Bhatia Methi Thepla

About this recipe

Thepla is the travel bread of every Gujarati and Bhatia family, the one that lasts for days in a tiffin without going hard or stale. Fresh methi—fenugreek leaves—flavours the dough, but the bitterness needs balance: curd and a little jaggery are what make it sing. This is the bread you learn to roll thin, cook until freckled, and stack between cloth so they stay soft. The dough comes together loose because the curd has moisture; add water only if you absolutely need it. Methi chop fine so it cooks into the dough rather than staying as identifiable pieces. The besan adds body and a subtle nuttiness that deepens the flavour. Roll them thin, cook them with a touch of oil on a medium-hot tava, and the moment freckles appear on the first side, flip. They should be thin and pliable, not thick and chewy. That's the balance thepla walks. These are the breads you make on Sunday and eat through Thursday without them turning hard. They're good with curd, with pickle, with chutney. They're the bread that goes on journeys, in lunch boxes, on road trips. In our family, someone always packed extra thepla because they never lasted long. Stack them between cloth napkins as they come off the tava so they stay soft. Kept in an airtight container, they'll last a week. Warm them briefly in a dry pan if they've hardened at all.