Upvasacha Aloo Paratha – Fasting Potato Flatbread

Step 1: Roast Sago

Take 1 bowl of sago (sabudana) in a pan. Roast it on medium heat for 3 minutes until it puffs up and becomes fragrant, but do not let its color change. Transfer the roasted sago to a plate and let it cool completely.

Step 2: Prepare Sago Flour

Once cooled, transfer the roasted sago to a mixer grinder and grind it into a very fine powder. Sieve the sago powder through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any coarse particles, ensuring a smooth flour.

Step 3: Prepare Green Chili Paste

Take 5 green chilies and grind them into a coarse paste in a mixer grinder. If allowed for fasting, you can add ginger, cumin, and coriander leaves at this stage.

Step 4: Prepare Potato Paste

Cut 3 boiled potatoes into medium-sized pieces. Add these potato pieces to the mixer grinder along with the green chili paste. Grind them together on pulse mode (turning the mixer on and off) until a fine, smooth paste is formed.

Step 5: Knead the Dough

In a bowl, combine the potato paste, sago flour, salt to taste, and the remaining green chili paste. Mix all ingredients well and knead into a soft dough. Do not add any water initially, as potatoes contain enough moisture. If the dough feels too dry after thorough kneading, add a very small amount of water, drop by drop, until it reaches a consistency similar to chapati dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Step 6: Form Dough Balls

After 10 minutes, take the rested dough and knead it again on a wooden board with a little oil for about 2 minutes. Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and roll them into smooth, round balls (pedas). Place these balls in a bowl to prevent them from drying out.

Step 7: Roll the Parathas

Take one dough ball, flatten it slightly, and coat it evenly on both sides with Rajgira flour. Place it on a rolling board and gently roll it out into a circular shape using a rolling pin. For a perfectly round paratha, use a plate or lid to cut the rolled dough. Remove the excess dough from the edges; these can be combined and rolled into another paratha.

Step 8: Cook the Parathas

Heat a tawa (griddle) on high flame. Once hot, place the rolled paratha on it. Reduce the flame to medium. Cook both sides of the paratha until they turn golden brown. Once the paratha starts to puff up, apply oil or ghee on both sides. Continue cooking for about 1 minute on each side until it's nicely roasted and golden.

Step 9: Serve

Repeat the process for the remaining dough balls. Serve the hot Upvas Aloo Parathas with chutney or curd.

• Roast sago on medium heat until it puffs up, ensuring it doesn't change color, for a light and airy texture.

• Always sieve the ground sago powder to remove any coarse particles, resulting in a smooth flour that's easier to work with.

• Grind boiled potatoes with green chili paste into a fine, smooth paste. This prevents lumps and makes the paratha dough easier to roll without tearing.

• Knead the dough without adding water initially, as boiled potatoes contain enough moisture. Add water only if absolutely necessary, drop by drop.

• Allow the kneaded dough to rest for at least 10 minutes. This helps the sago flour absorb moisture and makes the dough soft and pliable, preventing cracking during rolling.

• Use Rajgira flour for dusting while rolling the parathas. It's nutritious and helps prevent sticking without altering the fasting-friendly nature of the dish.

• To get perfectly round parathas, use a plate or lid to cut the rolled dough. The leftover edges can be re-kneaded and rolled into another paratha, minimizing waste.

• Cook the parathas on a hot tawa (griddle) over high flame initially, then reduce to medium. Do not apply oil or ghee until the paratha starts to puff up. This ensures it cooks evenly and becomes fluffy.

• If allowed during fasting, you can add grated ginger, cumin powder, or finely chopped coriander leaves to the green chili paste for enhanced flavor.