Methi Na Thepla - Indian flatbread made with fenugreek leaves

Dear Foodies,

I have received so many requests and emails to share some of the famous Gujarati recipes, so i thought lets start with one of my very favorite gujarati dish Methi Na Thepla translated as Indian flatbreads made with fenugreek leaves. The moment we hear the word Gujarati some of the dishes automatically are associated with it like Theplas, Dhoklas, Khakra, Oondhiyu to name a few. Being gujarati myself I have born and brought up in a household where theplas and dhoklas are made almost every week. I cant even imagine my life without them! 

These are life savior when it comes to travelling and shelf life. I dont remember a single vacation or a trip when we didnt prepare these. When had with batata nu shaak (Potato curry) its unbeatable combo! Even when I left for swiss, my mom had prepared 200 theplas , not that I eat a lot but lot of my colleagues had requested to get these for them from india. If prepared properly and refrigerated these go on for almost a month. Due to higher shelf life people going abroad always take theplas with them to survive for the initial few weeks. I make methi na theplas every week, they are very healthy, delicious and you can have them with absolutely anything curd, pickle, potato curry or jam!

Recipe Source: My Mom
Yields 10 - 12 theplas depending upon the size
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh fenugreek leaves finely chopped
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour (atta)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander seeds powder
1 tsp cumin seeds powder
lemon sized ball of jaggery
Salt to taste
Water as required

Procedure:-

• In a clean bowl, mix together fenugreek leaves, salt, jaggery, coriander powder, red chili powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder. All in 2 tbsp of oil and mix well using your hands for 5 to 8 mins until jaggery has disolved. The mixture should be oily. Cover and leave for 15 mins.
• After 15 mins, add the whole wheat flour in this mixture and knead into a soft dough using water as required. The dough should have consistency similar to roti dough.
• Make lemon sized balls and using a rolling pin roll them into circles.
• Cook theplas on non stick pan using little oil on both the sides. Make sure the heat is medium, if you cook them on slow heat the theplas will become very crispy and hard, if you cook on high heat they will get browned too soon without being cooked.
• Serve them hot with curd, pickle or potato curry. 

Let me share a very funny incident with you all. Back in school days we along with my cousins family visited Rajasthan. We visited many cities along with Jaipur, Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur. One day we were visiting a fort in Jaisalmer and below is the conversation I had

Uncle: Chalo chalo bacha log, lets get down and move towards the fort.
Me: Grrr..(We had skipped morning breakfast and it was decided to have it at the fort itself)..let me finish my thepla, i'll join u all later.
Uncle: Ok you can take it with you but I will not leave u in the car alone.
Me: Oh...pls ..I'll be fine
Uncle: NO!!!
Me: Ok fine..lets go
(Leading the way by my uncle we started walking towards the fort, I was busy enjoying my theplas which was rolled up with some lemon pickle...mmm just thinking of it got my mouth watering!! Behind my parents and aunt were following, suddenly uncle shouted)
Uncle: Be careful here, its marble flooring and someone has spilled water on it.
Me: I shouted back to my parents and aunt, be careful everyone the water is wet !!!!

Frankly even after i blurted out I still couldnt get it, my uncle came by my side and said casually "water is always wet dear". Hearing this everyone started laughing and I felt like why doesnt the earth open up and take me within :(( Till this date he teases me and I still cant forget that horrid incident!! But all in all it was one of the most memorable trip I have had, what a beautiful place rajasthan is, havent visited? What are you waiting for, plan your next trip there!!

This dish is off to Flavors Of Gujarat event by Nayna

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