Bethica's Kitchen Flavours: Stuffed Labneh Paratha

Parathas or Flatbread are the most popular and favoured breakfast in Northern regions of India. They can be plain or stuffed parathas. So here is one for you to try. A stuffed Labneh (Middle Eastern dip) paratha. You can serve these parathas with either chutney or pickles for a sumptuous and a wholesome meal. Besides breakfast, they are also ideal for brunch, lunch, dinner or as a lunch box meal too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy fusion dish.

Labneh is a traditional Middle Eastern dip prepared from strained yoghurt. In simple terms, it is basically hung yoghurt and also goes by the name of yoghurt / cream cheese.

It is almost similar to Greek yoghurt and is generally served with hummus, grilled meat / fish, falafel or pita bread. It can also be relished as a dip with veggie crudités, chips, nachos or tortillas or as a spread on sandwiches and parathas.

You can also have it just with a drizzle of some olive oil, zaatar and sumac or with some podi (gun powde) a la Indian style.

1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
pinch of salt
1 tbsp. oil to knead
oil to shallow fry
3/4 cup Labneh or as required

Mix together flour, salt to taste and 1 tbsp. oil. Add required quantity of water, little at a time, and knead into a dough. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll out each into a small disc, just like a poori, by dusting some flour. Take a poori and spread some labneh evenly over it, leaving the edges.

Cover with another poori and seal all edges. Roll out into a paratha. Make similar parathas in the same manner.

Heat a tawa / griddle and shallow fry the parathas, one at a time, by drizzling some oil. Cook on both sides till golden brown in colour.

Transfer to a serving plate and serve along with chutney or pickles for a sumptuous and a wholesome meal.