Lachha Gobhi Paratha: Flaky Cauliflower Flatbread

Not all experiments pass muster the first time. A few go through rounds of trials before they reach publicly sharable shape. A few are embarrassments best shelved forever (I’m thinking of you, curdled strawberry yogurt). Lachha gobhi paratha, I’m delighted to report, was a stupendous success from the word go.

The idle thought of combining two stalwart recipes – gobhi paratha and lachha paratha – took firm shape while reading Pinch of Yum’s cauliflower gnocchi recipe. “If the dough works for gnocchi, then it must work for paratha…”

…and so this lachha gobhi paratha recipe came to be.

You Need:

• Cauliflower florets – 250grams
• Whole wheat flour (atta) – 1 cup [buy here]
• Ghee – 1 tablespoon [buy here]
• Salt – 1/2 teaspoon

• Chaat masala – 1/2 teaspoon per paratha [buy here]
• Sesame seesds – 1/2 teaspoon per paratha [buy here]
• Ghee – 1 teaspoon per paratha [buy here]
• Whole wheat flour (atta) – 1/2 teaspoon per paratha [buy here]

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• Oil/ghee – 1 teaspoon per paratha

How To Make Lachha Gobhi Paratha:

1. Prep the cauliflower

Break the cauliflower into small florets. Boil them in salted water for 5 minutes on high heat. Drain.

Squeeze out from the cauliflower as much water as you can.

Place the boiled drained florets in a mixie or food processor.

Pulse for a few seconds.

2. Knead the dough

Transfer the crumbled cauliflower to a large bowl. Add a cup of atta (wheat flour) to the bowl. Add half a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of ghee.

Knead it all well to get a firm dough. Sprinkle water only if the dough still feels dry after a few minutes of kneading – normally you wouldn’t need to, as the cauliflower moistens the dough.

Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Make the lachhas

Pluck large equal-sized balls out of the dough. Make the size of dough balls double the size you’d use for chapatis.

On a large chakla, roll the dough ball out into a large disk about 7-8 inches in diameter.

Spread a teaspoon of ghee on the rolled out dough. Sprinkle chaat masala and sesame seeds all over, top with some dry atta. (This helps to make the layers more prominent.)

Fold the rolled out dough like a Japanese fan.

Elongate the folded dough slightly with your palms.

Roll the layered dough sideways into chakli shape.

Here it is when fully rolled:

Flatten the “chakli”, let it stand for 10 minutes. (This helps to dry the dough out and emphasize the layers.)

Now dip in a generous amount of dry flour.

Roll it out with a gentle hand into a disk shape.

4. Cook the parathas

Heat a thick-bottomed pan.

Place the paratha on it, making sure there are no creases on the paratha.

Cook the paratha on medium-low heat. Gently press and rotate the paratha every now and then to help with even toasting.

When the side facing down develops golden-brown spots, flip it over and cook the side now facing down the same way.

Smear some oil or ghee on the surface facing up. Do the same on the other side.

Cook another couple of minutes on each side. Then remove onto an elevated surface – I place the toasted lachha paratha on a small katori facing up. (This helps to prevent the paratha from getting soggy.)

Continue to cook similarly till all parathas are done.

Gobhi lachha paratha is ready to serve.

Meal below: gobhi lachha paratha with mustard potatoes, pomegranate raita, mushroom masala, fresh onion rings. carrot pickle.

Notes:

Want to try out more offbeat recipes with cauliflower? Check out:

Also try other styles of parathas: