Methi-Matar/Fenugreek-Peas Stuffed Paratha with Grape Walnut Raita

tuffed parathas are really popular in India. They can be found on the menus of high-end restaurants as well are made fresh to order in road side dhabas. They come in different types obviously varying by their filling. I have yet to meet a person who does not like them, yes regardless of their filling. There is just something about them.

A stuffed paratha is basically an unleavened and pan fried flat bread stuffed with variety of fillings like spicy potatoes, peas, cauliflower, paneer and even with chicken. You can even find them with sweet fillings too. They are generally served simply with pickle, yogurt or just a little pat of butter... mmmm! It is a staple dish in almost all Indian households with minor variation in the recipe here and there. I remember mom often used to make these for breakfast and also sometimes for dinner with tomato chutney during winter times and it was always soul satisfying.

Hubby loves aloo paratha and my favorite is the one with stuffed peas. In this recipe I added some of the leftover methi leaves to my regular recipe of matar parathas and the result was fabulous. The sweetness of the peas with the flavor of methi and all the spices tucked inside the crispy yet soft bread was a total winner.

I chose to accompany my parathas with some raita. The raita below is one of my mom's famous raita recipe. The sweet tiny mini grapes with the fresh creamy yogurt and nuts is a the perfect side with these or any kind of stuffed parathas.

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Assortment of Raitas

To me, raitas are yogurt done the right way. I can literally live off of them. Raita is actually a generic name of yogurt diluted to a given consistency, mixed with seasoning and any chopped or grated fruit or vegetable or even boondi (small fried gram flour balls). The idea is to have raw yogurt the main component of the dish. Raitas pack the nutrition of yogurt without being the boring old 'yogurt' besides being refreshing, tasty and extremely easy and versatile; what more can you ask for. It is an Indian accompaniment and goes very well with spicy Indian food. It is particularly served with Biryani and spicy Pulao.
I make raitas almost everyday as an accompaniment for our lunch. It has the ability to jazz up even the simplest of meals and can be whipped up in matter of minutes (sometimes even seconds, no kidding!). I prefer raita any day over plain yogurt. Here are a few of my favorites -

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Methi - Paneer Biryani

Apparently fresh green Methi (fenugreek) leaves and I have a special relationship. Whenever I see a good fresh bunch at any grocery store, I always always buy. I buy as much as I can cook over the next several days without any of it going to waste. A couple of days ago I got two big 'ol bunches from our local Indian grocery store and have made a few things with it since. Here's the first and my favorite. 
The Biryani probably needs little introduction. What especially charms me is its versatility in the different variations you can make it in. This version with methi leaves gives the already exotic dish that extra flavor that combined with the slight sweetness of paneer and the texture of each individual grain of rice just gives a burst of flavors in your mouth.

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Cucumber & Carrot Raita Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Cup Cucumber

2 Carrots

1 Large red onion

1 tsp Mustard

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Dried red chilly

2 Green Chilly

1 Pinch Asafoetida = hing

Curry leafs

1 Cup Yogurt

2 tsp Oil

salt

De-seed the cucumber and finely chop shred the carrots chop the onion and chilly finely chop the coriander and curry leaf finely mix all the ingredients with yogurt and add 1 tsp of salt heat oil in a fry pan and add mustard, cumin, red chilly and hing add the curry leafs and fry for a second and temper the mixed yogurt and cucumber serve along with pulao or any rice dishes or can even be served as a dip along with corn chips...do try this and post your comments...enjoy...:)

I've also done a detail recipe video on youtube do post your comments and suggestions I would love to hear from you...:)