Vegetable Chapati: 5 Simple Yet Delicious Ideas to Make Your Roti Healthy

Plain roti is the staple food of India, which is accompanied with veggie or lentil curry. It is often made from wheat flour and it offers a long list of health benefits. Some of them are:

• Whole wheat roti is a good source of dietary fiber, which regulates the bowel movements.
• It provides sustained energy, which keeps you energetic and active for a long period of time.
• It is a good source of some B-complex vitamins and essential minerals like phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

However, you can make your plain and simple rotis (Chapatis) more nutrient-packed and delicious by adding some fresh vegetables to it.

Yes, you got me right! Adding chopped, grated or pureed vegetables while kneading the wheat flour not only enhances the color and appearance of the roti, but it also improves its nutritive value.

Why Are Veggies So Important?

Vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fiber. Studies have reported that regular intake of vegetables exerts a protective effect against certain types of cancers, Alzheimer’s disease. It also regulates blood glucose levels and blood pressure, lowers triglyceride levels and aids weight loss too.

Yet, many people do not consume sufficient amount of vegetables on a daily basis. Even the battle between vegetable intake and children is age-old.

Individuals who have a low vegetable intake miss out a large chunk of health benefits. Therefore, a great idea to serve veggies to children and adults who dislike this food group is in the ‘hidden form’. Hiding these veggies in the wheat flour can add an amazing flavor to the rotis.

This makes the regular roti more delicious and children, as well as adults, unknowingly enjoy these vegetables in the hidden form. (1)

Vegetable Chapatis Ideas

Here are interesting vegetable roti ideas, which you just cannot resist:

Green Roti Mix

This bright green roti gets its beautiful color from spinach puree. Spinach is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, folic acid and dietary fiber.

Ingredients:

Method of Preparation:

• To make spinach puree, blanch the spinach leaves in boiling water for 60-80 seconds. Strain the spinach and wash it under running water or cold water. This step gives the spinach puree a bright and refreshing green color.
• Blend the spinach in a jar, do not add any water to it.
• In a mixing bowl, add wheat flour, chopped green chilies, turmeric and black pepper powder. Add the spinach puree and mix well.
• Knead it into a smooth dough.
• Do not add more water while kneading the dough, let the dough be hard.
• In the end, add 1-2 tablespoons of water if required and knead again.
• Cook the spinach roti as a normal roti is cooked.

Cabbage Roti

Cabbage is a low-calorie cruciferous vegetable, packed with the goodness of vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B9, manganese, magnesium and potassium. It also contains natural compounds that fight inflammation and oxidative stress. Hence, adding it to your diet may keep you healthy. For all those who cannot eat cabbage in the form of veggie or salad, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Preparation Method

• In a mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour, grated cabbage, chopped green chilies, coriander and cumin seeds. Mix them well.
• Add water accordingly (if required) to make a stiff dough.
• Make delicious cabbage rotis like you make the normal ones.

Pumpkin Roti

Pumpkin has an impressive nutrient profile. When you eat pumpkin you get vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. Eating pumpkin may reduce your risk of chronic diseases and boost your immunity. It protects the eyesight and promotes healthy skin too.

Ingredients

Preparation Method

• In a mixing bowl, add whole wheat flour, grated pumpkin, turmeric, black pepper powder and chopped coriander leaves. Mix them well.
• Knead all together to make a soft dough.
• Make delicious pumpkin rotis like you make the normal ones.

Broccoli Roti

Broccoli is packed with vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin B9, dietary fiber, potassium, phosphorus and selenium. Adding broccoli to the diet may reduce inflammation, lower the risk of certain types of cancer, promote healthy digestion, support heart health and slow down the process of premature aging.

Ingredients

Method of Preparation

• Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and knead the flour using sufficient water. Make sure the dough is not too soft.
• Make healthy broccoli roti like you make the normal ones.

Carrot Roti

Carrot is a rich source of beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A), potassium, dietary fiber and antioxidants. Eating carrots may help in cutting down the risk of age-related macular degeneration. Please note, pro-vitamin A becomes available in the body for absorption only when the carrot is consumed in the cooked form. Hence, eating carrot roti is a great way to get your daily dose of vitamin A.

Ingredients

Method of Preparation

• Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and knead the flour using sufficient water. Make sure the dough is not too soft.
• Make healthy carrot roti like you make the normal ones.

Final Verdict

These healthy and delicious rotis can be enjoyed with a bowl of lentil curries or curds. Carbohydrates from whole wheat flour, proteins from dal or curds and vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from the veggies give you a nutritious and healthy meal.

Plus, vegetable rotis are a great tiffin treat too.

When adding a vegetable puree to wheat flour, make sure you do not strain the vegetable puree.