Paratha Recipe: How to Make Plain and Stuffed Paratha

There are different kinds of paratha, including the plain and stuffed varieties, they are equally delicious in their own right and it's good to know how to make both.

What is a Paratha?

A paratha is a layered flatbread that has been shallow-friend and due to them being rather filling, they are popularly eaten for breakfast in South Asian countries such as Pakistan and India.

In other languages, a paratha is also known as a parantha, parauntha, prontha, parontay in Punjabi, porota in Malayalam and other Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, palata in Burma, and farata in Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and the Maldives.

Aloo Paratha Recipe - Potato Stuffed Flat Bread

Although traditionally eaten as a filling breakfast, these tasty flatbreads that have been stuffed with a delicious filling can be enjoyed at any time of day.

Ingredients for the Filling

2 tbsp Cooking oil such as Sunflower oil
600g Boiled potatoes
1 Medium Onion (chopped)
1 tbsp Ginger (chopped)
2 Green chillies (chopped)
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Red chilli flakes or red chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Dried pomegranate seeds
¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds
½ tsp Nigella / Kalonji seeds
1/2 cup Coriander leaves (chopped)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Lemon juice

Ingredients for the Dough

375g - 3 cups All-purpose flour or Atta (flour for making Roti)
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Cooking oil such as Sunflower oil (and extra oil for frying)
250ml Water (add as needed to make the dough to the right consistency).

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and oil and begin to combine everything together.
2. While mixing, add the water gradually until a smooth dough forms, kneading the dough for around 10 minutes is essential in order to acquire a non-sticky, easy to roll out dough.
3. Set aside in a large bowl covered so that the dough doesn't dry out.
4. In a frying pan add the oil, ginger and onion and sauté until slightly brown.
5. Next, add all the spices to the pan and mix well.
6. While still on medium heat, add the boiled potatoes with the fresh coriander, dried pomegranate seeds and lemon juice.
7. With the back of a spoon or potato masher, slightly mash the mixture so that the bigger chunks of potato do not rip the dough when it is rolled out.
8. Let the filling cool down slightly as you divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
9. Using the palms of your hands, roll each piece into small balls.
10. With a rolling pin, roll the balls into flat circles and add a few tablespoons of the filling to the centre of one.
11. Place another one on top and press the edges down firmly to seal the paratha.
12. Carefully roll it out into a large thin paratha, turning it over and rotating it in between.
13. Repeat this for 4 parathas and heat up a flat pan or a large frying pan with a tablespoon of cooking oil.
14. Cook each side for about 30 seconds and keep turning it over until the paratha is golden brown, ensuring that it is all coated with the oil and without cracking the surface so that hot air accumulates inside and cooks the paratha from within.
15. Do this for the rest of the parathas and enjoy!

Plain Paratha Recipe - Fried, Layered Flat Bread

In South Asian countries, where wheat is a staple food, many variations of the paratha can be found, and they are commonly eaten with curries, chutney, yoghurt or omelette.

Ingredients

375g - 3 cups All-purpose flour or Atta (flour for making Roti)
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Cooking oil such as Sunflower oil (extra oil for frying)
250ml Water (add as needed to make the dough to the right consistency).

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and oil and begin to combine everything together.
2. While mixing, add the water gradually until a smooth dough forms, kneading the dough for around 10 minutes is essential in order to acquire a non-sticky, easy to roll out dough.
3. Set aside in a covered bowl for 20 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll them into balls.
5. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a flat rectangle.
6. Add a few drops of oil on to the dough and spread it with the back of a spoon.
7. Sprinkle a bit of flour over it and fold it a third way down. Now fold it over towards the back and once more until it is a small and thick rectangle.
8. From one end of the dough to the other, roll it along to form a swirl shape.
9. Press it down from the top and roll it out flat. 
10. Heat a flat pan or frying pan with a teaspoon of oil and place the paratha on it.
11. Adding oil on each side, cook the paratha until golden brown, ensuring that it is all coated with the oil and without cracking the surface so that hot air accumulates inside and cooks the paratha from within.
12. Repeat for each remaining paratha and enjoy!

You can enjoy plain paratha with omelette, curries or as a wrap will a delicious filling. Likewise, stuffed paratha can have various fillings, some popular variations include mooli (daikon, white radish) paratha, mixed vegetables or keema (minced meat).