Bateta Na Thepla (Spiced Potato stuffed Indian flat bread) or in other words aloo de parothe, or aloo paratha. Who doesn’t know about these beauties and whose mouth doesn’t just break out in floods of water when they are talked about! I know because I am writing this post just two days after making them and believe me I am hungry for some right this minute!!
Bateta Na Thepla is the name given to the Gujarati version of aloo paratha which is primarily a Punjabi and North Indian bread enjoyed at breakfast time all across India. The translation for Bateta Na Thepla literally means, spiced flat bread made of potatoes which can be somewhat misleading as the thepla are made of chappati flour in which the potatoes are stuffed.
Bateta Na Thepla is a Gujarati flat bread recipe where a spiced mashed potato mixture is used as a stuffing and then rolled in s slightly spiced dough. The potato stuffing is usually tempered in cumin seeds and other spices and allowed to cool before it is utilised. This potato stuffing can be adjusted to individual tastes and requirements. The stuffing I have used in this recipe is very simple and does not use onions, but you can in accordance to your requirements.
I know from Punjabi friends that in Punjab, aloo parathas are prepared with lots of ghee and then served with dollops of white butter or makhan as it is known. In my recipe I have not used ghee and butter, but the healthy alternative of olive oil. Also, I have prepared this recipe in the typical Gujarati style of tempering the boiled potatoes with spices and not the Punjabi style where spices are added to boiled potatoes. There are a few twists; I have added carrots to the potatoes as well as green chillies, a bit of sugar and lemon juice. The dough I prepared has been lightly spiced with asafoetida, turmeric with a small amount of sesame seeds which is the typical ingredients for plain thepla prepared by Gujarati’s.
This is very versatile flat bread, and one can easily prepare different varieties of thepla such as like paneer, methi, plain, chana dal, mooli and mix veggies etc.
Bateta Na Thepla can be accompanied with plain yogurt, mango pickle or even lime pickle. Add some masala chai and it’s a winner.
Important tips for making Bateta Na Thepla:
- By adding a little extra oil or ghee during the kneading of the dough will make the thepla soft.
- The mash potato mixture can be prepared in accordance to your taste and liking and you can also add roasted cumin seeds, rock salt, coriander powder, cinnamon etc.
- You can add other veggies to the potatoes such as peas, carrot, French beans, grated cheese and paneer. This will make your thepla more nutritious and you have your mix veg stuffed thepla
- It is essential to chop onions, chillies coriander, garlic and ginger very finely. I usually mince them into a smooth paste which prevents them from breaking the thepla when they are rolled.
- Mash the potatoes and other ingredients very well, there should be not lumps in the mixture otherwise it can break the thepla.
- To make the perfect stuffed thepla, the dough needs to be soft and smooth. If the dough is not smooth then it will be difficult to roll the thepla. If the dough is hard, stiff or firmly kneaded (not soft) then it will break while rolling.
- If you have used tempering for the mixture, then allow it to cool completely before you start making the thepla.
- It is very important to cook the thepla completely. The edges of the thepla will require additional oil or ghee for cooking. Drizzle some oil or ghee at all the edges around along with applying oil on surface.
You may not get it right the first time but don’t be disheartened, practice with small amounts and try again. I know when I first made mine, my dough kept falling apart but eventually I came to understand how each element comes together to make lovely Bateta Na Thepla.
Bateta Na Thepla (Spiced Potato stuffed Indian flat bread)
Ingredients
For the potato filling:
1 teaspoon organic cumin seeds
3-4 large organic red potatoes
1-2 medium organic carrots
1-2 organic green chillies (according to taste)
1 teaspoon organic garam masala powder
1 teaspoon organic cumin and coriander powder
1 teaspoon organic brown sugar
Juice of half a lemon
Organic olive oil
Salt to taste
For the thepla dough:
500g whole wheat chapatti flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon asafoetida
Salt to taste
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
2 ½ tablespoons finely chopped coriander (optional)
300ml hot water or as required
Method
- First, make the filling. Boil, steam or microwave the potatoes and carrots until they are cooked through completely. Peel the potatoes and mash along with the carrots ensuring there are no lumps. Combine well.
Mashed potatoes and carrots. Mixed and combined well. - Heat up some oil in a pan on low heat and the add cumin seeds, cumin and coriander powder, garam masala powder, salt, sugar and green chillies. Saute gently for a few minutes until aromatic then combine well with the mashed potaties and carrots and set aside to cool.
Green chillies, garam masala, sugar, salt, lemon juice and cumin and coriander powder added. - To make the dough, place the chapatti flour in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the salt, turmeric, chilli powder, asafoetida, sesame seeds and chopped coriander (optional).
Chappati flour with turmeric, red chilli powder, asafoetida, salt and sesame seeds - Make a well in the middle and add the oil.
Olive oil added to flour - Then slowly add hot water.
Hot water added slowly to knead the dough - Stir with a wooden spoon until it is cool enough to handle.
Mix dough with wooden rolling pin or spoon until cool enough to handle - Knead with your hands for 5 minutes until you have a smooth, soft and elastic dough. Add more hot water if require to achieve the correct consistency in the dough.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes for a smooth soft elastic dough - Add some oil to seal the dough.
Oil added to seal the dough - Dough is ready, so set aside.
Dough sealed with oil - Divide the dough into lemon sized rounds and roll between your palms until smooth.
Dough ball - Roll the dough to about 4-5” in diameter and place some potato mixture in the middle.
Dough ball rolled and potato mixture added - Using your thumbs and forefingers, pinch the dough together around the potato filling. Start at the middle and work your way around the outside. The potato mixture wrapped in dough should be fully enclosed with no gaps, holes or breaks in the dough.
Sealed dough ball with potato mixture filling - Flatten the ball using the palm of your hand and roll in some flour, covering the entire dough ball. Place smooth side up.
- You will need to roll the smooth side. Begin rolling the dough very gently. Ensure it is even all over and dust with more flour if required. Try and aim to roll the thepla to a ½ cm in thickness.
Gently rolled thepla - Place thepla on a dry but well heated skillet.
Thepla placed on dry heated skillet - Turn and spread some oil on the dry-cooked side.
Turned thepla spread with oil - Turn gently and repeat. The underside should be golden in a few moments, flip again and cook this side until golden.
Turned and spread with oil again - Once cooked place on paper towel to soak up excess oil.
Placed on paper towel - Repeat these steps until you have used up all of the dough and potato filling.
- Thepla is ready!
Bateta Na Thepla (Spiced Potato Stuffed Indian Flat Bread)
Serve this with cool yogurt, chaas, mango or lime pickle.
Best Wishes,
Krishna
Cooking With Krish 