Try one of these tasty veg curries for roti for dinner tonight. Either serve as they are, or include a daal option.

You can also double up and choose two complimentary curries from the list to create a larger meal.

In Indian homes, we often choose lentils or legume curries or daals to serve alongside vegetable dishes. This rounds off a meal wonderfully and adds welcome protein.

What is Roti?

Everyday curries take centre stage in traditional Indian homes. They’re typically served with wholewheat chapatis, also known as roti.

Roti are hearty and simple to prepare, although round rolling is a skill that takes practice.

How to make Roti dough

Make the dough with a combination of wholewheat flour (atta), water and optional oil. I like to add a little oil for softer rotis, but you can skip it if you don’t mind them a little chewier.

Some families like to roll their rotis extra thinly to make phulka, which they sometimes place over an open flame to rise.

Having said this, I usually cook my rotis on a steel tawa from start to finish. A frying pan also works well.

I’ll include my simple Homemade Gujarati Roti (Rotli) recipe at the end of this post, along with a fabulous Soft Spinach Roti (Chapati) if you’re a fan of the green stuff.

Ready to be inspired with some easy and delicious vegetarian curry recipes?

10 Easy Veg Curries for Roti

1. Gobi Bhurji (Scrambled Cauliflower)

Gobi Bhurji (Indian Scrambled Cauliflower)

Gobi Bhurji (or Scrambled Cauliflower) is one of my favourite ways to enjoy a humble head of cauliflower. Simply grate it using a box grater, and sautee with onions, tomatoes and aromatic spices until tender. Serve this quick and easy scramble with buttered toast or buns for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Check out this recipe

2. Bateta nu Shaak (Potato Curry, Dry Style)

Gujarati Koru Bateta nu Shaak

A tried and true recipe for Koru Bateta nu Shaak (Gujarati-style dry potato curry). This is my mother's exact recipe and the only way we make it at home. She has a few fabulous tips for achieving intense flavours and the perfect dry bhaji-style texture every time. This shaak pairs perfectly with Masala Poori and dahi (plain yoghurt).

Check out this recipe

3. Vegetable & Coconut Milk Kurma (South Indian Style)

Vegetable & Coconut Milk Kurma

This simple coconut milk-based curry is rich with aromatic spices, nuts and a rainbow of colourful vegetables. Make it in an Instant Pot if you have one, or simply simmer away on the stove. Serve with dosa for a delicious vegan meal that's gluten free too. It also pairs perfectly with rice, roti or paratha. Feel free to add any vegetables you have in the fridge, as long as the total weight is around 600g.

Check out this recipe

4. Quick & Easy Palak Paneer

Easy, Creamy Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a stick-to-your-ribs North Indian treasure that was made to be a filling vegetarian option. Serve with laccha paratha, roti, naan or rice!

Check out this recipe

5. Kadai Tofu & Vegetables

Kadai Tofu & Vegetables

Serve this dish hot with soft chapattis/phulkas, jalebi paratha or simply with jeera rice, salad and a cooling cucumber raita.

Check out this recipe

6. Rajma (North Indian-Style Kidney Bean Curry)

Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry)

While most of us use kidney beans as a filler ingredient in chillies, stews and salads, this Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry) makes the humble red bean the star of the show. The sauce is deeply aromatic, smooth and robust enough to take the beans from basic to beautiful. This is North Indian comfort food at its best.

Check out this recipe

7. Okra & Potato Sabzi (Gujarati-Style Bhinda & Bateta nu Shaak)

Gujarati-Style Okra & Potatoes

Gujarati-Style Okra & Potatoes (Bhinda Bateta nu Shaak) is an everyday comfort food in many Gujarati homes, including mine. It’s usually scooped up with soft, hot rotlis (chapattis), which is our daily bread. This curry is delicately flavoured with cumin seeds, turmeric, garlic and lemon juice for a fresh vegan dish that eats more like a stir fry than the heavy restaurant curries one might be used to.

