Indian Paratha

The Indian paratha

Sunday morning, Star Trek playing on TV, slight moist chill in the air and a buttery fried smell drifting through the house. My childhood memories of Sunday brunch when my mother had a day off from work and she made hot stuffed parathas with a different filling each week. We looked forward to them, my brother and I, gorging down these 'garma garam' delicious beauties dripping with butter, and a side of 'mirchi ka achaar' and a small bowl of plain yogurt.

The Indian paratha, an unleavened bread cooked all across Indian households is a breakfast favorite and a lunchbox favorite for almost all kids. There are numerous recipes for parathas with variations of fillings and dough. Most vegetables can be used for stuffing, but my faves are potato (aloo paratha) and radish (mooli paratha). It's a good way to use any left overs, just stuff-em in a paratha.

Crisp edged, flaky and spicy, freshly made, piping hot parathas straight out of the tava, topped with butter, dunked in tangy spicy pickle and a cooling spoonful of yogurt, small moments of childhood bliss.



I have broadly categorized the stuffed parathas into three categories.

1. The dough method - Add the chopped veggies to the flour and knead into a soft dough. Roll and fry. Some examples of this type of  parathas are methi (fenugreek), onion, spinach, green onion.
2. The stuff in method -  Roll the dough into a small disc, place a small amount of filling in the middle, Pull the edges together and seal. Flatten, roll and fry. This is the most common method, and almost any cooked dry vegetable can be used to make a paratha using this method. Some common examples are potato, urad dal, chana dal, paneer, peas, aloo methi sabji, sugar/khoya.
3. The two roti method - When the stuffing is too chunky or too moist to use method-2, try using the two roti method. Roll two rotis, spread the filling evenly on one, place the second roti on top and press the edges to seal them. Then fry gently. A little tricky but practice makes perfect. Works well for grated radish(mooli), cauliflower (gobhi), cabbage, cheese, egg, mince meat -chicken or mutton (keema).

Here are some accompaniments that make these parathas even more special. You may want to try one or more with your next paratha meal.

1. White butter and/or ghee
2. Stuffed or chopped red chili pickle
3. Lime or lemon pickle
4. Raw mango pickle in oil
5. Plain yogurt

THE DOUGH METHOD
Methi Paratha

Ingredients: (Makes 15)
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp oil
4 cups packed chopped methi
1 tsp ajwain
1 tsp garam masala
3-4 green chilies, chopped fine
1-inch ginger, grated
Salt and red chili powder to taste
Oil/ghee for shallow frying

1. Combine the first eight ingredients in a bowl and knead a soft dough with cool water. 
2. Knead well for 3-5 minutes until smooth.
3. Cover and keep aside to rest the dough for 10-15 minutes.
4. Heat a flat griddle pan (tava) or frying pan.
5. Divide the dough into equal portions. Flatten the dough ball and roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 6 inch circle. 
6. Dust off the excess flour from the paratha and place it on the hot pan.
7. Cook for a few seconds and turn over. Smear the top of the paratha with a little melted butter or oil using the back of a spoon. 
8. Turn over and repeat the process of buttering the top while the base cooks. Now turn over to cook the other side until there are brown speckles on the base as well. 
9. Serve warm with yogurt and your choice of some pickle.

THE STUFF IN METHOD

Potato (Aloo) Paratha
Ingredients: (Makes 12)

For the dough
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp oil
For the filling

6 large potatoes, boiled, peeled
1 tsp ajwain
1 tsp garam masala
3-4 green chilies, chopped fine
1-inch ginger, grated
Fresh coriander, chopped fine
2 tsp anardana/ dried pomegranate powder
Salt and red chili powder to taste
Oil/ghee for shallow frying

1. In a bowl, sift the flour and add 2 teaspoons of oil and enough water to form a soft dough.
2. Rest the dough while you make the filling. Wrap it in cling film or cover with a damp cloth and keep aside. 
3. Place the peeled and boiled potatoes in a large bowl and mash them well using a potato masher.
4. Add all the other ingredients to the mashed potato and mix well. 
5. Heat a flat tava (griddle) or a frying pan to medium.
6. Divide the dough and stuffing into equal portions. Flatten the dough ball and roll out on a lightly floured pastry board to a 3 inch disc. Add the filling to the disc, pull the edges together, seal well and flatten.
7. Roll out the encased dough into a 6 inch circle on a lightly floured pastry board. Dust off the excess flour from the paratha and place it on the hot tava. 
8. Cook for 10-15 seconds and turn over. Smear the top of the paratha with a little melted ghee or oil using the back of a spoon. Turn over again to cook the other side and add some more butter on the top side. Turn one more time and cook for a few seconds till lightly crisp.
9. Serve hot with yogurt and your choice of pickle.

THE TWO ROTI METHOD
Cauliflower (Gobi) paratha

Ingredients: (Makes 8)

For the dough
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp oil
For the filling
½ large cauliflower, grated fine
1 tsp ajwain
1 tsp garam masala
3-4 Green Chilies, chopped
1-inch ginger, grated
Fresh coriander, chopped fine
Red chili powder to taste
Salt to taste
Oil/ghee  for shallow frying

1. In a bowl, sift the flour and add 2 teaspoons of oil and enough water to form a soft dough.
2. Rest the dough while you make the filling. Wrap it in cling film or cover with a damp cloth and keep aside. 
3. Mix all the ingredients under filling except salt. Salt will leech out moisture of the vegetable, making the stuffing moist. Add salt just before you start rolling the paratha. 
4. Heat a flat tava (griddle) or a frying pan to medium.
5. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. 2 of the dough balls will become one paratha. 
6. Flatten a dough ball and roll out on a lightly floured pastry board to a 4 inch circle. Keep it aside while you roll out another dough ball.  Spread a generous amount of filling all over the circle, place the other rolled out circle on top and using your fingers lightly press to seal the edges. 
7. Now roll it gently into a 6 inch circle. Carefully place it on the hot tava. 
8. Cook for 10-15 seconds and turn over. Smear the top of the paratha with a little melted ghee or oil using the back of a spoon. Turn over again to cook the other side and add some more butter on the top side. Turn one more time and cook for a few seconds till lightly crisp.
9. Serve hot with yogurt and your choice of pickle.