Healthy Meal Ideas | Healthy cooking with Mitha

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As my son is sleeping after coming back tired from school, I have finally sat down to write this recipe of Methi Theplas which are his favorite 😍. He loves variety of dosas, bhakris, parathas and his recent love is this Methi Thepla. ❤️ It’s winter now in Qatar and we have fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves growing in our tiny kitchen garden, handled very lovingly by my husband. Here are the tiny yet pretty and very healthy leaves 😍

These leaves are plucked when my son demands for Theplas and love how homegrown leaves have an amazing flavour of it’s own. Farm to kitchen lifestyle is really the best way to enjoy and respect food. ❤️

Though I also make Alu methi and methi dal, these Theplas have become more regular as my kids love it. It’s also very easy to make and hardly takes 30 mins from start to finish.

They also stay well at room temperature for few hours and remain soft. So, in case there are leftovers, they still taste yum when enjoyed later.

Do try this delicious and healthy variation instead of rotis or parathas and you will definitely love it. Happy and healthy cooking ❤️

Ingredients: { Makes about 7 Theplas }

1 Cup = 240 ml

1 cup finely chopped Fenugreek leaves/ Methi leaves

2 Cups Wheat flour / Chakki ka Atta

2 tsp white Sesame seeds / Til

2 tsp Oil ( I use coconut oil)

1 tsp Red chilli powder

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida

Salt to taste

Approx 1/2 cup water to make the dough

Oil or Ghee to cook the Theplas

Step by step recipe:

1. Take finely chopped methi leaves in a large mixing bowl (I chop the tender stems too along with the leaves. You can chop only the leaves if the stems are thick). Add sesame seeds, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, oil, hing.

2. Now add wheat flour and mix everything well. Add water little by little and form a soft dough just like chapati dough.

3. Now divide the dough into equal sized balls as shown.

4. Using dry wheat flour, dust each of the balls and roll just like chapatis.

5. Heat a pan and fry the Theplas, both sides while applying oil or Ghee. Cook till brown spots appear on either sides of the Thepla.

6. Enjoy hot Theplas with curd and pickle or even as it is. Tastes so yum ❤️

Notes:

* You can also enjoy them after a while as they remain soft for many hours. Hence they make an excellent lunch box option or to make and carry during traveling.

* Just pack them tightly in a steel box or a hot case.

* The ratio of 1 : 2 for methi leaves : wheat flour works well for me. If you change the ratio, it might be difficult to roll the Theplas.

* Remove thick stems from methi leaves before adding to Theplas. I add thin, tender stems finely chopped and you can never feel them in the mouth.

* Make sure to cook both sides of the Theplas well with oil or Ghee which makes the Theplas soft.

* I also make Theplas adding yogurt which is another method you can try. I make Bottlegourd or Dudhi/ Lauki Thepla that way. Here is the recipe : Bottlegourd Theplas

* For growing your own methi leaves, just sprout regular methi seeds and add them to soil. You can also grow in pots of you don’t have the space for direct soil. It takes about two weeks for methi leaves to grow completely once sowed in soil. I have shared the detailed blog on how to sprout methi seeds in this blog. You can check HERE.

There was a time when I used to make only one or two curries for our meals. But since few months, I have been making atleast 3 to 4 curries because my son is a huge fan of vegetables (touchwood 🤞). He loves seeing different colours on his plate and enjoys eating them too. 😍

Here is him holding his share of all three curries as soon as I make them. He eats them as it is at first even without rice. 😀

He’s only three years old and I hope this love for vegetables lasts always. In this plate, my daughter’s favorite is the broccoli stir fry. When I make it, she eats her matta rice gruel only with broccoli. It is super easy to make but tastes really delicious. ❤️

The rest two curries are simple Konkani style accompaniments which are also very healthy. Will share the recipes below. We eat these curries with matta rice gruel but if you make normal rice, you can add a rasam/ dal/ sambar to the meal. Makes for a wholesome, healthy and yummy meal. ❤️

Hope you all like this idea of mine to share healthy meal plans. I know how difficult it is to decide for meals each day and my aim is to make it easier for all of you. Happy and healthy cooking! ❤️

RECIPES –

Snake gourd Upkari | Poddale Upkari

1. Soak about 2 Tbsp of Chana dal in water for about 20 mins or till needed.

2. Scrape the skin of the snake gourd, remove core and finely chop the snake gourd. Keep aside.

3. Heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a pan, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, a sprig of curry leaves and a pinch of hing. Allow mustard seeds to splutter.

4. Add 3 finely chopped green chillies and soaked Chana dal along with chopped snake gourd and salt. Mix well. Cover and cook on medium flame till the snake gourd turns soft. Add very little water only if needed.

5. Garnish with freshly grated coconut. Mix well and remove from flame.

You can check the recipe for Snake gourd spicy dosa which I make with the core of the snake gourd.

Broccoli fry

1. For Broccoli stir fry, take bite size broccoli florets in a bowl and wash it well. Drain and keep it ready.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add the broccoli florets. Also add salt and pepper. Fry on high flame for few seconds. Cover and cook on medium flame till the florets turn soft. Sprinkle water only if needed. You are done!

You can also check the recipe of Vegetable Paneer Chilly where I add Broccoli too and my kids love it a lot.

Carrot Kismuri

You can check the recipe for Carrot Kismuri here – Carrot Kismuri recipe

Join me in my journey with a foodie husband and hungry kiddos while I make them eat healthy!