Gluten-free moringa thepla, a delicious and healthy Indian flatbread made of Moringa/drumstick leaves and gluten-free flour. This dish is a variant of the traditional Methi nu thepla, a quintessential Gujarati food. Wherever a Gujju travels, a box full of theplas travels with them. There are places even we didn’t make it, yet the theplas have traveled farther than us. METHI NU THEPLA with CHUNDO is such a quintessential combination and most loved food of Gujjus. I have tasted these when I made for the first time few years back and my friend Heta. She’ a Gujju and listening a positive feedback for my theplas, was quite an achievement for me as I’m from South India.
I came up with this healthy and delicious Gluten-free moringa thepla, when I was on a diet past year. It has goodness of millets, maize flour, and chickpea flour. This thepla is so versatile and full of nutrition, easy to make and the best part it’s great when eaten on its own or with any accompaniment. As it is with most traditional recipes there are no rules with this recipe, you may choose to play around with the proportions and ingredients. The only thing you cannot compromise in this recipe is the amount of oil and yogurt.
So what makes this recipe a variant from the traditional Thepla ?
Traditionally the Methi nu thepla or Bajra methi nu thepla has loads of fenugreek greens, green chilli paste/red chili powder, wheat flour, chickpea flour, pearl millet flour, yogurt, sesame seeds, salt and oil. In the process of making these theplas gluten free, I resorted to using the millet flours and gluten free flours I had in pantry. I used a mix of Bajri atta(pearl millet flour), Jowar atta(Sorghum flour), masa(nixtamalized maize flour), chickpea flour. And substituted the methi or fenugreek leaves with Moringa or drumstick leaves.
If you’re a vegan and looking to make this completely with plant based ingredients, then just substitute the dairy based yogurt with Plant based yogurt. And Voila, that’s it!!
And if you aren’t allergic to gluten then I’d recommend using wheat flour, then you’re going to get the softest theplas ever.
Let’s get into the recipe now, before that checkout more breads on my blog.
Kalonji & Microgreens laccha paratha
GLUTEN-FREE MORINGA THEPLA
Ingredients
- ½ cup Bajri flour / Pearl millet flour
- ½ cup Jowar flour / Sorghum flour
- ½ cup Masa / Maize flour
- ½ cup Chickpea flour/Besan
- 1 cup Moringa leaves
- 3 tbsp Yogurt
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp Minced ginger
- 1 tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp Carom seeds optional
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1½ tsp Red chilli powder
- 4 tbsp Oil
- Warm water
Instructions
- Wash the moringa leaves until the water runs clean.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the flours, red chili powder, salt, turmeric powder, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, carom seeds, minced garlic, minced ginger, yogurt, oil, moringa leaves.
- Now add ⅓ cup warm water initially and bring everything together. If needed add water little by little, as yogurt has enough moisture so add accordingly. And knead the mix to a semi stiff dough.
- Apply a tbsp of oil thoroughly. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 10 equal parts, roll them and flatten the dough balls.
- Heat an iron or non-stick tawa/griddle. In the meanwhile begin to roll the dough balls into small thepla/discs of 4-5 inch diameter.
- Place the rolled thepla on the hot skillet. Roast it on both sides and fry it using a teaspoon or less of oil for each thepla.
- Repeat the process of rolling and frying until you have finished for all the dough balls.
- Once the thepla come cool down to room temperature in an airtight container.
- These theplas tastes great with Chundo or any pickle. I have paired it with Odia tomato khatta and yogurt here.
If you’ve tried this recipe and loved it, I’d love to hear your feedback by tagging your photo and share it with #mycurryveda on Instagram @mycurryveda or on Facebook .
