Gobhi Paratha
June 21st, 2008 filed under Breads, Vegan
Gobhi parathas (stuffed cauliflower bread) make a great Sunday breakfast. This is my favorite paratha.
Makes 6 parathas.
Ingredients:
- Dough:
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 cup water (Use more as needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- Filling:
- 2 cup shredded cauliflower
- 1/2 teaspoon ajwain
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 chopped green chili
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (green coriander)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Also needed:
- 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour for rolling
- Oil to cook
Method
Dough
- Mix flour, salt and water together to make a soft dough (if the dough is hard add a little more water). I like mixing the dough by hand.
- Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly greased surface to make a smooth and pliable dough.
- Set the dough aside and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.
Filling
- Mix all filling ingredients together by hand. After mixing let the filling settle for about 5 minutes. Note: Shred the cauliflower using a shredder (electric or manual). However, do not use a food processor to blend the cauliflower, as the cauliflower will become too moist and hard to work with.
- Squeeze the cauliflower mix in order to take out as much water as possible.
Making of paratha
- Divide the dough and cauliflower mixture into 6 equal parts.
- Roll the dough into 3 inch diameter circles. Put the filling in the center. Seal by pulling the edges of the rolled dough together to make a ball. Proceed to make all six balls.
- Each ball needs to settle for two minutes before rolling. Note: If you don’t wait long enough the cauliflower mixture will seep through the edges when rolling the parathas.
- Heat the skillet on medium high. Note: An iron skillet works best. To see if the skillet is ready, put a couple of drops of water on it. If the water sizzles right away, the skillet is ready.
- To make it easier to roll the balls, first roll them in dry whole-wheat flour.
- Lightly press the ball on the sealed side and keep it on the topside when rolling. Roll the ball light handed in to 6 inch circles. To reduce the stickiness on the rolling pin or rolling surface, sprinkle dry whole-wheat flour on both side of the semi-rolled paratha.
- Place the paratha over the skillet. You will see the color change and the paratha will bubble in different places.
- Then turn the paratha over. Paratha should have golden-brown spots. Wait a few seconds and put 1 teaspoon of oil over paratha and spread the oil on the topside. Flip the paratha and lightly press the puffed areas with a spatula.
- Flip again and press with the spatula making sure the paratha is golden-brown on both sides.
- Cool the Parathas on a wire rack so they don’t get soggy.
- Parathas can be kept outside wrapped in aluminum foil or a cover container for 2 days or they can be refrigerated for 5-6 days (wrapped aluminum foil). To re-heat warm on a skillet or toaster oven.
Variations
Replace cauliflower with white radish (mooli), the method remains the same.

Hi Manjula Aunty,
Thanks for the wonderful website. I have tried many of your recipes, all came out well. I don’t know where I am doing wrong in this recipe. Even though I squeeze the stuffing real hard, when I am about the roll the paratas it becomes very hard to handle with(if I squeeze the stuffed dough, the liquid comes out).
Can you please tell me where I am going wrong here?
Thanks in advance.
-Vani.
Hi Vani,
Please let me know exactly how you are preparing the stuffing so I can help.
Hi Manjula,
Thanks for the quick response.
I am preparing the stuffing and I am keeping it for few minutes and same with the dough. I stuffed(before stuffing I am squeezing the stuffing) and make a ball and keep it few more minutes. And then comes the hard part, when I am about to roll….the liquid peeps out.
Regarding the taste I don’t have any complaints. The way you do it…it seems so easy but unfortunately not the same case with me.
Thanks,
Vani.
PS: Before grating the cauliflower I soaked it in a cold water and little salt for few minutes b’coz thats how we used to clean the cauliflower in India.
This is what the mistake I am doing here??
Hi Vani,
Try Without soaking.
Hi Manjula,
OK, this time let me try directly.
Thanks for the reply.
Regards,
Vani.
Vani, are you using fresh or frozen cauliflower? Are you boiling it in water or cooking it in any manner before shreadding it?
Hi Jaya,
Thanks for the concern.
I am using fresh cauliflower and I am not cooking it in any ways before grating it.
Thanks again,
Vani.
Hi Vani, I see your reply to Aunty above. You can wash the cauliflower, but don’t soak WITH salt. It is the salt that is pulling the water out from the cauliflower.
Hi Jaya,
Thanks.