Bathua Thepla Recipe (Indian Flatbread With Bathua Leaves)

Bathua thepla is an Indian flatbread made with whole wheat four and bathua leaves. It is a nutritious breakfast and lunch box recipe that is very easy to prepare at home. It also makes a wonderful snack for parties or other special occasions.

Bathua leaves go by many other names. In English, they're known as lamb's quarters. Other names include chakwat in Marathi; kaduoma in Kannada; paruppukirai in Tamil; and pappukura in Telugu. In my locality (Bengaluru), it is called chakotha.

Bathua leaves are most readily available in the winter, and they are most common in northern parts of India, although they are also available in South India. If you cannot find bathua leaves where you live, the best substitution is spinach.

1. Pluck the bathua leaves from the stems (use only tender stems), wash the leaves properly and drain the water. Finely chop the leaves.
2. In a bowl, add the wheat flour, salt, chopped bathua leaves, caraway seeds, cumin powder, green chilies and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Mix very well. Add water as required to make a soft dough.
3. Cover it and let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Make medium-sized balls from the dough. Take a ball and dust it with some wheat flour.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out in a 4- to 5-inch circle.
6. Heat a tawa (pan).
7. Place the circles of dough (tepla) on the tawa, cook on medium to high flame, add ghee or oil and fry until golden spots appear.
8. Flip and fry on the other side until the thepla is evenly roasted.
9. The bathua thepla is ready to eat. Serve hot with curd, pickle or any gravy of your choice.

• You can increase or decrease the number of green chilies according to your spice level.
• You can add oil or ghee while kneading the dough. This makes your thepla softer.
• Add water carefully as the bathua leaves already contain water.

Bathua, or Chenopodium album, is considered to be a superfood. It may help protect your body from colds and flu. This plant is a rich source of minerals, amino acids (important for cell formation and repair) and vitamins A, B and C. It also contains essential minerals like iron, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, manganese, sodium and zinc.

The leaves are also low in calories (43 calories in a 100-gram portion). Every 100 grams of raw leaf contains 7 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of proteins and 4 grams of fiber. The leaves are easily digestible, and they can be cooked into saag, parathas, theplas, rotis and raita.