Parathas or flatbread mixed in with vegetables are very popular in my house. Any mom with growing kids would agree that adding vegetables in the roti/paratha is a great way to add more vegetables to kid’s diets. In my case, I have never needed to use recipes like this to hide the vegetables but rather make them often as they love radishes. They would beg me to make this radish vatha kuzhambu almost every week.
Why make radish paratha?
Paratha is a common breakfast or lunch/dinner in many Indian households. Add some nutritious vegetables to that and make it healthier. A great use for a good amount of radish. If radish is in season, this is a great way to use the seasonal produce. Mooli paratha is very easy to make, especially in this recipe as there is no cooking the radish before adding in the flour. This mooli ka paratha is kid-friendly. Even for kids who dislike radish, this paratha will soon become their favorite. I love making this for the lunch box. Since the paratha has spices in it, I can make it a roll with some green chutney and yogurt on the side.
Ingredients needed
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes. Some cook the radish and make it dry curry and then stuff the paratha with that. That is one extra step and time-consuming as we have to wait for the filling to cook and then cool down. I mix in the grated radish with the whole wheat flour along with the spices that I am using. This is similar to the avocado paratha recipe or the ajwain paratha where we mix in all the ingredients in the wheat flour dough and then roll. So if you are looking to make mooli paratha without stuffing, this is the recipe for it. Radish Raita Radish and spinach curry Radish sambar The trick here is to grate the radish and then add wheat flour to the grated radish and let it sit. The wheat flour will absorb all the moisture from the radish and then we can sprinkle just enough water as needed to make the dough. This way the wheat flour dough will be of the perfect consistency when rolling. Whole wheat flour - Indian chappati/roti/paratha is made mostly with whole wheat flour. Some might add a little Maida/all-purpose flour. But most of the homemade parathas are made with atta/whole wheat flour. Radish - I use the Indian radish or mooli or when I am shopping at the local stores, I buy the daikon radish. I have used both kinds. Water - preferably warm water as needed to make a soft dough. We won’t need much water as the radish has a lot of water content. Oil and/or ghee- we will be using a little oil to knead into the dough and more to make the parathas. I use oil mostly to cook the parathas but we could use ghee as well. Spices - I use carom seeds/ajwain, red chili powder, garam masala, dry mango/amchur powder, and salt. Cilantro or radish greens - When in season, I buy the radish with greens and use the radish greens as well in the dough. If not, I use finely chopped cilantro.
Step-by-step process
Make the dough
Peel the radish and then grate the radish using a box grater. We could grate it finely or slightly chunky depending on our preference.
Add all the dry spices, chopped cilantro, or radish green and salt to the grated radish. Mix them well and keep them aside for about 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes we will notice that the radish mixture has let out a lot of liquid/moisture.
Now add the atta to the grated radish and mix it well. Leave this aside for about 10 more minutes and then sprinkle very little water (as needed) and knead to make soft dough. I used my stand mixer to make the dough this time as I made more parathas.
Also, add about 1 Tablespoon of oil to coat the dough and knead it well. Leave the dough to rest for 20 – 30 minutes covered.
Make the paratha
Divide the dough into equal-sized balls and then roll them into parathas using a little wheat flour to dust while rolling.
Cook the mooli ka paratha on medium flame applying a little oil on both sides. Cook it until they are golden brown on both sides.
Serve the radish paratha hot with some pickles and yogurt. My husband loves to eat this with some sweet mango pickle.
Expert Tips
Do not make the dough directly after combining the grated radish and flour. Let the radish sweat out to release moisture. Make a stiff dough when kneading so it does not loosen too much from the moisture in the mooli. Dust enough flour and roll the parathas. We can add finely chopped green chilies for more flavor. I skip it as my boys don’t prefer it.
Serving suggestions
Mooli ka paratha tastes delicious without much elaborate side dish. Since the paratha is made with spices, we can make a roll from the paratha and eat it. I usually make a very simple dal-dali thoy with my flavored parathas. My husband likes to eat this with just yogurt/dahi and pickle. His favorite is any kind of sweet and spicy pickle like this apple thokku or instant green apple pickle.
How to store Mooli paratha?
Mooli paratha is best served when warm. I store my paratha in a hot case or casserole until ready to serve. Layer the container with a paper towel or a kitchen towel to absorb the moisture to prevent soggy parathas. These parathas freeze great. I store my leftover parathas layered between parchment paper in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. I often make extra parathas to freeze them to use for later.
Frequently asked questions
Other Paratha Recipes
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