Check out this recipe

8. Palak Baingan ka Bhartha (Burnt Aubergine & Spinach Curry)

Melt-in-the-Mouth Burnt Aubergine and Spinach Curry

Smoky aubergine cooked over an open flame + a WHOLE HEAD of garlic! This Indian Burnt Aubergine and Spinach Curry is a sure-fire hit with spice lovers. Yum!

Check out this recipe

9. Creamy, Restaurant-Style Matar Paneer

Creamy, Restaurant-Style Matar Paneer

I’ve got a sneaky Restaurant-Style Matar Paneer recipe that’ll knock your socks off and it’s easier than you think. The base sauce is made with ground almonds and tomatoes. The spicing is mild but complex, making you wonder if you really just made that at home in the comfort of your own kitchen, without having to go to a restaurant or pick up a takeaway menu. Mad skills.

Check out this recipe

10. Tofu Tikka Masala

Tandoori Tofu Tikka Masala (Vegan)

In my book, anything served on a stick is a winner. It seals the deal if what’s on the stick is smothered in a charred tandoori paste, restaurant style. Here’s my take on a British-‘Indian’ dish. It’s loaded with homemade tandoori spices, garlic, lemon, ground almonds and coconut cream. The best thing about it is that it’s 100% vegan. That’s got to get me extra brownie points, right?

Check out this recipe

So you have my top 10 Easy Veg Curries for Roti… but how do you make the Roti?

10 Easy Veg Curries for Roti are of course, incomplete without Roti. Here are my two favourite versions of the classic soft rotis.

It’s everyday fare that partners perfectly with any of the curries I’ve shared above.

Soft Spinach Roti

Can you believe the dough for these Soft Spinach Chapatis is enriched with a whole bag of spinach? Popeye would be proud! Pack a healthy portion of leafy greens into your meal with this easy recipe the whole family will love.

Check out this recipe

Enjoy these amazing Indian vegetarian curry recipes! If you make one, please share pictures with me via Instagram. I love to see your creations! Mention me @Sanjana.Feasts and use the hashtag #SanjanaFeasts

Pin this collection of 10 Easy Veg Curries for Roti to your Pinterest boards for later!

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The post 10 Easy Veg Curries for Roti appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

I have the best memories of waking up to the smell of Theplas at my husband’s home. Whenever would visit, my father-in-law would wake up early to make them, along with crispy Bateta Vada and sweet chai. It was the best breakfast and something I miss dearly.

What are Thepla?

Thepla are traditionally bound into a soft dough which is then roasted on a hot tawa or frying pan. During the cooking process, the Thepla are brushed with oil to help them achieve a leopard-spotted finish all over the surface. It’s this oil that ensures the Thepla remain soft and delicious for days.

What should I serve Thepla with?

Thepla can be served a number of different ways; the most popular being with masala chai, potato curry (bateta nu shaak) or simply with your favourite achar and plain yoghurt. As they are a common breakfast or lunch dish, it’s not uncommon to enjoy them with sweet masala chai and nothing else.

How to make soft Thepla

The key thing to remember when making Soft Gujarati Thepla at home is that the dough must be soft. Unlike poori making, the Thepla dough needs to be bound with sufficient water and oil. Some cooks also add plain yoghurt (dahi) to the dough for added richness.

Tips for making the softest Gujarati Thepla

I like to use a combination of warm water and warm almond milk to bind my dough. This is not traditional but my way of ensuring my Thepla are super soft and delicious. Using almond milk also means these Thepla are vegan due to the lack of yoghurt used to bind the dough.

Another ingredient I like to add to help achieve this is chickpea flour. Once roasted, the chickpea flour also gives these Thepla an incredible toasty flavour.

Can I use dried methi to make Thepla?

Of course. However they will lack the beautiful green-speckled surface achieved when making them with fresh fenugreek leaves. While kasoori methi is fine to use, remember that the flavour is incredibly strong in comparison to fresh methi leaves so you will need to use much less of it.

