Spinach Flatbread with Paneer Carrot Filling

These parathas started as an everyday lunch idea in a lot of Indian kitchens: take the flatbread you already know and hide something good inside it. Here the dough gets its colour from spinach puree, so the bread comes out a soft, pale green before it ever hits the tava. Spinach is mostly water, which is why the puree goes into the dough as a wet ingredient and you add water sparingly. Go slowly with the water and you will end up with a dough that is semi-stiff and easy to roll.

The filling is simple: grated paneer for body, grated carrot for sweetness and moisture, and a little ginger-green chilli paste and coriander for lift. Grate the paneer on the large holes of a box grater rather than crumbling it. It stays in fine strands that bind with the carrot, and the stuffing will not turn dry and crumbly once it is sealed inside.

A tip from years of rolling these: when you seal the ball, pinch the edges closed and then turn it seam side down before you roll it out. If you roll with the seam on top, the filling tends to burst out at the first pass. Use only a light dusting of flour, because excess flour on the surface burns on the tava and leaves a floury taste. Press gently at the edges with the spatula while they cook, so the stuffing heats through and the paratha puffs a little.

These are happiest eaten warm, but they keep well. Wrap each one in foil or cling film once it has cooled, and they will still be soft at lunch. If you have leftovers, reheat them on a dry pan for a minute a side rather than in a microwave, which makes them rubbery. A good partner for them is a bowl of plain curd and a few sliced onions, or a quick cucumber raita. For a fuller plate, pair them with a bowl of spinach and toovar dal with whole spices, which echoes the spinach in the bread and makes a comforting meal. If you want something lighter for the same lunch box, a spinach and vegetable roll covers similar ground with a different texture. And for a crunchy side to snap with your tea, a crispy sesame masala khakhra works nicely.