Are you craving a tasty stuffed paratha? There are so many options to choose from, but one of our favourites remains good old paneer paratha. There is something about the softness of paneer and its creamy texture that makes it a wonderful filling. But some of us may be tired of eating the same version of the dish. If you want to take your paneer parathas to the next level, we recommend making palak paneer lifafas. Wondering what those are? As you may know, a lifafa means an envelope and while making this special dish, you have to fold the dough as if you are folding paper to make an envelope. Don't worry, it's pretty easy! And the final result is so delicious, you will be tempted to make these lifafas again and again.
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How To Make Palak Paneer Lifafa | Quick And Easy Recipe For Paneer Lifafa Paratha
What You Need To Make Palak Paneer Lifafa:
You can make the paratha with whole wheat flour or maida, though this recipe uses the former. The stuffing contains paneer (cottage cheese), palak (spinach), onion, chillies, basic spices, and a little bit of cheese. The last ingredient is optional, but adding it helps bind the stuffing and also makes the lifafa more irresistible. Finally, you'll need around 2 teaspoons of cornflour to make a paste for sealing the edges.
This lifafa has a stuffing of paneer, spinach, spices, onion and chillies. Photo Credit: Pexels
How To Prepare Palak Paneer Lifafa:
Prepare a dough by mixing atta, salt and ghee. Add water and knead well. Cover the dough and let it set for 30 minutes. In the meanwhile, start making the stuffing. In a heated pan with oil, add cumin seeds and then chopped onions and chillies. Saute and add chopped spinach once the onions turn soft. Mix well. Cook till all the moisture in the spinach mixture has disappeared. Allow to cool.
In a large bowl, mix grated paneer with garam masala, red chilli powder and other spices. Add cheese, salt to taste and mix all ingredients thoroughly. Ensure that the mixture is completely dry. After the dough has rested enough, knead it some more and then divide it into small portions. Shape each into small balls and roll them to flatten. Cook this plain paratha (on both sides) very lightly on a heated tawa with ghee/ oil/ butter.
Paneer lifafa is a different way to enjoy your stuffed paratha
Place the half-cooked paratha on a flat surface and add a little of the palak paneer mixture in the middle. Bring two opposite edges together on top of it. Use cornflour mixed with water as a sealing paste and fold the remaining two edges to form an envelope-like pattern. Cook the lifafas on both sides until golden brown. Serve hot with chutney or enjoy plain.
Click here for the complete recipe for Palak Paneer Lifafa.
These lifafas can be pretty filling and can be the main dish for your lunch or dinner. But if you want to serve it as an appetiser, we recommend cutting them into triangles. You will then get a glimpse of the yummy stuffing inside and make it look even more tempting! Try making these paneer lifafas soon and let us know how you like them.
Also Read: 5 Amazing Garnishing Ideas To Enhance The Flavour And Look Of A Dish