I’d recommend using 1 tbsp dried methi in this recipe, ground finely between your palms. Remove any sharp, dried stalks as they will affect the way the Thepla roll. Reconstitute the methi in 1 tbsp hot water and allow to stand for 5 minutes before adding it to the dough. For a burst of green colour, you can also add a handful of freshly-chopped spinach leaves or fresh coriander leaves. Ensure any leaves are very finely chopped.

Ingredients you’ll need to make Soft Gujarati Thepla

• Wholewheat chapati flour (roti atta)
• Fresh fenugreek leaves
• Chickpea flour
• Garlic
• Jaggery (gor) or brown sugar
• Sesame seeds
• Turmeric
• Chilli powder
• Salt
• Almond milk
• Water
• Oil

Print

Soft Gujarati Thepla

Thepla are a staple any-time-of-the-day flatbread in Indian homes. Fresh fenugreek leaves give them their signature bitter caramel flavour.

Course Breakfast, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword bread, chickpea flour, fenugreek leaves, flatbread, gujarati, methi

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 20 thepla

Ingredients

• 500 g wholewheat chapati flour I use Pilsbury Chakki Atta
• 75 g fresh fenugreek leaves very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 1 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 150 ml almond milk warm
• 275 ml hot water
• 3 tbsp oil + more for cooking

Instructions

• Mix together the chapati flour, chickpea flour, sesame seeds, garlic, chilli powder, methi leaves and salt.
• In a separate jug, stir together the hot water and jaggery until completely dissolved.
• Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the jaggery water and almond milk. Stir with a spoon to combine. Once cool enough to handle knead to form a smooth dough, about 5 minutes. Add the 3 tbsp oil and knead for a further 3-4 minutes. Cover with a damp tea towel and rest for 15-20 minutes.
• Make golf ball-sized pieces with the dough. Keep some flour on a plate for rolling.
• Get another plate lined with kitchen paper.
• Place a steel tawa or a frying pan over a medium heat. Leave it for 5 minutes.
• To start rolling, take a piece of dough and roll it between your palms, flattening it slightly. Dip each side in flour. Roll to about 6cm in diameter, place a pinch of flour in the centre and spread it around a little. Starting from the outermost edges, pinch the dough to the centre, covering the flour. Flatten with your palm. This will ensure the edges of the Thepla are perfectly smooth.
• Roll out into a large circle, about 20cm (8”) in diameter.
• Cook on the preheated tawa until bubbles appear on the surface (5 seconds), Spread a small amount of oil over the surface and then flip and cook until small brown spots appear on the base (20 seconds). Flip again and spread oil on the second side. Cook until larger brown spots (like what you see on a super ripe banana) appear on the surface. Transfer to a lined plate and repeat for the remaining Thepla.

Video

Notes

• To ensure the Thepla remain soft, keep them in an insulated container for up to 12 hours. If you’re eating the Theplas the next day, wrap them in foil and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, microwave the stack for 30 seconds. Individual Theplas will only take 10 seconds.
• To freeze, place sheets of baking parchment between each one and wrap well in foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost before reheating.

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If you like these, you’ll love my Soft Spinach Roti recipe

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Every bit of colour in these Soft Spinach Roti (chapati) comes from the fresh spinach leaves, so there’s not a drop of food colour in sight. Serve them hot from the pan as they are, or slather them with butter.

Fold them in half, roll into cigars or use them as wraps. Either way, they’re perfect with spicy curries or your favourite sandwich fillings. I like my chapatis small and soft, not big, chewy and dry like tandoori rotis. This is because I grew up in a Gujarati home. Gujaratis adore tender, melt-in-the mouth chapatis. Our way of making chapatis (we call them rotli) is different to how they’re made in other parts of India. If you prefer tandoori-style rotis, reduce the amount of oil in the recipe by half and use warm water instead of hot water to bind the dough.

Roll the Soft Spinach Roti a little bigger and cook as per the recipe below for chewier, restaurant-style rotis.

What are chapatis?

