Veggie Meets Flour: 7 Vegetables To Add To

Khapli Wheat Rotis

To Boost Nutritional Value

Khapli Wheat Rotis: Nutritional Composition

Khapli wheat, or emmer, is a high-fibre ancient grain popular in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Khapli atta is a flour made from emmer wheat that promotes digestion and improved satiety. It also has a low glycemic index (ideal for diabetics) and a nutty, rustic flavour. It can be incorporated into rotis, baked goods, and even savoury snacks. With brands like Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta providing high-quality flour, it’s become easier to incorporate it into daily consumption. 

Khapli Weat Nutritional Value per 100g*

• Calories: 340

• Protein: 13.2g

• Carbohydrates: 71.2g

• Dietary Fibre: 12.2g

• Sugars: 0.4g

• Fat: 2.5g

• Iron: 3.9mg

• Magnesium: 138mg

• Phosphorus: 346mg

• Zinc: 2.8mg

• Vitamin B6: 0.3mg

• Folate: 44mcg

*as per Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta

A quick look at the nutritional composition shows why khapli wheat is regarded as a nutrient-dense flour. Integrating vegetables into the dough can further boost the nutritional profile of the rotis. But not every vegetable can be grated and kneaded into the dough. Here are the ones to consider.

Beetroot

Beetroot is one of the more popular vegetables in the kitchen because it has a sweet, earthy taste and adds a rounded, red hue to most dishes. Both features make it a hit among kids and adults alike. And then you have the nutritional benefits, especially for heart health – it can help lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and support liver detoxification. 

Adding beetroot to khapli wheat: 

• Method: Peel and finely grate or puree beetroot. Add directly to khapli atta and knead into a soft dough, reducing added water. Rest for 10–15 minutes before rolling.

• Tips to keep in mind: Reduce the water added when kneading, as beetroot releases moisture. Also, grate finely or use purée for even rolling.

• Nutritional Value (per 100g beetroot):

  • Calories: ~43 kcal

  • Fibre: ~2.8 g

  • Folate (B9): ~109 mcg

  • Potassium: ~325 mg

Bottle Gourd (Lauki)

This light-green, cylindrical gourd might look simple, but it is a nutritional powerhouse with exceptional culinary versatility. Because of a mildly sweet, almost neutral taste, lauki acts as a canvas in curries and doughs alike – absorbing the spices, herbs, and other ingredients it’s mixed with. It’s also 90% water, which makes it nutrient-dense, but yields low-calorie rotis (with the flour supplying most of the calories). 

Adding lauki to khapli wheat: 

• Method: Peel and finely grate lauki. Lightly squeeze excess water, then mix into atta and knead with minimal added water. Rest before rolling.

• Tips to keep in mind: Do not over-squeeze; some moisture is needed when kneading. Avoid adding extra water initially; only add if the dough feels too dry. 

• Nutritional Value (per 100g lauki):

  • Calories: ~14 kcal

  • Water content: ~92%

  • Fibre: ~0.5–1 g

  • Vitamin C: ~10 mg

Spinach (Palak)

You don’t have to be Popeye and fall in love with spinach, but a healthy addition of this leafy green in your weekly meals can do wonders for your health. And help children get their greens. Plus, the green-hued rotis can actually be an exciting change from the usual, pale brown or beige rotis. Spinach is healthy, fibre-rich, and a good source of iron, vitamins, and antioxidants. Pureed spinach also keeps the rotis exceptionally soft and moist. 

Adding spinach to khapli wheat: 

• Method: Wash and finely chop or blanch and purée spinach. Add to atta and knead into a dough, adjusting water. Rest before rolling.

• Tips to keep in mind: Squeeze excess water after blanching and chop finely to prevent tearing while rolling. 

• Nutritional Value (per 100g spinach):

  • Calories: ~23 kcal

  • Iron: ~2.7 mg

  • Calcium: ~99 mg

  • Fibre: ~2.2 g

Methi

Another leafy green, methi, has a more dominant flavour than spinach (which is milder, more neutral). It’s distinctively bitter, pungent, and aromatic, providing a savoury depth to most dishes, including the humble roti that gets an intense, flavourful upgrade with methi. 

Adding methi to khapli wheat:

• Method: Wash and finely chop fresh methi leaves. Add directly to khapli atta and knead into a dough, adjusting water as needed. Rest for 10–15 minutes before rolling.

