Punjabi Mooli Paratha (Stuffed Radish Paratha)
Flavorful mooli parathas stuffed with spiced grated radish, green chillies and cilantro make hearty Indian flatbreads perfect for breakfast or brunch.
Ingredients
To Make The Mooli Stuffing
- 450 g fresh mooli (daikon) after peeling and grating you will get 350 to 400g shredded mooli
- 2-3 green chilli finely chopped, adjust to taste, substitue with serrano pepper or thai bird chilies
- 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves finely chopped
- salt as needed
Spices for mooli stuffing
- ⅛ teaspoon ajwain seeds
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder (hot), adjust to taste
- ¾ teaspoon garam masala powder adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon amchur powder or chaat masala powder adjust to taste
For Paratha Dough
- 2 cup whole wheat flour atta (plus ¼ cup dry flour to use during rolling parathas)
- 3 teaspoon oil I use avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- water if needed(we will knead the dough using mooli juices)
- ⅓ to ½ cup Oil or as needed while cooking the paratha
To Serve
- Garlic Achar
- Green Chutney
- Yogurt or raita
Instructions
Make The Radish Stuffing
- Using a vegetable peeler, carefully remove the outer skin of the mooli. Rinse it thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt, then pat it completely dry with a clean kitchen towel. Once dry, grate the mooli finely using the small side of a grater. We want medium shreds.
- Place the grated mooli in a fine sieve or muslin cloth set over a bowl. Press or squeeze firmly to extract as much juice as possible. The goal is to remove all excess moisture. Reserve this juice, as we will use it to knead the dough for extra flavor.
- Transfer the squeezed, grated mooli to a mixing bowl. Add all the spices, freshly chopped cilantro, and finely chopped green chilies. Do not add salt at this stage, as it will draw out more water from the mooli and make the stuffing soggy. Gently combine everything to prepare the radish filling, then set it aside.
Prepare the Paratha dough
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour (atta) with oil and salt. Mix lightly to distribute the salt evenly. Gradually add the reserved mooli juice and knead until a soft, pliable dough forms. Add water slowly as needed after you've used up the mooli juices. When kneading the dough, make sure that it is neither too sticky nor too dry. A sticky dough will cling to the rolling pin and tear easily, while a dry or stiff dough will require extra pressure, which can cause the radish filling to release moisture and make the paratha soggy or prone to breaking.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15–20 minutes. This resting period helps the gluten relax, and makes the dough smoother and easier to roll.
Stuff and Cook the Mooli Paratha
- When ready to roll the parathas, take a small portion of the rested dough and shape it into a smooth ball. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a small circle about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter while keeping the edges slightly thinner than the center to help with sealing later.
- In a small bowl or plate, take roughly ¼ cup of the grated mooli filling. Sprinkle ⅛ teaspoon of salt (or to taste) over it and mix gently.Top Tip: Always salt only a small portion of the filling right before making each paratha. This prevents the radish from releasing excess moisture, which can make the dough soggy and cause it to tear during rolling.
- Place the freshly salted mooli filling in the center of the rolled dough circle. Bring the edges together carefully, and pinch them at the top to seal the filling inside and form a neat stuffed ball.
- Gently flatten this stuffed dough ball with your fingers, dust it lightly with dry flour, and begin to roll it out again. Using light, even pressure, roll it into a 6–7 inch circle. Dush lightly with dry flour as needed during rolling. Move the rolling pin gently to avoid pressing too hard, to make sure that the filling stays evenly distributed without breaking through the dough.
- Heat a tawa or flat griddle over medium flame. Once hot, place the rolled paratha on the tawa. Cook until small bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then flip it over.
- Brush or drizzle a little ghee or oil on the partially cooked side, then flip again and repeat on the other side. Continue cooking until both sides are golden brown with crisp, golden brown charred spots.Serve the mooli parathas hot, accompanied by cooling raita, tangy pickle, or your favorite chutney.
Video
Notes
- Choose fresh and tender radishes. If you cannot find Indian mooli, Japanese daikon works well too. If your mooli is dry and tough, the parathas will not taste as good.
- Always taste the mooli before using it. Tasty mooli means tasty parathas. Even when it is in season, mooli can sometimes be quite pungent, and that can spoil the taste of parathas. Pick radishes that are sweet and fleshy for the best flavor.
- Make the radish filling first. And salt the filling right before you stuff the each paratha. Salt the filling individually for each paratha. This prevents the radish filling from getting watery and your parathas won't tear.
- Do not discard the mooli juice you collect. We will use it when kneading the dough. Remember, I said we are not letting anything go to waste.
- Read the blog post for additional tips and tricks.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!