How To Use India's Seasonal

Winter Greens

For The Best Paratha Recipes

Quick Summary

Blame it on the lack of sunlight or the warmth of cosy beds, but winters ask for comfort food. And in India, comfort is definitely spelt as paratha! Flatbreads made from whole wheat flour (like the Aashirvaad Shudh Chakki Atta), stuffed with a spiced mix of different vegetables, lathered with ghee, and cooked on a tawa – that’s the Indian paratha for you. And when the chilly winter winds come knocking, it’s time to stuff these parathas with seasonal greens and enjoy both vibrant flavours and immunity boosts. 

Deep Dive

If summer in India is for the gourds, the green beans, and the fresh cucumbers, the winter is for the leafy spinach and fenugreek, the versatile cauliflower and cabbage, vibrant beetroot, and roots like turnips and radish. They all turn up in curries, stir-fries, salads, and of course, parathas. In fact, India’s winter season offers the perfect canvas to experiment with various paratha fillings made from seasonal vegetables. If you, too, are wondering how to use India’s seasonal winter greens for parathas, then bookmark this piece!

Knowing The Seasonal Winter Greens

India's winter brings a bounty of nutrient-rich leafy greens and root vegetables like these:

Popular Winter Greens

• Mustard Greens (Sarson): It’s rich in iron, fibre, and vitamins A, C, and K, and the star of Punjab’s signature winter fish, sarson ka saag.
• Spinach (Palak): High in iron, calcium, and antioxidants, and used in palak paneer (cottage cheese simmered in a green, spinach-flavoured curry).
• Fenugreek (Methi): Packed with minerals like magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc, among others, methi adds a distinct taste to parathas and stir fries. 
• Bathua (Pigweed): A wild green used in saag and parathas, it is high in iron and calcium.
• Amaranth (Chaulai): Another nutritious green used in saag and regional dishes like gongura. 

Other Winter Vegetables

• Carrots (Gajar): Sweet and vibrant, used in both savoury and sweet dishes like gajar ka halwa.
• Green Peas (Matar): Protein-rich peas taste the best in winter, when they are fresh and retain their inherent sweet taste. Stir-fries bring out the best taste. 
• Cauliflower (Gobi) & Cabbage: The two are versatile staples for curries, sabzis, and salads. Gobi, especially, also makes for an excellent paratha filling. 
• Beetroot (Chukandar): Earthy and sweet, it’s loaded with antioxidants and brings alive any dish, from parathas to sauces and even salads, with its hue. 
• Radish (Mooli): A crunchy, crisp root vegetable with a peppery-spicy flavour, radish is a popular choice for stuffed parathas. 

Getting The Flour Right

Just like it’s important to know the vegetables that are in season (and thus, offer a fresh taste), one should also take care to use the right flour. Whole wheat flour is commonly used to make parathas because its gluten content provides the necessary chewiness and elasticity to hold fillings and develop flaky layers. Compared to maida (all-purpose flour), it also offers better satiety and slower sugar absorption. Aashirvaad Shudh Chakki Atta, in particular, is ground using modern chakki technology that yields flour with 0% maida and 100% whole wheat. It is prepared from selected whole-wheat grains sourced directly from farmers, and has thus been recognised as the leading packaged atta brand in India since its launch in 2002.

How To Make Parathas With Winter Greens

There are essentially two main methods for making parathas with winter greens. The methods differ in how the greens can be incorporated – whether into the dough or as a stuffing. The right method depends on the vegetable you use, but primarily, you can either blend blanched or pureed greens into the dough or create a stuffing by mixing the chopped (or grated) vegetables with spices, and even other vegetables, if required. In some cases, chopped greens can also be mixed with raw ingredients when kneading the dough. 

Once the dough is ready, the paratha is rolled (and stuffed, if required), dusted with flour and cooked on a tawa with ghee until golden brown. It’s mostly served with curd or pickle for a flavorful, healthy meal. 

