Rice Thepla (Flatbread) with Spinach

I’m not much of a rice eater, but I do cook it once in a while, especially when I have guests over for dinner. Not having much practice with cooking rice, I almost always overshoot the required quantity and end up with leftover rice. There are several things that cooked rice can be used in, such as spinach-brown rice gratin, and cheesy broccoli rice; and here’s another. This recipe converts the cooked rice into a bread! Thepla is a type of bread originating in India, in the western state of Gujarat. It is generally made with a mix of flours, often has some greens, and is seasoned with aromatic spices. The dough is rolled out and pan fried to form a thin, soft and crispy flatbread. Generally I use leftover rice and just enough flour to form the dough with the addition of leafy greens or any other vegetables that I might have in the refrigerator. Its a great way to use up cooked veggies too. Anything goes, as long as you can make a soft and firm dough out of it.

Ingredients (Makes 5 small theplas)

1 cup cooked rice

½-1 cup packed spinach leaves, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp grated ginger

⅛ tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

¼ tsp garam masala (optional)

Salt to taste

Red chili powder to taste (optional)

2 Tbsp chickpea flour (chickpea flour helps crispiness, but can substitute with wheat, oat or rice flour)

~2 Tbsp wheat/oat flour

Oil

Mix in all the ingredients except for the flours, and knead to form a soft dough using a food processor or by hand. Add the chickpea flour and just enough wheat/oat flour to make a soft dough. Check and adjust seasoning before making the theplas.

Divide the dough and make 5 dough balls. Roll out each one using flour for dusting. The dough can be delicate, so don’t roll it out too thin. Mine were 2-3 mm thick.

Heat a couple drops of oil in a pan over medium heat. Transfer one of the rolled theplas to the pan, cover and cook until lightly browned on the bottom. Add another couple drops of oil on top (optional), and flip the thepla. Cook uncovered until the other side is golden brown as well. Crispy brown spots, slightly puffed up in places but soft to touch is the sign for a perfect thepla!

Remove from heat and serve hot with your favorite condiments - ketchup, chutney, raita, or just plain yogurt.

~Gayatri

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Something fun to make with leftover rice - Thepla! This version of the easy Indian bread is made with cooked rice and...

Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Saturday, October 24, 2015