Lauki Thepla’s
Thepla is a very popular Gujarati cuisine. It’s very versatile as some people consume it for breakfast, some as snacks along with hot tea and many for lunch and/or dinner. The versatility doesn’t just stop at the way it’s been consumed but also in flavors.
This food is loaded with high nutritional values and is regarded as healthy and filling. It was a staple in lots of Gujrati households, but now its not just confined to traditional walls of Gujrat, but people across the globe belonging to different beliefs also consume it. Due to the amazing benefits mentioned above and the fact that thepla’s have a long shelf life, approximately 3-4 days at room temperature, 15-20 days in an air tight container in the refrigerator and 2 to 3 months in the freezer, it has become a food of choice for many occasions i.e. travelling, lunch boxes, picnic, snack etc.
The other features that make it even more desirable is that it’s very easy and quick to prepare. You can make a big batch and store it, or make dough and keep in your refrigerator to roll thepla’s when required. You can store thepla’s in an air tight container or wrap it in aluminium foil and the put it in zip lock bags, making sure all air is out and store it in the fridge or freezer.
Thepla even gives you the liberty to play around with the ingredients and also caters to individual’s likes/dislikes and preferences like vegetarian and vegan (leave the yogurt out). The base ingredient of dish is wheat flour, but even gram flour (besan) can be used to make them. Some popular flavours to are lauki/dudhi (bottle-gourd), methi (fenugreek), mooli (radish), aachari (pickled) and the list goes on..
The dough for theplas has to be soft and the ingredients should be added while kneading the dough.
I kneaded a soft dough and added the dry spices, ginger-garlic paste, yogurt and lauki together.
How you roll the thepla is a very essential aspect of making soft thepla’s. The thepla needs to be rolled as thin as you can and the thinner it has been rolled, the softer it would be.
The cooking process is another important step which needs consideration. Cook thepla’s for 30 second on each side and then apply oil on one side, cook for 20 seconds and flip over then apply oil on the other side and cook it for 20-30 seconds then remove and keep it aside.
If overcooked you would end up with dark black spots which would make thepla hard.
You can enjoy thepla’s with pickle, chutney, hot chai or on it’s own.
Hope you enjoy the recipe, happy cooking and stay safe!
Lauki Thepla
Ingredients:
- 2 cups wheat Flour
- 1 cup Lauki, grated
- 3 tbsp Yogurt
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp Ajwain seeds
- 1/8 tsp Hing
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- 2 tsp Red chilli powder (adjust as per need)
- 1 tsp Haldi
- 1/2 tsp Jeera powder
- 1 tbsp Oil
- Oil for cooking thepla
- Water to knead
Method:
- Grate the lauki and keep aside in a bowl, we will be using the water that comes out of the lauki.
- In another large mixing bowl take wheat flour along with all the dry spices, yogurt, oil, ginger garlic paste and lauki with oozed out water .
- Mix well and start kneading a dough, add more water if needed to make a soft dough.
- Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes, then divide the dough in lemon sized (small) balls and roll them as thin as possible.
- Meanwhile heat the tava on medium flame, once the thepla is rolled out put it on tava and lower the flame to low.
- Flip the thepla over after 30 seconds and apply oil on the side cooked and drizzling some oil on the corner of the thepla.
- Turn the thepla after 30 seconds and again apply oil on top and further cook for 20 to 30 seconds and flip the thepla over. In 30 seconds it would be done and keep it aside.
- You can make all thepla’s and store them or else, keep the dough covered in the refrigerator.
- Serve thepla hot.
Categories
Breakfast, Lunch Box, Recipes, Snacks / Appetizers, Vegetarian
Food Kalakaar 
Awesome. Can’t believe that we can make thepla with lauki. It’s so tasty and nutritious. Keep blogging such amazing recipes. Thank you Anjali Dhawan.
Thank you so much for appreciation!