A complete meal with beetroot chapati(beetroot flat bread)

The Indian flat bread which is popularly known as chapati, is made out of Atta or whole wheat flour, is made by grinding the whole wheat kernel which is full of bran and germ. It is a daily food item in every Indian household like mine. This time to make it more healthier, I made my chapati dough with grated beetroot. We all know the health benefits of beetroot. Beetroot are an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of manganese, potassium and fiber.
There are many methods of making this chapati. Some does it with boiled beetroot, too. But I think using fresh beetroot in chapati dough is much healthier option as it will retain all the valuable nutrients in it. I made it more healthier not frying it like a paratha but just brushing up a little oil. And the end result, a soft, red colored delicious chapati which you can just eat itself. I served it with simple chana dal and beet-gajar-er charchari(beet-carrot fry) from Sandeepa.



Ingredients :
Whole wheat flour/Atta : 3 cups, plus a little extra for dusting
Beetroot : 2 (small)
Black cumin seed(kalonji) : 1 tsp.
Salt : 1 tsp.
Black pepper/red chilli powder : 1 tsp.
Butter : 1" cube/ Oil : 1 tblsp.
Lukewarm water : as needed to bind the flour
Oil : for brushing

Method :

• Grate beetroot finely. Take the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, kalonji, black pepper. mix them well and then rub in the butter or oil finely. Add the grated beetroot. Squeeze out the juice from the beetroot before adding it and add the juice in the flour. Mix everything together.
• Now add lukewarm water little at a time and mix until you have a soft dough. Transfer to aflat surface and knead well until the dough is smooth and pilable. Cover it with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.
• Make small balls out of the dough. Flatten each ball by pressing them between your palms and keep on a flat surface. Dust with little flour and roll it out to an 7 in. diameter circle.
• Preheat a tawa/griddle or a wide frying pan over medium heat and place the rolled out breat on it. Cook for 30 sec. and turn it over. Now brush the top surface with little oil. Turn it over again and brush the other side with oil. Cook until browned on both sides.

For Chana Dal with green peas, you need :
Chana dal : 1 cup
Green peas : 1/3 cup
dry red chilli : 1
Bay leaf : 1
Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 2
Cumin seed(jeera) : 1 tsp.
Green chilli : 1 (chopped)
Dessicated coconut : 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp.(optional)
Sugar : 1 tsp.
salt to taste
Oil : 2 tblsp.

Method :

• Soak chana dal in hot water for 4 hours. Pressure cook it until soft. Add 1/2 cup warm water(This is a semi-liquid dal, so don't add much water-adjust with your quantity) to the dal and add little salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and 1 tsp of sugar in the dal and cook for 2-3 min. in the cooker. Set aside.
  
• Heat oil in a pan, when hot but not smoking, add dry red chilli, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds. When they turn brown, add green chilli and coconut, stir for a minute, then add the cooked dal. Lastly add gren peas. In Medium heat, let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Adjust the salt and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

For Beet-gajar-er charchari recipe, click here. I added a potato too to increase the quantity, tasted great with beetroot chapati. Thanks Sandeepa for sharing the recipe.
Sending this yummilicious red(my favorite food color) thali to Curry Leaf who is hosting FIC:Favorite this month, event started by Sunshinemom of Tongue Ticklers.