Recipe: Rajgira Thalipeeth | Amaranth Flatbread | Farali Thalipeeth
Rajgira Thalipeeth is a delish gluten free, vegan and healthy flatbread made from amaranth flour, potato and spices. In fact, as no grain flour, onion, garlic is used, this an ideal flatbread to enjoy during Navaratri or Ekadashi Fasting.
As a matter of fact, growing up I had known only one Navratri – the one that falls around the months of September/October. That is when we put on our chaniya cholis or saris and spent hours dancing. Mostly, the Gujarati style garba and dandiya. Apparently, it is when I entered the blogging world that I learned that there are four different Navratris observed and celebrated in India.
Event: Faral At Desi Bloggers Connect
In brief, Few Members of Desi Bloggers Connect decided to celebrate Navratri with Navrati friendly recipes.
What is Navratri?
In short, Nav means nine and Ratri means nights. Therefore, Nine nights are celebrated in the name of Goddess Durga. During these 9 nines and 10 days many devotees of Durga Ma observe fasting. While observing the fasts some consume one meal of fruits and milk only, some have no salt. While some observe the fast by not consuming grains, beans and certain vegetables, there are some who fast by consuming only one vegetarian meal without any onion or garlic.
The most famous Navratris are:
- Sharada Navratri is the Autumn Navratri. This is the Navratri that I tend to celebrate.
- Vasanta or Chaitra Navratri is the Spring Navratri. Generally, observed and celebrated around March/April after winter ends.
- Magha Navratri is observed around January/February. Not many people observe and fast during this time. However, the fifth day is important as Vasant Panchami is when Goddess Saraswati is worshipped.
- Ashada Navratri is observed around June/July. Again not many people observe or fast during this Navratri.
Incidentally, this year the Chaitra Navratri begins on 6th April. In fact, the celebration will end with Ram Navmi, birthday of Lord Ram. Indeed, the nine days are devoted to worshipping the nine forms of Ma Durga. Furthermore, these nine nights signify victory over evil.
Specifically during this time satvik food is eaten, meaning simple food with no onions, garlic, fish, meat, eggs, etc. In other words, some observe fasting without consuming cereals, lentils and certain food groups.
What Foods can be eaten during Navratri?
- Barnyard millet (samo),
- amaranth(rajgira),
- tapioca pearls (sabudana),
- buckwheat (kuttu),
- water chestnut (singada),
- all fruits,
- milk, yogurt, ghee
- rock salt,
- spices like chili powder, coriander powder, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, nutmeg, saffron, ginger, coriander
- nuts
- seeds
- vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, arbi, carrot, tomatoes, yam, pumpkin, bottle gourd, cucumber
Some More Amaranth Recipes:
Check Out What Members Of Desi Bloggers Connect Made For Navratri
Especially for this Navratri Fasting, I decided to make thalipeeth.
Almond Cashews and Peanut Laddu by Priya
Aloo Makhana Chaat by Sasmita
Amaranth(rajgira) and Sabudana Khichdi Cones by Lata
Creamy Javvarisi Payasam by Veena
Vegan Rajagro Siro/halwa by Jagruti
Vegan Lauki Kheer by Vanitha
What is Thalipeeth?
In brief, it is a flatbread which is very popular in the state of Maharashtra. Generally, multigrain flour is used to make them. In short, the dough is prepared by adding spices, herbs and patted with fingers on a hot tawa or frying pan. In general, the thalipeeth is smeared with oil or ghee and allowed to cook on both sides. Interestingly, it is best served with plain yogurt, a peanut yogurt dip, butter or just ghee.
Ingredients Required For Rajgira Thalipeeth
- Rajgira Flour – amaranth flour, ramdana flour, rajagaro.
- Potato – boiled, peeled and mashed or grated. Use potato that is suitable for mashing.
- Rock Salt – sendha namak. Usually during fasting table salt or iodized salt is not used.
- Fresh Coriander – washed and chopped finely. Use the stems too if tender.
- Cumin Seeds – jeera, jiru
- Sesame Seeds – tal, til. Use the normal white or black ones.
- Green Chillis – sliced finely or minced
- Ginger – peeled and grated or minced
- Nuts – use either roasted peanuts or cashew nuts. Chop them coarsely.
- Water – to bind the dough.
- Oil – usually for fasting use a vegetable oil and not corn or mustard oil. I prefer using olive oil or sunflower oil or ghee.
Dietary Tips:
- Gluten Free
- Vegan – if no ghee is used
Watch How To Make Rajgira Thalipeeth | Amaranth Flatbread | Farali Thalipeeth
RAJGIRA THALIPEETH
Ingredients
- 1½ cups rajgira flour amaranth flour
- 1 cup mashed potato
- ¾ -1 tsp sendha namak rock salt
- ¼ cup fresh coriander chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1-2 green chillis finely sliced
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- ½ cup peanuts or cashew nuts chopped coarsely
- ¼ cup water
- oil/ghee for shallow frying
FOR SERVING:
- some plain yogurt
Instructions
- Sift the flour into a big bowl.
- Add rock salt, cumin seeds, and sesame seeds and mix well into the flour.
- Add the remaining ingredients and form a dough. Use little water at a time. The dough should not be too soft or too hard.
- Heat a tawa or frying pan over medium heat.
- Have a bowl of water ready, and a wet small piece of cloth.
- Place the wet cloth on a board or rolling board.
- Divide the dough into 7-8 golf ball size parts.
- Take one part, place it on the wet cloth. Wet your fingers and pat it into a circle of about 4-5 inches in diameter.
- Lift the wet cloth with the thalipeeth from the corners and turn it over onto the hot tawa or pan.
- Let the thalipeeth roast for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn it over using a spatula. Let it roast for 1-2 minutes.
- Drizzle ghee or oil around it and cook till light brown specks appear on both sides.
- Repeat the above steps with the remaining dough. In between you may need to wet the cloth again.
- Serve hot thalipeeth with some yogurt, butter, ghee or peanut yogurt raita (dip).
Notes
- Add spices according to your taste.
- Use aluminum foil or parchment paper instead of a cloth.
- If you can pat the thalipeeth directly on the hot tawa then use that method.
- Use mashed pumpkin or sweet potato instead of potato.
- Add water in small quantities when making the dough as it depends on the potatoes how much you may need
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