Matira curry with courgette paratha recipe

Prepare: 1-2 hours
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serve: Serves 6
Dietary: Egg-free Vegetarian

This gently spiced watermelon curry from Rajasthan is sweet, sharp and warming, with cumin, dried chillies, ginger and lime. Serve it with soft courgette parathas, cooked on a tawa, flat griddle or large frying pan.

By Asma Khan

From Saturday Kitchen

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Ingredients

For the matira curry

4 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp cumin seeds
4 dried whole chillies, medium heat, broken in half
4cm/1½in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
150g/5½oz watermelon juice
1½ tsp salt
2 tsp caster sugar
600–750g/1lb 5oz–1lb 10oz watermelon, cut into cubes
4 tbsp lime juice
fresh mint leaves, to garnish (optional)

For the courgette parathas

150g/5½oz courgetti, finely chopped
50g/1¾oz peas, thawed if frozen
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
1cm/½in fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
3 tbsp ghee, melted, or vegetable oil
200g/7oz wholemeal flour or chapati flour
100g/3½oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp full-fat plain yoghurt, or non-dairy alternative

Method

To make the courgette parathas, put the courgetti, peas, coriander, ginger, chilli, turmeric, sesame seeds and 2 tablespoons of the ghee or oil in a food processor. Blitz until combined.
Add the flours and salt a little at a time, blitzing after each addition. When you have added about half the flour, add the yoghurt and continue to blitz until the mixture forms a soft, pliable dough. It shouldn’t be sticky.
If the courgette releases a lot of liquid, add a little more flour. If the dough feels too dry, add a little water.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with your knuckles until soft. You should be able to press your thumb into the dough and leave an imprint.
Cover and leave to rest in a cool place for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the curry. Heat the oil in a karai, wok or large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, dried chillies, ginger and turmeric.
Immediately add the watermelon juice and stir well. Add the salt and sugar, then bring to a gentle rolling boil.
Cook until the juice has reduced by a third, then add the watermelon cubes and cook for 4–5 minutes.
Stir in the lime juice, then taste and adjust with a little more salt if needed.
Divide the paratha dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Keep the dough covered as you work.
Roll each ball into an 18cm/7in circle. Don’t worry if the parathas aren’t perfect circles. It’s more important to roll them evenly so they cook without burning or drying out. Keep the rolled parathas covered.
Heat a tawa, flat griddle or large frying pan over a medium heat. Put one paratha in the hot pan. When small bubbles appear, turn it over.
Cook for 30 seconds, then lift one edge of the paratha and drizzle ¼ teaspoon of the remaining ghee or oil into the pan.
Use a rolled-up piece of kitchen paper or a clean cloth to press the paratha gently all over so it cooks evenly. Watch closely and reduce the heat if it starts to burn.
Turn the paratha again and drizzle with a little more ghee or oil. Press the surface with a spatula. When brown speckles appear, transfer to a plate.
Wipe the pan and repeat with the remaining parathas.
Serve the matira curry with the courgette parathas, garnished with fresh mint, if using.