Spinach Paratha / Spinach Roti

I like adding spinach and chard to a lot of things. According to me, they are the tastiest in the clique of green leafy vegetables. I add them to dhal, to adai, to smoothies, juices, and of course, to Indian flat-breads. I am not really sure if I should call it Spinach Paratha or just Spinach Roti, because traditionally, parathas are hardy flat-breads that have a stuffing of vegetables. But in this version, I just add ground spinach to wheat flour, toss in some spices and knead. No stuffing, just flavor and sneaked in greens. So, call it what you will, this is another healthy and hardy flat-bread that's simple, nutritious and tasty!

Ingredients (serves 2-4):

1. 2 cups whole wheat flour / aata
2. 1 - 1.5 cups spinach or 2-3 chard leaves
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 1 teaspoon garam masala
5. 1 teaspoon ajwain / oregano seeds / omam
6. room temperature water / diluted yogurt / buttermilk / water - just a sprinkle, as needed to make a soft dough. 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, you need 1/2 the volume of flour. So 1 cup of liquid for 2 cups of flour
7. 1 tablespoon sesame oil
8. a few teaspoons of vegetable oil to cook the parathas.

Preparation: 

1. Grind the spinach with 2 tablespoons or as little water as needed to make a  paste.
2. In a flat, wide rimmed plate (or a wide bowl), mix wheat flour / aata, salt, garam masala and ajwain. Drizzle sesame oil and mix. 
3. Add the ground spinach and slowly work it into the dough and begin to knead the dough. The wide/flat base of the plate helps to properly knead the dough by stretching it with the heel of your palm. If the dough is still dry after adding the spinach paste and it hasn't come together, add/sprinkle some whey (left over from drained paneer/ricotta or homemade yogurt), or diluted yogurt or buttermilk and continue to knead the dough. Do not dump all the liquid at once. Slowly add as needed and knead.  In my experience, the protein in the whey/yogurt/buttermilk makes the parathas and 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.
4. 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 parathas soft. A great work out for the arm muscles.
5. 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.
6. 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. 
7. 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 parathas will burn and make the parathas a little dry when cooked.
8. When the skillet is hot (but not too hot), transfer the parantha 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. I'm sorry you can't get away from using any oil in parathas. It is needed to cook the spinach and the paratha without burning the outsides. If using a cast-iron skillet, reduce the heat to low after it is heated, because otherwise the outside of the parathas will burn and the insides will remain raw. Also, make sure to gently keep pressing down on the parathas as they cook.
9. When cooked, transfer paratha to a hot pack or serve immediately. Repeat the process to make the remaining parathas. 

Serve with dhal/lentils, yogurt, chutney, pickle, or curry.