Methi paratha (methi roti)

Methi paratha are Indian flatbreads made with whole wheat flour, spices and fenugreek leaves aka methi leaves. These healthy, delicious & flavorful parathas are iron rich & make for a great breakfast or any time meal. “Methi” is a Hindi word for “fenugreek and “Paratha” is a word for “flatbreads”. So methi paratha are simply flatbreads with fenugreek leaves in them. While methi mean both fenugreek leaves and seeds, here in this recipe it is the leaves.

They are eaten with a chutney, pickle or curd for breakfast or a meal. We personally love these with a raita or just eat plain with some lassi on the side.

Fenugreek leaves apart from being nutritious, are also believed to help in the control of blood sugars and get rid of constipation. So it is ideal to include them in our diet regularly. In Indian cuisine we make plenty of dishes using these leaves like methi rice, methi pulao, aloo methi and methi thepla.

About this recipe

These methi paratha are wholesome & nutritious wheat flour flatbreads, flavored with fresh fenugreek leaves, spices and salt. With the freshest flavor and a perfect soft yet flaky texture, these homemade methi parathas are the absolute best!! Skip the store-bought frozen parathas and whip up the fastest and freshest recipe for these homemade leafy goodness.

In India, we make many different kinds of flatbreads for our everyday meal, among which parathas are a common kind. These are made in various ways, either stuffed, layered or plain.

These methi parathas are usually made plain and not layered. However my mom always made layered methi parathas for us so I make the same way as my kids too love them. In this post I have shown how to make the layered parathas as well the methi roti.

The main difference is in the way they are rolled. Also making the layered parathas takes a bit more time than the plain roti. If pressed for time I make the methi roti as they are super quick. Sometimes I roll these with jeera aloo to make rolls for my kids’ school. They love them that way.

These methi parathas taste great on their own as they are mildly spiced. They also go well with plain curd, raita, pickle, chutney, dal or any curry. If you have toddlers or young kids home, serve them with raita or lassi on the side.

For more Methi recipes, you can check
Simple methi pulao
Methi rice
Aloo methi
Easy methi paneer

How to make methi paratha

Cleaning & preparing methi leaves

Pluck only the leaves from the stalks of methi. Tender stalks are fine. Spray some vinegar and sprinkle some salt. Leave them for 5 minutes and rinse them well. This helps to get rid of the pesticide residue if any on the methi leaves. Discard the water and then repeat the rinse well a few times. Leave them in the colander and shake off gently so the excess water drains completely. You will need half cup fresh methi leaves for every cup of atta. You can use more if you prefer.

Make dough

1. To a mixing bowl, add

• 2 cup wheat flour/ atta
• 1½  teaspoon grated garlic
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or 1 chopped green chili
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala powder or ajwain powder
• 1 cup finely chopped methi leaves, chopping this helps to bring out the flavors in fenugreek leaves
• 2 to 3 tbsps fresh yogurt/curd (optional)

2. Knead the dough with just enough warm water. Start with 1/3 cup and add more if required. Add 1 teaspoon oil.

3. Knead to a pliable dough. Set aside for about 30 minutes. Resting helps to digest the parathas easily. If you do not have time, make them right away.

Rolling methi paratha

4. Divide the dough to 8 to 9 equal sized balls. Roll them to balls.

5. Flour the rolling area. Sprinkle flour over the balls.

Layered triangle methi paratha

6. For making layered paratha, smear half teaspoon oil or melted ghee on the roti.

7. Fold it to half. Smear more oil or melted ghee again.

8. Next fold it again to make a triangle.

9. Roll it slightly to make a thick layered methi paratha.

Toasting

10. Toast them on a hot tawa on a medium high flame. When you see tiny bubbles flip the methi paratha. Press it with the wooden spoon or with a kitchen tissue to puff it well.

Toast it on both the sides until lightly brown spots appear. Do not over cook they turn hard. Drizzle some ghee or oil. Stack the parathas one over the other to keep them soft. Also keep them covered until you serve.

11. Sprinkle some ghee or butter. Serve methi paratha hot with any curry or dal or chutney.

12. Roll it to a even sized paratha, slightly thicker than roti. Finish making all the parathas. Place them aside on a dry place.

Toasting methi roti

13. Heat a tawa, when hot, place the paratha and allow to cook. When you see the bubbles, flip it to the other side and cook.

14. Smear ghee over the methi paratha.

Stack to keep them soft.

Pro Tips

• Resting the dough for atleast 30 minutes makes super soft methi parathas. Also they are easier to digest as it works on the gluten too. However you can easily skip if you do not have so much time.
• Using a small amount of yogurt not only enhances the flavour of the methi parathas but also cuts down the bitter taste of the methi leaves and makes them more softer. However it is optional.
• Spices – use spices as per your choice. You can also add ginger in place or garlic. Green chilli in place of red chilli powder. Using spices is all optional and they still taste good if you serve with a curry, pickle or chutney.
• I usually pluck the methi leaves the same day I buy them and store them in a glass box lined with kitchen tissues. This helps them to remain super fresh if they are not moist and not in contact with water. This saves a lot of time on the day you make the methi parathas.

More Paratha recipes
Aloo Paratha
Paneer paratha
Palak paratha
Vegetable paratha

Related Recipes

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