Methi Thepala with Whole Wheat Flour (Methi /Fenugreek Chapathis)

One of my friend used to struggle to feed greens to her then year and half old son. She came across methi thepalas which her son used to eat at their neighbour's place, so without wasting time, she then took down this simple recipe from her neighbour and showed me how its prepared. Her son used to to eat this thinking its masala chapathi whereas the nutrition in fresh methi would reach upto him! That was four years back.

Now having my own 3 year old and 22 month old, feeding greens is an issue until its camouflaged into something else. This recipe came to my mind when I saw fresh methi, thinking hard how I could feed them. They eat it thinking its yellow chapathi, and now I have made it twice over!

Methi is good for body any day, but during winters especially as it is considered to generate more heat in our body. Similarly its a laxative(at my place I was fed Methi sabji post delivery for easing bowels) as well as induces lactation(aids in milk production for mothers).

Wiki has good amount of information and also mentions that methi helps protect against breast and colon cancer. 'Thepalas' as per my knowledge are prepared mixing the masalas or greens into the wheat flour directly and kneading it into a dough. Where as 'Parathas' are stuffing the wheat dough with our choice of veggies (like potatoes, radish being most popular) Thepalas dough is supposed to be kneaded with minimum usage of water and more of oil but I used water to knead it.

This is how I made it.

Ingredients :
1 bunch fresh methi leaves
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbspn oil for kneading
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ova/ajwain/omam
1 tsp jeera/cumin powder
1 tsp coriander / dhania powder
2 green chillies
1/3rd cup water
Oil

Method :
Pluck the methi leaves out of the stem, clean methi leaves under flowing water until its totally clean of any sediments or soil. Finely chop it along with green chillies. ( I used food processor to do it) In a big mixing bowl take whole wheat flour, add salt. Heat the oil till warm maybe for 30 secs, and pour it in. Mix in properly till all flour gets well mixed with the oil. Add the masalas, turmeric,chilli powder,dhania jeera powder and ajwain and mix well. Add the finely chopped methi and green chillies and knead with little water at a time. (You may knead using oil too )
Methi already gives out water hence use water sparingly.



Once you get well kneaded dough, cover and keep aside for half an hour.







Divide into equal balls. I got 9 golf sized balls out of the above measure.









Dust the counter lightly with dry wheat flour, dip the ball in flour, dust off the excess flour of the ball. Keep the ball on the dusted counter top and with belan /rolling pin roll out into chapathis...as in the picture.




On a medium flame, pour a tsp oil and fry both sides. Remove on a plate, brush some oil on top side of the thepala.

Serve hot with any subji of your choice or dahi/yoghurt. My kids like to have it with tomato sauce!!


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