Indian food reimagined! Potato chickpea cauliflower paratha tacos are quick and easy. No mixing or kneading or rolling the dough to make this shortcut paratha(stuffed flatbread)! 19g Protein, 12g fiber, 7g iron! (soy-free and nut-free with gluten-free option)

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 5
  • Category: lunch, Main, Main Course, Snack
  • Cuisine: Indian Fusion

Ingredients

For the Paratha Filling

  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
  • 1" ginger (minced)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 15 ounce can chickpeas
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion (or more, to preference)
  • 1 to 2 green chilies (finely chopped, such as Serrano, Indian chilies, or a milder chili of choice)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain, optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)

Optional Additions

  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds (for additional protein)
  • lime zest
  • more spices of choice

For the Paratha Tacos

  • 10 to 12 medium tortillas

For the Yogurt Dip

  • 1 cup non-dairy yogurt
  • 1 cup grated cucumber
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (or more, to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or more, to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (or lemon juice)
  • chopped cilantro (for garnish)
  • pepper flakes or cayenne (for garnish)

Method

Make the paratha filling.

  1. Add the cauliflower, potatoes, ginger, and cilantro to a food processor, and pulse until evenly chopped into a coarse meal. Remove them from the processor, then add the chickpeas and process those into a coarse meal (not a paste). Remove them from the food processor, and add them to another bowl. If you’re not using a food processor, grate the cauliflower and potatoes, mince the ginger, chop the cilantro, and mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher. Then, mix those together well.
  2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they turn fragrant and change color. Add the onion, green chilies, and a good dash of salt and cook until the onions turns translucent, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add the all of the ground spices. Mix well into the onion, then add the cauliflower and potatoes mixture and another good dash of salt. Mix, then cook for about 3 minutes. Then, mix in the chickpeas. Mix well, add another dash of salt, then cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once in between. When the potatoes and cauliflower are cooked, taste and adjust the flavor, adding more salt and/or spices, if needed. Then, switch off heat and let sit, covered, for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, make the yogurt dip.

  1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, grated cucumber, salt, cumin, cayenne, and lime juice. Mix well, then taste and adjust the flavor. Add more salt, if needed. If you want a slight sweet-salty balance, you can add [adjustable]1/2 teaspoon[/adjustable] sugar or maple syrup. Add cilantro and garnish with pepper flakes or cayenne. You may want to make a double batch of this delicious dip, because it’s just so addictive!

Assemble and cook the paratha tacos.

  1. To assemble, spread [adjustable]2 to 4[/adjustable] tablespoons of paratha filling on one side of each tortilla, fold it over, and press so the sides stick together. Repeat for the remaining tortillas and filling
  2. To pan fry, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add about 2 teaspoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, place the filled tortillas in the skillet, and brush the tops with oil. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and crisp, then flip. Brush the other side with more oil, and cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until golden on that side, as well. Remove from the skillet, and repeat for the remaining paratha tacos.
  3. To bake, preheat oven to 415° F (213° C). Brush a baking sheet with oil, place the filled tortillas on it, then brush the tops with oil. Bake for about 15 minutes or longer, until golden. Serve these crispy paratha tacos immediately with the raita dip.
  4. To air fry, brush the tortillas with oil on both sides, and air fry at 370° to 380° F (188° C to 193° C) for 8 minutes. Then, flip and cook another 2 to 4 minutes.
  5. Serve the crispy filled parathas with the yogurt dip for a brunch or snack situation. For more of a lunch-type option, I open the cooked paratha tacos and stuff them with yogurt dip, greens, and seeds on top such as hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sesame seeds. If adding the raita/yogurt dip inside, do it just before serving, so they won’t turn soggy.

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.