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Thursday, 26 August 2010 05:16 |
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Thepla’s is one of the many comfort foods to Gujarati’s. If you are on a long distance train or even on a trekking trip and if you spot a Gujarati, you will find Theplas. Just as said, it’s a great travel food, like a baguette is to the French. You can eat it just about anywhere without any accompaniment and it gives you the satisfaction that you have actually had something substantial to eat. You could serve it for breakfast, in a lunch box with vegetables or to children rolled up as a snack.
Makes: 12 - 15 theplas
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup ragi flour
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup flaxseed powder
1/4 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoons chilli powder or green chillies chopped (optional if giving for children)
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
1/2 cup finely chopped fenugreek/methi leaves or spinach leaves or grated carrots
2 tablespoons oil + Oil for cooking the thepla
Salt to taste
Method
In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients, including the fenugreek leaves. Add the yogurt to the flour mixture and knead into a firm smooth dough adding little water only if required. Finally add the two tablespoons of oil to coat the dough and knead until it is firm and smooth. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes. Preheat the iron skillet on medium heat. Divide the dough into 15 portions.
Roll the portions into balls; flatten them with the palm of your hand. Toss them on flour and roll them out into thin circles to approximately 6 inches in diameter. As you roll them out, you can keep tossing the dough in dry flour to prevent sticking when rolling them out. Continue the same process of rolling the dough out with the remaining balls. It is ideal when you can roll out the all portions of dough before you can start cooking them.
Method of Cooking the Thepla
With skillet on high heat, place the rolled out dough on the skillet. After a few seconds you will notice small air pockets popping out. At this point flip the thepla and smear about ½ a teaspoon of oil and using a flat spatula and do a light pressing and turning motion to cook to the thepla. Flip to the other side and press and turn in a similar way. You will notice brown spots around the cooked thepla. Remove from heat and place on a flat plate. Continue the similar process with the remaining rolled out portions and stack the cooked thepla’s one above the other. Stacking them maintains softness and prevents the thepla’s from drying out, preserving moisture.
Note that the theplas are cooked on high heat and hence cook very fast; if you find the high heat inconvenient reduce heat to medium. Make sure you have your exhaust on or windows open, as cooking on high heat on an iron skillet causes a little smoke.
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Indian Recipes 
