Dal Parathas or Lentil Tortillas

So easy to make and protein packed! Great to eat alone or with any side dish for breakfast, lunch and even in the lunch box.

Yield: 5 – 6 pieces of about 6 inches in diameter

Prep time: 5 minutes

Resting time: 15-20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup of Metta flour
• ½ cup any cooked lentil soup at room temperature
• ½ tsp of salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp lime or lemon juice (to activate the soda for extra softness and fluffiness)
• A pinch of spices of your preference like cumin powder, ginger powder, garlic powder, garam masala, cayenne powder or chili powder, etc.
• 1 tbsp of finely cut fresh cilantro or thyme (optional)
• ¼ cup of dry Metta flour (for dusting and sprinkling)
• (optional, but recommended) 1-2 tablespoon of oil or ghee to spread on the flatbread once cooked*

Note: * I prefer to put a little oil, about 1 teaspoon, on the cooked tortilla to keep the top moist, especially if saving it for later.

Tools Needed

• Rolling pin
• Skillet (preferably hard anodized pan)
• Flat spatula

Instructions

1. In an open wide bowl, add Metta flour, baking soda, lime/lemon juice, cooked lentil soup (in the picture here, I used cooked pigeon lentil or toor dal with vegetables or sambhar), along with other spices (salt, ginger powder, garlic powder, garam masala, cayenne powder or chili powder) and herbs (cilantro or thyme) you might like for extra flavor.
2. Mix everything together and knead the dough (I prefer to use the Kitchen Aid mixer so my arms don’t tire). If the dough seems too dry, add a little water or the lentil soup and if it is too sticky, add a little flour. It should not stick to your hands nor should it be wet.
3. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it turns soft yet firm. The dough should start to pull away from the sides, meaning it is well kneaded.
4. Once a soft yet firm dough is achieved, put it in a container with a cover to avoid developing dry skin on it. For best results, leave it in the fridge for at least 15-20 minutes. For best results, use dough within 48 hours of initial kneading.
5. Preheat lightly oiled skillet, or tawa, to medium-high heat.
6. Smear a little dry flour on your hands before making the dough balls to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Divide the dough into small balls. Make the dough balls a size you can easily manage. You can either make all the dough balls at once or one-at-a-time as you cook each flatbread on the skillet.
7. When ready to roll, dip each dough ball in its entirety into dry flour to avoid sticking to the rolling pin. Place it on a clean counter top, or chokki, to roll using a rolling pin.
8. Start rolling it evenly applying gentle pressure (if it starts breaking or sticking to the counter or rolling pin, you may be pressing too hard). Turn it over if needed forming a nice round circle. Don’t worry if you are not able to make it a nice round shape. You will likely need to use more dry flour while rolling it to prevent it from sticking to the counter. Brush off the access flour if it starts settling on the flatbread dough as you’re rolling it. Thin it out to your preference.
9. Place it on a hot skillet. Ideal skillet temperature for these tortillas is 500 to 550 F. Let the side cook for about 15-20 seconds.
10. When bubbles begin to appear, flip it to the other side and smear a little oil on the cooked side and gently press with a flat spatula.
11. After about 40-45 seconds, flip it again and smear a little oil on unoiled side. Leave it cooking for about 5-10 seconds. It may begin to puff, but most importantly cook until brown spots are seen on both sides, meaning it is cooked.
12. Remove it from the skillet onto a tortilla warmer dish or in a container in a clean kitchen towel. Best served warm, with a little oil or butter or ghee on it.
13. Repeat steps 6 – 12.
14. Save the leftovers in a foil or zip lock bag over night on the counter or the refrigerator in a tightly sealed bag and consume within 2-3 days. They may harden as made without any preservatives, but warming them in the microwave or on a hot (at least 500 F) skillet will make them soft and pliable again to eat.

Please Note: If you are new to making flatbreads/tortillas, please be patient with yourself and the dough, it takes time and some practice to get the hang of it!

Have you used Metta gluten-free flour for this recipe or any other recipe?

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Any questions or concerns or ideas on how to improve our recipe and/or process, please feel free to contact us at mettagfatta@gmail.com