A favorite gujarati snack bread. Sit in a long distance train and if you find a Gujarati, you will find theplas. Just as said, its a great travel food, like a baguette is to a French man. You can eat it just about anywhere without any accompaniment, giving you the satisfaction that you have actually had something substantial to eat.

Serve it for breakfast, in a lunch box or to children as a snack.

Makes: 12 - 15 theplas
Cooking time: 2 minutes approximately per thepla
Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoons chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fenugreek/methi leaves
• (dried fenugreek leaves called kasuri methi can also be used)
• 2 tablespoons oil + Oil for cooking the thepla
• Salt to taste

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and knead to a firm dough adding water only if required. The process of kneading with yogurt and the warmth of the hand can make the thepla dough very sticky and very soft. Add more flour if needed to reduced the stickiness and op of with a dash of oil to make it smooth from the outer.

Make 12- 15 lemon sized balls and roll them out thin to approximately 6 inches in diameter. Note tossing the dough in dry flour while rolling will prevent it from getting sticky when rolling them out.

With skillet on high heat, cook the rolled out theplas smearing about 1 teaspoon of oil on both side and until brown spots appear on the theplas. Remove from heat.

Cook all the lemon sized portions of the dough the similar way and keep stacking the thepla’s one over the other. This will prevent them from drying and also preserve moisture.

Note that the theplas are cooked on high heat and hence cook very fast; if you find the heat inconvenient reduce heat to medium.

Alternative Additions

• Instead of methi leaves add ½ cup grated doodhi/grated bottle gourd to make Doodhi theplas. This has to be cooked on medium heat.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve it as a snack with tea or coffee.
• Serve for breakfast with chevdo and some pickle
• Last but the least, serve it with a subzi of your choice