Plain Thepla (pan-fried wheat flatbread)

Makes 20 theplas.

I use whole-wheat flour for daily cooking.  Theplas are popular as a snack with tea, or as food packed for travel, and as such are made very appetizing with grated ginger, green peppers and garlic. They are usually served with butter, yogurt, chhundo (sweet pickle), achar (spicy pickle) and cilantro chatni (spicy sauce).  Traditionally, theplas have ingredients like crushed mustard seeds, sesame seeds, finely chopped cilantro. And along with salt and peppers, add lemon juice and half a teaspoon of sugar to get the typical mingling of tastes in Gujarati cuisine.

Theplas are also sometimes referred to as chandki when grated or finely chopped vegetables are mixed in the dough - grated cabbage, grated squash, blended corn and finely chopped methi (fenugreek leaves). Methi theplas are very popular for health reasons - it is an excellent way to eat iron-rich bread. 

Theplas can be stored in the refrigerated for 2-3 days, and lightly pan-roasted or microwaved just before serving.

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tbspn vegetable oil for dough
• 1-1/2 cup water 
• 1 tspn grated garlic (optional) 
• 1 tspn grated ginger
• 1 tspn grated green peppers
• 1 tbspn finely chopped cilantro
• 1 tspn lemon juice
• 1 tspn sugar
• 1/2 tspn crushed red pepper to taste
• 1 tbspn oil as shortening
• salt to taste
• vegetable oil for pan-frying

Preparation

1. Make a dough with all the ingredients and oil - this should need slightly more than 1/2 cup of water.
2. Cover the prepared dough with a damp cloth for 15 minutes. 

Instructions

1. Heat the pan. Using a non-stick pan minimizes the need for oil.
2. Make twenty balls of dough.
3. Roll the dough ball into a circular thepla, about 6 inches in diameter. 
4. Take a few drops of oil in the pan, and place thepla. 
5. Add a few drops of oil at the edges of the thepla. 
6. Turn the thepla after a minute, and pan-fry to cook completely. 

  Serving

1. Serve with butter, yogurt, chhundo (sweet pickle), achar (spicy pickle) and cilantro chatni (spicy sauce)
2. When served as a meal, it goes well with potato curry.