First pluck the leaves from the stems of bathua greens. You will need about 4 cups of bathua leaves (175 grams). Rinse the leaves very well. Drain all the water.
Take the leaves in a pan. Add ¼ cup water and mix.
Keep the pan on the stove top. Cover it with a lid and cook the leaves on a low flame till the leaves have softened and wilted.
In between do check if the leaves are done.
When the leaves are wilted, switch off the flame and keep the pan aside.
If you plan to add potatoes, then cut them in small cubes and cook with the bathua leaves. You can add about ½ cup water if using potatoes and can add 1 large potato.
kneading dough
In a another bowl, take 2 cups whole wheat flour, ½ teaspoon ajwain seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds or cumin powder, a pinch of asafetida (hing) and ½ teaspoon salt or add as required.
Mix very well.
Now strain the leaves and add them to the flour.
Add chopped green chilies and ½ tablespoon oil. You can add about 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped. You can skip green chilies if you want.
Mix very well first and begin to knead. If required, then only add water.
Knead to a smooth dough. If you have used potatoes also, then you won't need to add any water while kneading the dough. The moisture from the bathua leaves and potatoes will be enough to bind the dough. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
making bathua paratha
Now make small to medium sized balls from the dough. Take a ball and dust it with some flour.
Roll to a 4 to 5 inches circle. Spread some ghee or oil on the rolled circle.
Make a fold and bring in the center. Make another fold overlapping the first fold. Spread ghee on these folds too.
Fold sideways.
Sprinkle some flour on the folded paratha dough. roll to a square paratha.
cooking bathua paratha
Heat a tawa and place the paratha. cook on a medium to high flame.
Flip when the paratha is ¼th cooked. spread some oil or ghee on the paratha.
Flip again when the second side is ½ cooked. spread ghee or oil on this side too.
Flip a couple of times and cook till the parathas are evenly roasted.
Serve bathua paratha hot or you can even stack them in the casserole and serve warm.