Mooli Thepla is a tasty and healthy Gujarati breakfast or snack of flatbreads made with whole wheat flour, gram flour, radish (mooli), herbs and spices. They are light, quick and nutritious snack.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: Gujarati

Ingredients

  • ¾ to 1 cup radish (- grated, (white radish or mooli))
  • 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons gram flour ((besan) - optional, can sub chickpea flour)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon curd ((yogurt) - add 1 to 2 tablespoon more, if required while kneading the dough)
  • 1 small green chili (- crushed to a paste in mortar pestle)
  • 1 inch ginger (- peeled & crushed to a paste in mortar pestle)
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon oil (or ghee)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt (or as required)
  • oil (as required, for roasting)

Method

Kneading dough

  1. Rinse, peel and grate the radish in a bowl or plate. Grate about ¾ cup to 1 cup radish.
  2. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready.
  3. Add grated radish in a parat or big plate. Add all the spice powders, salt and ginger-chili paste.
  4. Next add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger-green chili paste and ¾ teaspoon salt or as required.
  5. Mix the spices very well with a spoon.
  6. Keep covered aside for 5 minutes. Soon the radish will release its juices.
  7. Then add the whole wheat flour and besan (gram flour). Adding gram flour is optional and can be skipped.
  8. Mix well with your fingertips.
  9. Add 1 to 2 tablespoon yogurt (curd or dahi) and 1 tablespoon oil.
  10. Mix well and begin to knead the dough.
  11. Make a smooth soft dough.
  12. Cover the dough with a plate or cotton napkin. Allow the dough to rest for 5 to 6 minutes.
  13. Again lightly knead the dough for a minute.

Rolling dough

  1. Make medium sized balls from the dough. Cover with a cotton napkin or lid.
  2. Dust some flour on the rolling board as well as the dough ball.
  3. Gently flatten with a rolling pin.
  4. Sprinkle some more flour if required.
  5. Roll to a round shape about 5 to 7 inches in diameter.

Roasting

  1. Place the rolled dough on a hot tawa or skillet. Keep the heat to medium to medium high.
  2. When you see faint blisters on them then flip.
  3. Spread some oil or ghee all over on this side and flip again.
  4. Spread oil or ghee on this side too.
  5. Flip them once or twice until they are cooked well. Make sure that the edges are also cooked well.
  6. Make all the flatbreads in this manner.
  7. If you are making them to carry for tiffin or picnics then spread some more oil, so that they stay soft.
  8. Serve these warm or at room temperature with pickle or curd (yogurt).
  9. You can also enjoy them as an evening tea time snack.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.