This farali thepla recipe is a favourite in our house, especially during vrat or when we just want something light yet satisfying. The grated dudhi keeps the thepla soft, while the roasted peanut powder and ripe banana add subtle richness. It’s a beautiful balance of texture and flavour.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in September 2017. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.
My parents didn’t strictly observe Hindu fasting but my mum would still prepare an array of farali dishes. More for the love of variety.
I closely observed her experiment with treats like farali dum aloo , farali sabudana vada chaat , farali magas , and buff vada .
Farali thepla with dudhi is one such recipe that brings those memories back. It pairs beautifully with farali ratalu , potato peanut bhaji , or a bowl of moraiyo and farali kadhi on the side. To end on a sweet note my go to is a warm bowl of rajgira sheera .
If you aren’t fasting, I’ve tried them these with Rajkot’s famous green chutney too!
At first glance, you might assume this is just a simple swap – dudhi thepla made with farali flour.
But it’s more than that.
The addition of ripe banana isn’t just for a hint of sweetness. It helps bind the dough, keeping the thepla soft. The roasted peanut powder adds a lovely nutty depth. It’s unique and so, so good.
A note on farali flour
I use ready made farali flour (farali no lot) which I’m able to purchase from an Indian grocery store. It is usually a mix of different gluten-free flours. Most common additions are barnyard millet flour (samo), amaranth (rajgira), buckwheat (kuttu) and water chestnut flour (shingoda).
You can make your own at home with a mix of these flours. If like us you aren’t cooking a lot of farali recipes, just purchase the pre-mix. It’s more space saving too! I’ve also used it to make farali muthiya .
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Farali Thepla
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Skillet tawa
Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed farali flour + dusting
- ¼ cup dudhi grated
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 2 tablespoon ripe banana mashed
- 1 tablespoon green chilli-ginger paste
- 2 tablespoon coriander chopped
- 2 tablespoon roasted peanut powder
- pinch sugar optional
- rock salt farali salt/sindhav namak
- oil for shallow fry
Instructions
- In a big bowl add all the ingredients except oil, and knead a semi-soft dough.
- You won’t need any water to knead the dough as doodhi will release some moisture.
- Divide the dough into equal portions and shape into a ball.
- Dust the flour on a working surface, first roll one ball into a circle. Heat griddle or tawa on a medium heat.
- Place a rolled thepla on the griddle and cook for 20 seconds, or until the top starts to brown and slightly bubble.
- Turn the theplu over using a spatula, apply little oil and continue cooking for about 30 seconds, or until brown spots appear.
- Flip it over one more time and, using the spatula and apply oil, carefully press down all over.
- Turn over again and repeat on the other side until you have the desired crispiness.
- Keep each paratha warm, while you repeat to cook them all.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Farali Thepla
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Skillet tawa
Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed farali flour + dusting
- ¼ cup dudhi grated
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- 2 tablespoon ripe banana mashed
- 1 tablespoon green chilli-ginger paste
- 2 tablespoon coriander chopped
- 2 tablespoon roasted peanut powder
- pinch sugar optional
- rock salt farali salt/sindhav namak
- oil for shallow fry
Instructions
- In a big bowl add all the ingredients except oil, and knead a semi-soft dough.
- You won’t need any water to knead the dough as doodhi will release some moisture.
- Divide the dough into equal portions and shape into a ball.
- Dust the flour on a working surface, first roll one ball into a circle. Heat griddle or tawa on a medium heat.
- Place a rolled thepla on the griddle and cook for 20 seconds, or until the top starts to brown and slightly bubble.
- Turn the theplu over using a spatula, apply little oil and continue cooking for about 30 seconds, or until brown spots appear.
- Flip it over one more time and, using the spatula and apply oil, carefully press down all over.
- Turn over again and repeat on the other side until you have the desired crispiness.
- Keep each paratha warm, while you repeat to cook them all.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Kachumber is a crisp, finely chopped Indian salad with onion, tomato, cucumber and coriander. It’s finished with zingy lemon juice and is served alongside Indian meals.
Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published in April 2021. I’ve added new images and recipe tips I’ve picked up over the years (trust me, I make this one A LOT). The recipe remains the same.
You know that fresh, zingy chopped salad that magically appears alongside poppadoms and poppadom dips at Indian restaurants? That’s the inspiration behind my kachumber recipe.
If you’re anything like me, you probably end up eating half your meal’s worth of poppadoms just because of how good that crunchy kachumber is!
That version is the one I wanted to recreate at home. Simple but punchy, and the perfect balance of tangy and fresh, it’s far more than just a salad on the side.
It’s also perfect alongside curries, tarka dal , next to tandoori paneer , on masala poppadoms or even piled into a wrap for crunch.
I basically eat it everyday and not get bored.
Note that kachumber isn’t quite the same as a Indian raw onion salad , which is made entirely of raw onions and spices or red Indian onion chutney .
Ingredients with My Tips
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Whilst it’s simple to make, and the ingredients are self-explanatory, there are a few recipe tips to keep in mind.
Onion – I pretty much always use red onion, but white onion works too. I’d say it’s down to personal preference but I find that red onion is more palatable raw. I chop it extra fine so the flavour is subtle without overpowering the other ingredients. Sometimes, I soak in cold water for 5–10 minutes to take away the raw-ness.
Tomatoes – Restaurants often deseed tomatoes to avoid excess moisture. I do the same … whenever I’ve got the patience. Firm, ripe tomatoes are key so they don’t turn mushy.
Cucumber – I use English cucumber which is crisp and the skin is tender. Again, de-seed the cucumber for the best texture, but you don’t have to.
Coriander – I always chop coriander just before serving so it stays vibrant. Occasionally, you’ll see restaurants use mint leaves too which adds freshness.
Lemon juice – whenever I can, I use freshly squeezed lemon or lime but bottled absolutely works too.
Cumin coriander powder or chaat masala – the spices are optional – some restaurants will add it, some won’t. Adding it adds an extra layer of flavour and makes it taste unmistakably “Indian” but it isn’t essential.
Salt – if you’re preparing the kachumber ahead of time, add the salt just before serving to prevent the kachumber becoming soggy. You only need a light sprinkling of salt to bring the flavours together.
The main tip I have for you is to finely chop everything to the same size.
Go finely chopped rather than chunky as this texture complements the food kachumber is served it. The idea is that it’s easily scoopable onto a poppadom. It should have similar resemblance to a shirazi salad .
You can build on kachumber by adding beans, this Indian black eyed peas salad is a great option.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Kachumber
Ingredients
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup cucumber chopped
- ½ cup red or pink onion chopped
- ¼ cup coriander chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin & coriander or chaat masala
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well. 1 cup tomatoes, 1 cup cucumber, 1/2 cup red or pink onion, 1/4 cup coriander, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Adjust the seasoning as required and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
