Rajgira and Kuttu Paratha / Amaranth and Buckwheat Flatbread

In the recent times rajgira/ amaranth has made the list of superfoods. It contains a lot more calcium, minerals and Vitamin C compared to other seeds. It is called a pseudo grain that comes from the green and slightly pink leafy amaranth plant. Thandu Keerai is one of the names of this type of spinach.

This paratha is made as an upwas / fasting food. Fasting or not I love it as its a very healthy dish and its gluten-free, grain free, low GI and if you don't use diary then dairy free too. 

The dish is adaptable and you can add any flavours to it. Doesn't have to Indian flavours. elow I have given a few variations.

INGREDIENTS

• Rajgira / Amaranth flour – 1 cup
• Kuttu / Buckwheat flour - 1/2 cup (can avoid I add it coz it gives the dough some elasticity)
• boiled potato – 1/2 cup
• Boil sweet potato 1/2 cup
• grated carrot - 1/4 cup (optional)
• roughly chopped spinach leaves - 1/4 cup (optional)
• green chillies to taste (optional)
• cumin (jeera) – 1 tsp 
• fennel (saunf) seeds – 1 tsp (if you are using powder then take ½ tsp)
• Rock salt / sendha namak / salt to taste (since this is had when people are fasting they use  p particular kind of salt)
• ghee / oil for cooking

METHOD

• I've used a combination of amaranth flour and buckwheat flour mainly because the amaranth flour lacks elasticity and it gets very difficult to roll out rotis with it. You can avoid the buckwheat flour  but then be very careful when you are rolling the rotis out.
• You can even replace the amaranth flour with quiona flour.
• Add the potatoes and other veggies salt and the seeds to the flour and knead it into tight dough.
• Add a little water if required. Make sure you don't add too much of water. Allow the dough to come at room temperature as it will be slightly warm due to the addition of the hot mashed potatoes. Or you can add the potatoes once they have cooled down.
• Make a small or medium sized balls from the dough. Dust the rolling area with amaranth or buckwheat flour so the dough will not stick to your rolling pin and the rolling table. Roll the dough into a thick roti / paratha / flatbread
• Put on a preheated pan.
• Roast it till golden brown on the lower side. Turn it and repeat the procedure. While roasting just brush both sides with some ghee or oil.
• Serve the flat breads / parathas hot with yoghurt or pickle or chutney.

VARIATIONS: It is a very versatile dish

• If you like you food hot and spicy you can add chilly, ginger, garlic, pepper etc to the dough
• You can replace the amaranth flour with quiona flour
• you can add all vegetables / leaves of choice like carrot, beetroot, fenugreek leaves, kale, cabbage. (finely chopped or grated)
• You can add herbs of choice coriander, parsley, mint, basil, etc
•  you can other seeds in the mix like flax or sesame.

OTHER ACCMPANIMENTS: (serve with something tangy to get a balance)

• beetroot raita or potato raita or mix veg raita
• Chutney (my husband loves onion or coconut chutney with this)
• tzatziki
• sour cream
• dips
• hummus