Muli ka Paratha or Daikon Paratha

Muli मूली or Daikon paratha 

Mūlī comes from the Sanskrit मूल mūla 'root' (in most senses, including 'origin' and वर्गमूल vargamūla 'square root'). This Daikon means 'big root'.

Muli joke.… One english tutor was heard telling his pupil that … ‘Mooli’ is ‘carrot’. The mother of the student overheard and came in and asked ‘Isn’t Mooli radish ?’ To which the embarrassed teacher replied ‘Yes, yes, Mooli is sometimes reddish and sometimes whitish.’

Ayurvedic dietary principles divide foods into sattvic (सात्त्विक sāttvika 'vigorous'), rajasic (राजसिक rājasika 'passionate') and tamasic (तामसिक tāmasika 'dark'). Radish is considered tamasic; so, like onions and garlic, it is forbidden in a pure sattvic diet.

The radish is associated with Gaṇeśa (गणेश), the elephant-headed god.

Though Japan claims Daikon originated there, many Hindu scriptures mention that Lord Ganesh holds this root.

A verse of the Bṛhat-Saṃhitā (बृहत्संहिता), written by Varāha-Mihira (वराहमिहिर) around the end of the fifth century CE reads:

प्रमथाधिपो गजमुखः प्रलंबजठरः कुठारधारी स्यात् .

एकविषाणो बिभ्रन्मूलककन्दं सुनीलदलकन्दम्

pramathādhipo gajamukhaḥ pralambajaṭharaḥ kuṭhāradhārī syāt

ekaviṣāṇo bibhranmūlakakandaṃ sunīladalakandam

The lord of the Pramathas is elephant-faced and pendent-bellied and perhaps bears an axe;

he is one-tusked and carries a radish-bulb with dark blue leaves and roots.

Even though the radish is said to have originated in Northern China or Japan and has been cultivated there for thousands of years, most Europeans also consider it a native plant (Schwanitz 1966, 127).1 Black, white, purple, and red radishes rank among the favorite crops in Europe and the U.S. Radish roots were part of the daily food supply of the slaves who built the Egyptian pyramids, and the ancient Greeks used various radishes medicinally. 

In India, radish has been in use for a variety of medical and culinary purposes. The healing properties of radish are well summarised in a Chinese proverb that says, “Eating pungent radish and drinking hot tea, let the starved doctors beg on their knees.”

Radish health benefits

For weight loss: Methanol extracts of radish have been suggested as a weight loss agent and a possible treatment of obesity.

For high blood pressure: The intake of radish seeds has a hypotensive effect as it assists the process of vasodilation (widening of vessel walls, which allows blood to flow easily).

For digestive issues: Radish has a carminative (reduces bloating) and a laxative (assists bowel function) effect and thus helps in relieving constipation and stomach gas by allowing the easy passage of stools.

For piles: Consumption of raw radish and topical application of a paste made of honey and radish can help in relieving piles.

For jaundice: Drinking juice made from the leaves of radish and eating some raw radish is used as a traditional remedy for reducing the symptoms of jaundice.

For kidney stones: Studies have found that eating radish helps to reduce the risk of kidney stones as it increases the excretion of calcium oxalate through the urine.

For fertility: Radish can increase the production of semen and is thus helpful in improving sexual function and fertility as it has a warming effect on the body.

Recipe

*Wash and peel Muli.

* Now grate it and squeeze it tightly. 

* Add salt, green chillies, cilantro,chaat masala(optional) and grated or finely chopped ginger.

*Take aata dough and make a small disc, stuff it and roll out.

* On a hot tawa, shallow fry after cooking from one side.

* Serve hot with dhania chutney or pickle; I served it today with homemade Mango pickle. Yum 😋