Method 1: Dough-Mixed (Palak/Bathua Paratha)

• Prepare Greens: Wash and blanch spinach (palak) or bathua leaves, then blend into a smooth paste with ginger and green chillies.
• Make Dough: Combine whole wheat flour (atta) with the green paste, salt, and a little oil/ghee. Knead into a soft dough, adding water sparingly.
• Rest: Let the dough rest for 15-30 minutes.
• Roll & Cook: Divide dough, roll into circles, and cook on a hot tawa (griddle) with ghee or oil on medium heat, flipping until golden and crisp.

​​Method 2: Stuffed (Gobi/Mooli/Green Garlic)

• Make Stuffing: Mix grated or finely chopped vegetable (gobi/mooli/green garlic) with finely chopped green garlic, onions, ginger, green chillies, and spices of your choice (like cumin, coriander, chilli powder, salt, amchur).
• Fill Dough: Take dough balls, flatten them, place a portion of the stuffing in the centre, and seal by bringing the edges together.
• Roll & Cook: Gently roll the filled ball into a paratha and cook on a hot tawa with ghee until crispy and golden.

Popular Parathas 

Aloo Methi Paratha

A winter twist on the classic aloo paratha, aloo methi paratha incorporates methi into the dough while keeping the aloo stuffing intact. The result is an aromatic paratha where the green (from the methi) and the brown (from the cooked paratha) blend beautifully. The potato stuffing also balances the earthy but slightly bitter taste of methi. 

Cooking Tip: For a healthier version, you can also make just methi paratha and skip the carbs from aloo. Alternatively, you can also make aloo methi sabzi (stir fry) and use the leftovers as a paratha filling the next day.

Bathua Paratha

Few dishes scream green flag as literally as bathua paratha. Bathua is a nutritional powerhouse, integral for boosting immunity in winter, since it is packed with Vitamins A, C, and B-complex, iron, calcium, protein, fibre, and antioxidants. Blending it into the dough results in green coloured parathas with a slightly salty and earthy flavour.

Green Garlic 

Chopped green garlic is mixed directly into the dough to make green garlic paratha that has a fresh, vibrant flavour that complements the nutty flavour of the atta. The dough mix often includes herbs like coriander, which add a pronounced texture and aroma to the dish. This one is best enjoyed with a hot cup of tea in the morning. 

Palak Paneer Paratha

Similar to aloo methi paratha, palak paneer paratha is made from mixing blanched and pureed palak into the dough and using crumbled paneer (mixed with onions and spices) as a stuffing. This is a nutritious paratha, with paneer adding protein, and palak adding fibre, iron, and about 5 grams of protein per cooked cup.

Cooking tip: If you want to skip the stuffing, you can simply make palak parathas too. Or even mix the paneer into the palak dough to make soft, evenly flavoured palak parathas. Alternatively, you can swap paneer with other stuffings, like cheese. 

Other Winter Vegetable Parathas

Apart from the leafy greens mentioned above, the following also make for popular paratha ingredients in winter: 

• Gobhi/Mooli/Broccoli: All 3, gobhi, mooli and broccoli, are grated, mixed with common spices, and stuffed into the parathas. 
• Beetroot: Beetroot can be grated and stuffed or mixed into the dough directly. It results in dark, red parathas that can elevate any breakfast plate. 
• Peas: Peas can also be incorporated as a stuffing for parathas. Boiled or steamed green peas are coarsely mashed or ground, then seasoned and sautéed with various spices to use as a stuffing. 

Tips For The Best Paratha Recipes

• Blanching: For greens like spinach or bathua, blanch them briefly in hot water (with ginger/garlic), then shock in cold water before pureeing to reduce rawness and improve dough texture.
• Spice Infusion: Incorporate warming spices like carom seeds (ajwain) and cumin seeds into the dough for authentic winter flavour.
• Moisture Control: For stuffed parathas, ensure your filling (e.g., mashed potatoes, paneer, cooked greens) isn't too wet; drain excess liquid or cook it down to prevent the paratha from becoming soggy.

A Little Green, A Lot Of Paratha

Winter evenings can be for hot broths and soups, but the parathas deserve a spot in your breakfast routine. They taste and look good enough that they’re worth getting out of the cosy bed. And they offer enough nutrition and energy that you are set to start the day on the right note. So, this winter, get these green flags on your plate! 

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