Methi Roti / Methi Paratha

Methi leaves are fenugreek leaves. It is commonly available in India and is used a lot in our cooking. It is extremely rich in nutrition and is mildly bitter in taste. It's hard to find fresh methi leaves here, so I use dried methi leaves, called as kasuri methi. I add plenty of kasuri methi and some spices to wheat flour to prepare these rotis. I am honestly not sure if this should be called Methi Roti or Methi Paratha, because there isn't any stuffing in the dough. Different people call it by different names, so to quote Shakespeare - What's in a name?

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

1. 2 cups whole wheat flour / aata
2. 1/2 cup kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves (if using fresh methi leaves, cook them slightly before adding)
3. 1 teaspoon coriander powder
4. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera
5. 1 teaspoon ajwain / omam / oregano 
6. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
7. 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil / ghee (clarified butter)
8. 1 teaspoon salt
9. water / diluted yogurt / whey / buttermilk - as needed to form a soft dough (all at room temperature). It's hard to give an exact measurement, because it really depends on the flour, the temperature & the humidity of the place and the quality of liquid used. Usually, it is 1/2 the volume of the flour. So 1 cup of liquid for 2 cups of flour.
10. a few teaspoons olive or vegetable oil to cook the rotis.  

Preparation:

1. In a flat, wide rimmed plate (or a wide bowl), mix wheat flour / aata, salt, kasuri methi, coriander powder, jeera/cumin seeds, ajwain, and turmeric powder. Drizzle sesame oil and mix. 
2. Slowly start adding some whey (left over from drained paneer/ricotta or homemade yogurt), or diluted yogurt or buttermilk and knead the dough. Do not dump all the liquid at once. Slowly add as needed and knead. I add some whey/diluted yogurt at first and then towards the end of kneading, I sprinkle some water and bring the dough together. The wide/flat base of the plate helps to properly knead the dough by stretching it with the heel of your palm. In my experience, the protein in the whey/yogurt/buttermilk makes the rotis quite soft even if they are had the next day. Just make sure the liquid used is at room temperature or is slightly warm. Cold liquid dries out the dough. If you are wary of using whey/yogurt/buttermilk,  just use water.
3. Knead the dough well until it is smooth and pliable without any cracks. The dough should feel like play-doh. If the dough is sticky, just sprinkle some more flour and knead. If it is dry, sprinkle some water and knead. The more you knead, the better. After the dough comes together,  knead for at least 5-10 more minutes by stretching and pulling the dough.This helps to develop the gluten in the flour, which in turn makes the rotis soft. A great work out for the arm muscles.
4. Now, rest the dough for about 20-30 minutes. Drizzle half a teaspoon of oil on top of the kneaded dough, cover it with a damp cloth/paper towel and cover with a lid. You want to give some time for the gluten to develop while making sure the dough stays soft and moist.
5. Heat a flat skillet on medium heat. I recommend using a cast-iron skillet, if possible. It retains heat much better and evenly cooks parathas and rotis. 
6. While the skillet is heating, take out the resting dough and knead again for a minute. Pinch out about a lime-sized ball of the dough and roll it into an even and thin circle of about 1/8 inch thickness or slightly thinner. Sprinkle some wheat flour on the dough being rolled out, if it sticks to the board. Do not over flour the dough, because the excess flour sticking to the rotis will burn and make it a little dry when cooked.
7. When the skillet is hot (but not too hot), transfer the roti onto it and gently press down so that it cooks evenly. Cook both sides with a smidgen of oil (up to 1/4 to one teaspoon) until golden brown spots form and the dough looks cooked. If using a cast-iron skillet, reduce the heat to low after it is heated, because otherwise the outside of the rotis  will burn and the insides will remain raw. Also, make sure to gently keep pressing down on the rotis as they cook.
8. When cooked, transfer roti to a hot pack or serve immediately. Repeat the process to make the remaining rotis. 

Serve warm with yogurt (mixed with cumin powder & salt) or pickle or chutney or any vegetable side or dal.