Softer and smaller than your average Punjabi or Pakistani chapatis (commonly known as Roti), these Gujarati-style spinach chapatis have oil in the dough. They are also cooked on a super-hot steel or iron tawa (pan), leaving them delicious and toasty. I don’t cook my chapatis over an open flame because they’re so soft, they’d just break. However, many people do choose to cook their chapatis this way. They still puff up like hot air balloons as they cook, don’t worry.

If you’re planning on cooking rotis over an open flame, pop a trivet or wire rack over the flame for stability first. Only cook the roti over the open flame upon the third flip (the first two turns should still be on the tawa). Use tongs to remove it from the flame and be very careful of the hot steam inside the rotis.

How to make great chapatis

The gold standard for me has to be a round roti that’s double layered from rising that happens during cooking. If your chapati has been rolled evenly, it will puff up upon the third flip on the tawa (or over the open flame). This is important because chapatis are inherently an unleavened bread so the rising all comes from the rolling technique. It’s certainly an art. The surface of the roti should be leopard-spotted and the texture soft.

How do I make my rotis rise?

Make sure the dough is soft and smooth. I use a combination of oil and hot water for my dough. This allows for easier rolling. My mother showed me an amazing trick to create a double layer. It’s done by rolling a piece of dough to a couple of inches in diameter, sprinkling over some flour and then pinching to close before rolling the roti. The roti rises perfectly because of the pocket created by the flour and folding. Find the full instructions in the recipe below.

How do I roll round rotis?

Round chapatis were something I was utterly fascinated by as a child. The first thing I ever ‘cooked’ were raggedy, uneven rotlis using my mini rotli-making set my masi bought me when I was five. I’d peer over our cooker wide-eyed at the hot air balloon show my mum told me was happening. The suspense that built up as they rose from flatbreads to footballs was inexplicably exciting for a little girl obsessed with eating. I would roll out the same piece of dough over and over again and by the end of it, my poor dad would have to eat the splat-shaped biscuit thing I had presented him with such pride. He’d tell me it was delicious that and I was getting better and better.

Thanks Dad.

My point is that practice makes perfect so start off with a simple recipe that yields a soft dough like the one I’m sharing below. Use extra flour to dust your board enough so that the dough doesn’t stick but not so much that the surface becomes chalky. Roll and spin if you can. But if not, roll and turn the roti dough 90•degrees before rolling again. After six or seven turns you’ll have something round-ish. Strive for an even surface. The perfect round shape will come with practice.

What’s the best pan for making rotis?

A traditional Indian tawa made from steel or iron are the best pans for making rotis. Non-stick frying pans aren’t ideal because they don’t get hot enough. A non-stick pan will still work, but the smoky flavour won’t be as pronounced (I think this is the key to good chapatis). Get a tawa from your nearest Indian cookware store. Larger Indian grocery stores may also stock them. You could also buy one online. What’s the best flour for making rotis? Wholewheat chapati flour, also known as “atta”. It’s pale brown in colour and slightly gritty in texture, depending on how finely milled you like it. Most brands offer 2-3 different mills ranging from fine white to medium and brown. You can even buy newer styles such as multigrain and gluten-free chapati atta in the shops now.

How to make delicious Soft Spinach Roti (chapati)

Step 1

First, make the dough using chapati flour, oil and hot water. I add the blended spinach to the dough in my recipe here but you can also omit for plain rotis. Stir with a spoon and when cool enough to handle, knead the dough until soft and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Portion the dough into small balls and cover with a damp tea towel. Heat up the tawa for a good 5 minutes. Roll the dough on a clean work surface or chapati board (chakli/patlo).

Step 3

Use some extra chapati flour to stop it from sticking. First roll to a few inches in diameter, sprinkle the dough with a pinch of flour, spread and then pinch the dough to close. Press with your palm to flatten and seal.

Step 4

Turn the dough over so it’s seal-side down and roll the roti to 17cm (7-inches) in diameter. Dust off any excess flour and slap the roti on to the hit tawa. As soon as small bubbles appear on the surface, flip it using a metal spatula (tavitho).

Step 5

Cook on the other side for 30 seconds until it looks evenly leopard spotted. Flip again.

