I love parathas. I grew up on them. Ate them everyday, twice a day for as long as I can remember. Now that I am a mother, I am always looking to add more vegetables to our diets. And adding them to parathas is a great way to do just that. I make all sorts of parathas with pureed spinach, beetroot, methi leaves, and pumpkin puree. They are perfect for packed lunch for school and when we travel.I just roll them This is our go-to . Just roll them up and eat without fuss.I sometimes spread a little pickle before rolling. There are a few tricks to a perfect paratha. Especially when using a watery vegetable like zucchini. You need to squeeze the water out before adding the zucchini to the flour.
How to make Zucchini paratha
To make the paratha, you only need four ingredients: zucchini, wheat flour, salt, and sesame seeds ,if you like them. If you serve it without another side vegetable or curry, add ginger-garlic paste and ground spices like chili, turmeric, and cumin. However, I have kept this recipe extremely simple.
Step 1: Prep the Zucchini
This is the most important step in making these parathas. Wash the zucchini and grate it. Do not grate it too thin or too thick. You should be able to see the strands, but they must be thin. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and mix it up. Let the zucchini sit till you gather all your other ingredients. It will start to leave out water. Now squeeze the water out of the zucchini by pressing it between your hands.Do not discard the water; keep it for the next step.
Step 2: Make the Paratha Dough
Add flour, sesame seeds, and zucchini to a large bowl. At this stage, you can add more seeds and spices. Start breaking the zucchini and rubbing it with the flour. If needed, add a little of the leftover zucchini water to make a soft dough. If the dough is not coming together, add more flour. Divide the dough into small balls. Keep some dry flour on the side. Dip the ball into the dry flour. Flatten it on your rolling surface and start rolling with a rolling pin. Heat a pan or a traditional roti tawa. I have a cast iron tawa, which I have used since starting my own kitchen. Once the paratha is semi-cooked on both sides, spread ghee or butter. Cook until you see blackish-brown specs, like in the picture.
Serving Parathas
You can serve hot zucchini parathas with Indian pickles, butter, and a cup of yogurt or boondi raita. I love homemade mango pickles. Chutneys like my mother’s sweet mango chutney or this green chutney are also great sides to parathas. These parathas will last 1-2 days on the counter. You can freeze them and reheat on the skillet or tawa just before serving. I also like serving them with my crispy roast indian potatoes that I make in the oven or these crispy air fryer bhindi. If you love parathas and quick lunches, do try my ooey gooey, cheese stuffed paratha.They are super easy to make and extremely delicious!
