Mixed Vegetable Paratha with Edamame and Paneer

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Parathas are flatbreads from India usually made using Whole wheat flour and with/without stuffing inside. Aloo Paratha is the most famous version of parathas that are wildly popular around the world. We are taking this paratha to whole another level by stuffing with a bunch of nutritious mixed vegetable and protein rich edamame and paneer. They are soft, flaky and super delicious served with a dollop of butter/ghee, pickle and plain yogurt.

What vegetables are we using here?

I like to add colors to my paratha, so I add various kinds of veggies in there. I add onion, carrot, spinach, green onions, potatoes and as the name suggests edamame and paneer and finally, Cilantro/Coriander. Did you know the green onions grow back if you chop them off and let the roots sit in a jar of water? This is a nice hack from my friend Jyotsna. I let the green onions to regrow for at least 3-4 times before discarding the roots.

Some more vegetable suggestions:

• Kale can be added in place of spinach, it still tastes great and adds more fiber and nutritional benefit to the paratha.
• Peas can be added as well.
• Beets add more vibrant color, if you like that.
• You can add tuvar lilva like this paratha: Tuvar lilva paratha

What is Edamame?

Before we go any further, Are you familiar with Edamame? Edamame are immature green soybean pods which are high in protein and a perfect vegetarian replacement to meat. They are very nutritious and rich in fiber. Well technically, the beans are called Mukimame but edamame is the most commonly used term. Edamame pods are not edible, so I use shelled beans of edamame(also called as mukimame) for this paratha. You can get fresh edamame and shell it yourself or get the frozen beans from the frozen section and steam them. If you cannot find edamame beans, you can replace with green lima beans or simply skip this part.

How to achieve the best stuffed paratha?

• The stuffing should be dry and not sticky. I use a boiled potato to get the right consistency for the stuffing.
• The dough used to make the paratha should be soft. When you mix the dough, let it rest for at least 15-30 min.
• Do not worry if some of the stuffing comes out a little, its okay!
• We add red chilli powder because my kids don’t like green chili taste in parathas, but if you want to maintain the green color, add minced or finely crushed green chili.
• I use Instant pot to steam my Edamame and boil the potato, you can use traditional methods to steam and boil.
• I use a Cast iron griddle for making my parathas. They make my parathas super nice and soft and also super healthier to use than a non stick pan.

Procedure to make the mixed vegetable, edamame and paneer stuffing and then making the paratha:

First we make the stuffing:

• Steam and boil the edamame and potato. I use my Instant pot to do it together. In the instant pot insert, add a cup of water. On the trivet, place the potato and a bowl with frozen shelled Edamame beans. Do not add water to Edamame beans if you are using frozen ones. If you are using fresh ones, add a tablespoon of water.
• Set the pressure cook/Manual mode to 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally and let the edamame and potato cool down. If you don’t have instant pot, steam the edamame beans and boil the potato separately. Let them cool down.
• Drain any remaining water from Edamame and Transfer the beans to a blender jar and pulse coarsely.
• Peel and grate the boiled potato and keep it aside.
• In a big pan, add oil and chopped onion and green onion. Sauté the onion till its transparent.
• Add grated carrot and sauté for a couple minutes. Add chopped spinach and sauté till the leaves are wilted.
• Add coarsely ground edamame, grated paneer and grated boiled potato.
• Now, lets add the spices. Add salt, Red chilli powder and amchur/Dry mango powder. Some people add carom seeds powder or cumin powder, Its completely your choice. I add basic spices for heat and tanginess. Amchur provides the necessary sourness.
• Add chopped cilantro and mix till everything is mixed together. Let the mixture cool down.

Then we make the dough and stuff the paratha:

• While the mixture is cooling down, mix the flour with water and make a soft dough. Apply oil to the dough and let it rest for at least 15-30 minutes.
• Knead the dough really well and divide it into lemon-sized balls.
• Roll the dough into small and thick discs. Roll the edges thinner than the center.
• Take a lemon-sized ball of stuffing and put in the center of the dough disc.
• Encase and Seal the stuffing with a series of pleats pinched around at the top, kinda like a dumpling. Gently flatten it on a lightly dusted workspace with your hand.
• Dust the paratha with more flour as needed and Roll the paratha gently so the stuffing doesn’t come out.
• Transfer the rolled paratha to the hot griddle and let it cook on one side for a couple minutes.
• Turn it over and apply oil on both sides and cook till brown spots appear on both sides.
• Serve it warm with pickle and yogurt. Yum! 

Can we freeze these mixed vegetable, edamame and paneer parathas?

Yes, you can! They freeze perfectly and are a great meal-prep idea. Cook the paratha on both sides and let the parathas cool down to room temperature. Freeze them flat in a Ziploc bag separated by parchment paper. When you want to reheat them, just throw the frozen paratha on a medium hot griddle until it thaws on each side. Turn the heat to medium high, add oil and fry the paratha for couple minutes on both sides. They stay good in the freezer for at least 2 months.

Some more Healthy and protein rich paratha ideas:

Lets get to this recipe then:

Please try it and let us know how you and your family likes it! Its a healthy and different way of making paratha and I am sure you will love it.

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