You’ve landed in the right place! There’s nothing like the smoky waft of ghee-sizzled Punjabi Mooli Paratha as it seeps through a cracked-open window of a loved-one’s home. It’s the equivalent of Charlie Bucket peering through the glass of Bill’s Candy Shop in the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The aromas are so inviting you can’t help but meander in for a sneaky peek at the goods on offer. The marvellous surprises that await inside are not Wonka’s Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delights and Golden Ticket-clad chocolate bars. We’re talking spicy radish-stuffed flatbreads from the land of Punjab, the bread basket of India. I’ll pick savoury over sweet any day!
What are Punjabi Mooli Paratha?
Punjabi Mooli Paratha are an unleavened style of Indian flatbread with a peppery filling of white radish, also known as Daikon. The Mooli Paratha are cooked on a flat griddle with a liberal lick of ghee until they’re crispy on the outside. I also like to add lots of freshly-grated ginger, chillies and a handful of spices. These are some of the most flavoursome parathas you’ll ever eat.
This simple recipe, reminiscent of Punjabi homestyle Mooli Paratha is:
Light and crispy Simple to make Perfect for breakfast or lunch Vegetarian No-fail method for rolling
How to make Paratha dough
My foolproof recipe for homemade stuffed paratha dough is so simple and produces a bread that is crispy, with a toasty flavour. This is due to the addition of gram flour (besan), which is made from chickpeas. The dough is stretchy and encases all kinds of paratha fillings beautifully. In a large bowl or thali, mix together the wholewheat atta (chapati flour), gram flour and salt. Make a well in the centre and gradually add the water. Use your hands to bring the mixture together. Once it starts looking like a shaggy mixture and more like a dough, knead for 3-4 minutes. Add the oil and continue to knead for a further 2 minutes until smooth and soft. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes.
How to prepare Mooli (radish) for paratha
Here’s a quick and simple method for preparing your fresh mooli (radish/daikon). You can buy these beautiful white radishes in large supermarkets, in Asian grocers, or at your local fruit and veg market stall.
3 methods for rolling Paratha
There are three ways of making stuffed paratha. Each method yields a delicious, crispy finish so the choice is yours. These are the three options you have for making your paratha.
Tips for making Punjabi Mooli Paratha
Squeeze as much water out of the mooli (radish) before you add the spices. Grate the mooli, place it in a bowl, add some salt and mix well. Allow the grated mooli to sit for 10 minutes and then squeeze out as much water as possible. You can put this water to good use by adding it to the measured amount of water required in this Mooli Paratha recipe. Zero waste. Go heavy on the spices. The filling mixture should have lots of flavour, since the dough itself is plain. It might taste quite strong when you try it raw but trust me, this will produce delicious parathas. Knead, and then allow the dough to rest for at least 15-20 minutes (covered). This is really important and gives the gluten in the dough time to relax so you can roll it easily. Remember that with Mooli Paratha, the filling is bound to peek through the dough as you roll. Adding raw mooli gives the paratha a much more flavour than if you were to cook it first. With this in mind, the parathas will not rise up like a balloon, as they do in my Aloo Paratha recipe. Brush with ghee or oil as you cook the Mooli Paratha. I like to dry toast both sides first as the parathas brown better this way.
How to serve Mooli Paratha
For breakfast and lunch
Alongside spicy achar (pickle), dahi (plain yoghurt) and chai (masala tea), you have the ultimate Punjabi breakfast. A dollop of makhan (white butter) is the perfect finish for any paratha, including this recipe for Mooli Paratha.
For dinner
While some may argue that homemade Mooli Paratha pair best with breakfast items like pickles and yoghurt, I love them with daal. Thick, luscious Punjabi dhaba-style (cafe style) daals, topped with melting butter, alongside a cold, salty Lassi. Bliss. If you’ve never tried Mooli Paratha with Daal Makhani, Moong Daal or Channa Daal, you’re in for a real treat.
More delicious Indian bread recipes
Aloo Paratha Paneer Kulcha Garlic & Cheese Naan Soft Roti Spinach Roti Poori Peshwari Naan
Punjabi Mooli Paratha recipe | How to make Punjabi Mooli Paratha
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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Aloo Paratha
Love Sanjana
For vegan Mooli Paratha, simply switch the ghee for oil when cooking.
Freeze cooked Mooli Paratha in a stack, wrapped well in cling film and aluminium foil for up to 3 months. Place sheets of baking parchment between each paratha so they don’t stick together. Reheat from frozen, in a pre-heated frying pan or tawa. No need to thaw.
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