Step 6

You can transfer to a trivet over an open flame at this point if you like or continue cooking it on the tawa. I cook the chapati on the tawa the whole time because it’s easier and just as delicious. This third side is the rising side. Cook for 20 seconds or so.

Step 7

Don’t worry if it doesn’t rise the first few times. It will come with practice. Once patchy charred marks appear, the roti is done.

Step 8

Remove from the tawa and stack with the dark patchy side (from the third rise) facing upwards. Spread with butter if you like.

Step 9

Repeat for the remaining dough balls.

How to serve Soft Spinach Roti (Chapati)

Serve the Soft Spinach Roti (chapati) with your favourite curry. You could also use them as wraps and fill with your favourite sandwich fillings. I love them filled with succulent tandoori paneer pieces.

For plain chapatis, try my Gujarati Rotli recipe.

How do I store Soft Spinach Roti (chapati)?

I avoid refrigeration when it comes to rotis, it dries them out and they go stale pretty quickly. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within 24 hours. Alternatively, you can freeze them well wrapped in an airtight container with pieces of baking parchment between each roti. Defrost at room temperature and reheat on a hot tawa.

Print

Soft Spinach Roti

Can you believe the dough for these Soft Spinach Chapatis is enriched with a whole bag of spinach? Popeye would be proud! Pack a healthy portion of leafy greens into your meal with this easy recipe the whole family will love.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword bread, chapati, flatbread, roti, spinach, vegan

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• Steel or iron tawa
• Rolling pin
• Clean work surface or chapati board
• Metal spatula (tavitho)
• Blender

Ingredients

• 500 g chapatti flour plus more for rolling
• 260 g spinach leaves washed
• 80 ml sunflower oil
• 260 ml water

Instructions

• Place the water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the spinach and cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes until wilted. Allow to cool to hot but not boiling.
• Transfer the spinach to a blender and purée until smooth. Open carefully to allow steam to escape.
• Add the flour to a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Pour the oil into the well and top up with the blended spinach water.
• Use a spoon to mix the dough. Use your hands to bring the dough together until shaggy. Knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft.
• Make small golf ball-sized pieces with the dough. Keep some flour on a plate for rolling.
• Line another plate with kitchen paper and keep some butter handy.
• Place the tawa (steel or irohot plate or a frying pan on a medium heat. Leave it for 5 minutes so it’s very hot.
• Get your rolling board and rolling pin ready. Keep a wet sponge under the board so it doesn’t move.
• To start rolling, take a piece of dough and roll it between your palms, flattening it slightly. Dip each side in flour.
• Roll it once up and down with the rolling pin and then take a pinch of flour. Place it in the middle of the dough and then use your index fingers and thumb to pinch it closed, starting from the outer edges. This step isn’t something everyone traditionally does but is what my mum taught me for soft rotli that rise.
• Next, flatten the dough using your palm and again, dip each side in flour. Now, begin rolling the dough in a circular motion, teasing the dough to move around with your rolling. If you can’t do this, pick the roti up with one hand and move it around yourself. The aim is to create a perfectly round, even surface and a flatbread that’s around 2mm in thickness and 6-7-inches in diameter.
• Place the roti on the cast iron hotplate and cook until little bubbles appear on the surface – around 10 seconds. Flip it.
• Cook it on the second side until small, even brown spots appear all over the bottom of the rotli – around 30 seconds. Flip it.
• Now, this is the rising side. Don’t worry if your rotis don’t rise the first few times you try it. It comes with practice. They’ll still taste delicious. Cook until darker, less evenly-spread patches appear on the bottom. Around 15-20 seconds. Flip it and place it this side up on your kitchen paper-lined plate. Butter it.
• Repeat this process for all of your roti until you have a beautiful, buttery stack.

Notes

• I avoid refrigeration when it comes to rotis, it dries them out and they go stale pretty quickly. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within 24 hours.
• Alternatively, you can freeze them well wrapped in an airtight container with pieces of baking parchment between each roti. Defrost at room temperature and reheat on a hot tawa.

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