Sweet Potato Stuffed Paratha
Makes 4 seven inch paratha
Paratha, rich Indian flat bread is good, but stuffed with spiced veggies it becomes something else entirely enchanting. They’re a little more work than the standard flatbread but are special enough for fun weekend breakfasts or the highlight of a savory brunch menu. Or just enjoyed as a light lunch or snack Indian style paired with a chutney or pickle and a side of soy yogurt.
3/4 pound sweet potato (about one 6 inch sweet potato)
2 tablespoon grated dried coconut
1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
6 fresh or frozen curry leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Lime juice if needed
1 recipe Basic Roti Dough
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1. Prepare the dough as directed for roti, then roll into paratha and stack between sheets of waxed paper. Try to make the paratha as round as possible and close to 8 inches in diameter. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp clean kitchen towel and keep covered until ready to use.
1. Peel and boil sweet potato in four inches of water in a tightly covered saucepan over high heat until tender and can easily be pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool, then use a fork to mash into coarse chunks.
2. In a large skillet over low heat toast the coconut, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until light golden brown, then quickly scrape from the pan onto a dish and set aside. Heat the oil in skillet, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the seeds begin to pop, stir in garlic, sprinkle with ground spices and add mashed sweet potato. Saute for one minutes, turn off heat and sprinkle with salt and mash the mixture well and remove pan from the stove. Taste mixture and adjust with more salt or even a sprinkle of lime juice if desired. Allow potato to cool enough to handle before assembling stuffed paratha. Scoop the mixture into 4 portions about 1/3 cup each and form into patties about an inch thick; snack on any remaining filling.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat and have handy the oil and a pastry brush. Arrange a paratha on a lightly floured surface. To stuff a paratha, place one sweet potato patty in the center of an unbaked paratha. Fold a portion of the dough towards the center of the patty, then repeat with another portion and overlap the previous fold. Repeat until your have about 5 or 6 overlapping folds and pinch the center together; the folded dough should look a little like a hexagon-shaped pinwheel (but it’s much simpler looking that it sounds). Gently flip it over and use a rolling pin to carefully roll out the paratha once or twice to help flatten it; be careful and don’t press to hard on the paratha to prevent any of the filling breaking out, but a little of the filling showing through the thin parts of the dough is okay. To continue flattening the paratha it’s easiest to gently pat it between your palms until it’s about 1/2 inch thick and about 7 inches wide.
5. Brush the surface of the hot skillet with a little oil and place the paratha seam side down. Brush the top with oil and cook on each side for about 4-5 minutes until dark brown spots form on each side. Serve hot paratha immediately or wrap in clean dish towels to keep warm and soft. Serve with any chutney or a side of plain soy yogurt for dipping. Paratha are best eaten the day they are made but they can be stored in the fridge for about 3 days and reheated on a skillet.
Variations:
If you’ve ever eaten in an Indian restaurant you’ll see there are so many variations on paratha. Have fun and make some of your own!
Replace the sweet potato with:
-1 1/2 cups finely chopped, steamed cauliflower
-1 1/3 cup mashed, well drained roasted pumpkin
-Use a mix of potato, parsnip and celeriac root
-Use the potato filling from Potato Cashew Kati Rolls
