Moong-Dal (Yellow Split Mung Dal) Parathas

Lentils, legumes and green leafy vegetables are the best source of proteins in a vegetarian diet, and these Moong Dal Parathas are my recent favorites to relish the goodness of legumes, plus make good use of my leftover Dal! Parathas(flat breads) are an interesting part of Indian cooking because they come in a wide variety, are nutritious, tasty and can be eaten with curries, raita, pickles, chutneys or even a sweet dessert!! And in case you are wondering from where to bring the lefover dal, don't sweat, for I've included the recipe below for making dal parathas from scratch. You don't need to have any leftover dal, but if you do, these parathas are a perfect way to make good use of it!!

Ingredients
5 cups plain wheat flour
3 cups moong dal - soaked for an hour (this is a small yellow-colored split dal, not the green whole mung)
1/2 onion -finely chopped
1/2 capsicum - finely chopped
1 tomato - finely chopped
3 green chillies - finely chopped
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp each of cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chilly powder,garam masala
salt and lemon juice - to taste
3 tbsp - chopped coriander
water - to knead the flour
oil/butter to cook parathas

Method
Pressure cook the moong dal with 4 cups water so that it is entirely mashed. Now take a pan and add some ghee to it. Add the cumin seeds and green chillies, and when the seeds start spluttering, add the onions and capsicums and saute them till well-cooked.Next add the tomatoes and all the spices. Add the salt and lemon juice according to your taste and cook for 5-7 mins. Add the cooked dal and mash it well. Add one cup of water, mix everything together and once it boils a little, remove from flame and keep aside.

Now take the wheat flour, add 2 tbsp salt to it, then add the dal mixture and use hot water to knead into a pliable dough (just like any other parathas)
Cover the dough with a lid or damp cloth and leave like this for 8-10 mins. Then separate the dough into small portions and roll each on a flat surface using a rolling-pin into a round-shaped paratha. Use less force while rolling and keep turning the paratha in a circular way while applying even pressure on the edges.

Take a pan and cook the paratha with oil or butter on medium heat. Flip around to cook on both sides till well-done. Do not let it get burnt:)

Enjoy this healthy and filling mung-dal parathas with a curry of your choice! Suggestions?? How about Chatpate Chhole or Akbari Paneer??