• Tips to keep in mind: Use fresh, tender leaves to avoid bitterness. Do not add excess water as methi releases slight moisture. 

• Nutritional Value (per 100g methi leaves):

  • Calories: ~49 kcal

  • Fibre: ~4 g

  • Iron: ~5.3 mg

  • Calcium: ~395 mg

Carrot

You don’t have to be a bunny to love carrots. You just have to realise how easily and effectively this vitamin-rich root vegetable can be integrated into your regular meals — chop it into stir-fries like gajar matar, grate it into desserts like cakes and halwa, and integrate it into khapli atta for soft, moist, and slightly sweet flatbreads. 

Adding carrot to khapli wheat:

• Method: Peel and finely grate the carrot. Add directly to khapli atta and knead into a soft dough, adjusting water as needed. Rest for 10–15 minutes before rolling.

• Tips to keep in mind: Grate the carrot finely to avoid tearing while rolling.

• Nutritional Value (per 100g carrot):

  • Calories: ~41 kcal

  • Fibre: ~2.8 g

  • Vitamin A: ~835 mcg

  • Potassium: ~320 mg

Sweet Potato

If you’re looking for a meal-like, filling roti touched with sweet satiety, add sweet potato to khapli atta. It lends a slight natural sweetness to the dough, without needing any other ingredients. It’s also one of the more underrated uses of this starchy vegetable, perfect for experimental cooks or those looking to impress guests. 

Adding sweet potato to khapli wheat: 

• Method: Boil, peel, and mash sweet potato. Mix into atta and knead into a soft dough, using little to no additional water. Rest before rolling.

• Tips to keep in mind: Reduce the water significantly (sweet potato adds bulk and moisture) when kneading. Be careful not to over-add, or the dough becomes too soft.

• Nutritional Value (per 100 g sweet potato):

  • Calories: ~86 kcal

  • Fibre: ~3 g

  • Vitamin A: ~709 mcg

  • Potassium: ~337 mg

Cabbage (Patta Gobhi)

Patta gobhi can, at times, be shifted to the sidelines in lieu of cauliflower, other greens, or even gourds. But this watery vegetable adds just the right amount of fibre and crunch to your rotis. It’s also one of the more cost-effective ways to improve the texture and flavour of traditional flatbreads. 

Adding cabbage to khapli wheat: 

• Method: Finely shred cabbage, then lightly squeeze to remove excess water. Mix into atta and knead into a dough. Rest before rolling.

• Tips to keep in mind: Shred very finely to avoid tearing and remove excess water to prevent stickiness

• Nutritional Value (per 100g cabbage):

  • Calories: ~25 kcal

  • Fibre: ~2.5 g

  • Vitamin C: ~36 mg

  • Folate: ~43 mcg

How To Choose The Right Vegetables

Confused about which vegetable to knead into the khapli wheat dough? The answer depends on your needs, preference for experimentation, and, of course, ingredient availability. Here’s an overview of the taste, nutrition, ease of cooking, and more for the various vegetables that can be added to khapli atta: 

Adding Vegetables To Khapli Wheat: Quick Takeaways

Here are a few pointers to keep in mind when adding vegetables to khapli wheat: 

• Use high-quality flour like Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta. It makes kneading the dough easier and ensures consistent results. 

• For the softest rotis, go for lauki. Pumpkin and zucchini are also excellent alternatives that deliver the same result. 

• Leafy greens like spinach yield the most nutrient-dense rotis. You can also use amaranth as a substitute for spinach.

• Lauki and beetroot are the easiest to work with, while beetroot and sweet potato yield the most filling rotis. If you’re looking for easy meals for long-distance travel, use beetroot rotis. 

• Instead of mixing into the dough, sautéed vegetables can also be used as a filling for stuffed khapli parathas. 

• Use onion, garlic, spices (like ajwain) and more in the dough to add flavour and textural diversity to the rotis. 

When Veggies Met Khapli

Khapli wheat is not a discovery; it’s an ancient grain that’s back in focus. And kneading veggies into the dough is a long-standing practice in Indian kitchens. Bringing together these two long-standing practices means you’re on the track to double the benefits and flavours of India’s staple flatbread, the roti!