Learn how to make Methi-Paneer Parathas ~ Simple and quick recipe of Indian flat bread flavoured with fresh fenugreek leaves, spring onions and Indian cottage cheese
“When are you going to teach your daughters to roll perfect roti? You should teach them soon or else they will get an earful and ruin our family name when they get married”, said the nosey distant aunt to my mother. I had just waltzed into the kitchen to fetch a glass of water and propped onto the counter facing Amma. My mother winked at me and continued to roll perfect round rotis, one after another, as I pretended not to hear the whole conversation.
It didn’t take her much time to see how ‘keen’ I was to learn this essential cooking skill which apparently is the golden ticket to man’s heart. At that point I just burst into peals of laughter and the look on the aunt’s face said she was not very amused at my antics. Trying to stifle the second round of loud laugh, I told her I don’t care a hoot about making the perfect circles as the rotis will taste the same even if they resemble the map of India or any other shapes in geometry. She looked at me straight in the eyes and what if your ‘new’ family likes only the perfectly round rotis then?! My father who came rushing into the kitchen after hearing me laugh like a maniac had heard the entire conversation between us and was happy to end the conversation by saying that he preferred his daughters to join the family where they didn’t see the shape of the rotis but the love, affection and effort that went into making it.