mooli and add it to the paratha dough directly, while the other calls for the making of a spiced stuffing that is placed inside the parathas and then rolled out.
3. Palak
Spinach or Palak is a must-have during winters, so is it any wonder that it should be added to parathas? Usually, spinach is washed thoroughly and then chopped up before being added to the paratha dough along with spices like turmeric, cumin, carom and more. However, while adding Palak as a stuffing for parathas, you must remember that the green leafy vegetable is quite watery and this can affect the consistency of your paratha dough too. So, the best way to add Palak to parathas is to steam the leaves so that the moisture is released more quickly.
Video Credit: YouTube/Hebbars Kitchen
4. Shakarkandi
Sweet potatoes are sold across North India during winters in the form of simple steamed or roasted street foods. But did you know that the humble veggie can also be used to make delicious, if slightly sweet parathas too? Shakarkandi, as it is more popularly known across India, is boiled, mashed and mixed with jaggery, turmeric, cumin and green chillies, and then stuffed into paratha dough to make these yummy sweet potato parathas.
5. Chukandar
More popularly known as beetroot around the world, Chukandar is known for its slightly sweet taste and vibrant magenta colour. Naturally then, it makes for a great paratha stuffing that not only adds to the yumminess of the dish but also gives it a vibrant colour. The easiest way to make Chukandar paratha is to grate the beets and add them to the paratha dough. Alternatively, you can also boil, mash and make a stuffing with beets, spices and herbs to place into the parathas. Whatever you do, don’t forget to pair this pink paratha with green chutney.
6. Methi
Fenugreek leaves or Methi come into season during winter months and quickly become the best ingredients across many recipes, from the simple Aloo Methi to varieties of Saag. To make Methi paratha, however, you need to put in much less effort. All you need to do is pick the Methi leaves, wash and steam them a bit to get rid of any dirt and excess water, then add them to the paratha dough with spices like turmeric powder, red chilli powder, green chilli powder, etc. Alternatively, you can also add jaggery to the dough and turn these Methi parathas into Gujarati theplas.
7. Gajar
Vibrant red carrots come into season during winters in North India, making the slightly sweet ingredient the base for everything from delicious Gajar Ka Halwa to Gajar Matar Ki Sabji. So, why not make some delicious Gajar parathas to start your day as well? To make this one, you simply need to grate the carrots and add them to the paratha dough. Alternatively, you can place the grated carrots in a bowl with salt and spices, drain some of the excess water and then use this mix as a stuffing for the parathas. Either way works and the end results are simply scrumptious.