Green Pea Parathas /Matar Waale Paronthay

Most Indians yearn for daal chawal (lentil and rice) after a vacation but I craved for parathas when we came back from our trip to Toronto and Niagara.  It might seem weird to some but I guess it’s quite natural to crave for something that you don’t find it gluten free in the restaurants. Parathas are a very common breakfast item in all the Punjabi households. I am from Punjab, I love this traditional breakfast and I can not lie. Although, It’s not something I eat every day, or even every week. It’s something I eat after months. Growing up, I had paronthay every Sunday for brunch with a generous dollop of butter, yogurt and washed down with a steaming cup of masala or ginger tea. It’s called Parontha or paronthay (for plural) in Punjabi language.

Since roti or paratha do not require strong gluten, it can be made using  different flours, in a number of different ways, and with a variety of stuffing. Depending on the location, people in each state sometimes use a slightly different combination of herbs and spices, adjusting to the local taste. The stuffing of vegetable makes the parathas  nutritious, hearty and simple. Parathas stay soft for longer time so they make excellent lunch box recipes with pickle, egg bhurji or sweet chutney. They are a delicious treat no matter with which accompaniment you pair them up. I can’t tell you how many great memories I have of eating parathas with  my school friends.

Peas paratha is very simple and easy to make with few basic ingredients that are always available in the kitchen. It’s delicious too, especially when cooked in desi ghee, but you can obviously make them using olive or canola oil. Desi Ghee or clarified butter is not that bad actually if had it in moderation.  I use ghee only when I want buttery flavor in the food. If you skip ghee and use oil instead it can be considered as a vegan recipe.

I made peas paratha with frozen peas. You soak frozen peas in a bowl of hot water till they soften. Then drain the water and coarsely grind. You can either blend them using a blender or crush/mash them using a pestle. I prefer to use  Cuisinart mini prep  or magic bullet on daily basis for light jobs like grinding masala for curries n’ll. The Pea mixture does not require any dry spices because that’s how my sister made it and I loved it that way. It gets its flavor from ginger and cumin seeds. But you can add as many spices as you want.

Even though this is a simpler recipe, it definitely does not compromise on the taste. It is mostly eaten warm with butter and yogurt. This time I made scrambled eggs. You can eat with anything you fancy, try mango chutney, trust me you couldn’t be any happier.

I am bringing green pea parathas to Corina’s Linky CookOnceEatTwice.