Paratha Mania (Stuffed Flatbread)

Stuffed Parathas

Piping hot stuffed parathas (filled flat bread), with a dollop of butter makes for a perfect start to the day! They are my absolute favourite for breakfast� sometimes even for lunch and/or dinner.

Mom would wake up in time, prepare everything and ensure we were all fed hot parathas for breakfast � my dad, elder brother, any visitors/ friends, me and finally herself. I usually wake up late on weekends, so parathas make for a perfect brunch. I have recommended my favourite pairings based on the fillings below.

This is a paratha-mania post� The base atta remains the same. The filling, pairing and how you roll changes � whether you prepare the paratha by filling in the same layer, or in two layers.

Some of the best parathas in India are found in homes. Outside homes, the best place to eat them is at �dhabas� i.e. roadside restaurants. Also, parathas are cooked in three styles:

• Dry roasted in the tandoor yielding crisp and �light� versions
• Roasted on a tava in oil � the amount of oil varies on the cook/ place
• Deep Fried in a kadhai/pan!! 

I love the tandoor version. If you don�t have a gas/ electric tandoor at home, use the method I have mentioned in the recipe. Remember: The taste of the paratha is directly proportional to the quantity of oil used.

My husband and I have the following favourites, do help with your recommendations and I would love to taste and add them for my readers.

1.     Parathas originated in Punjab, and till date the best parathas are found in and on-the-way to Punjab. Since we haven�t travelled much in that direction, I don�t have personal recommendations. On our way to Shimla, we had stopped at a Vaishnav Dhaba, which was pretty good

2.     Giani Da Dhaba, Gajraula on NH24. This is our regular stop on our way from Gurgaon to Bareilly. Love their paneer parathas with butter and yoghurt

3.     Pind Balluchi, Sector 29 Gurgaon. Love their d�cor � it�s like a village. Our favourite paratha here was �Chur Chur Paratha� which is off the menu now, yet worth a mention. It was a crushed 10-12 inch diameter paratha � really large even for 2 people!

Enough introduction and stories� on to the recipe. The base atta is similar for most filled parathas, the fillings and method to roll differ.

I�m starting with �Mooli Parathas� (white radish parathas) first with photos. I made some aloo (potato parathas while entertaining a friend and ex-colleague for lunch, missed taking pics! Photos for other parathas will get added over time.

Yield: 4 parathas (serves 2, 2 parathas each)

Paratha Atta(common for all stuffed parathas)

Ingredients:

1 heaped cup atta (wholewheat flour)

A pinch of salt

About � cup water (as needed) to knead dough

� teaspoon oil

Oil for roasting � about 2-3 tablespoons (or more if you like!)

Method:

1.     Mix the atta and salt in a large bowl

2.     Add water slowly to knead a firm, smooth dough. It should not be too soft or sticky. Keeping the dough firm prevents breaking when stuffed

3.     When the dough has come together in a firm ball, add the oil and knead a little more

4.     The atta is ready to be rolled into parathas

5.     Single layer filling: I only use this for potato-based fillings. The potato stretches and expands to fill the paratha better than other fillings

a.     Take a large ball of atta

b.     Roll it well between your palms to smoothen it into a ball

c.      Press to flatten and cover both sides in dry flour

d.     Put the ball on your rolling surface and roll it out to a 2-3mm thick circle

e.     Ensure the ends are thinner than the center

f.      Place about 2 tablespoons of filling at the center, cover the filling with the atta remaining at the sides, press lightly to seal

g.     Dip both sides into the dry flour and roll out into a paratha (flat bread). I prefer between 1-2mm, keep the thickness as per your preference

6.     Double layer filling: I use this for all non-potato fillings

a.     Take two small, equal-sized balls of atta

b.     Roll them one by one between your palms to smoothen

c.      Press to flatten and cover both sides in dry flour

d.     Put the ball on your rolling surface and roll it out to a 2mm thick circle. Ensure the ends are thinner than the center. Repeat for other ball to make two discs

e.     Take one rolled disc, spread 2 tablespoons of filling across it, leaving a little space on the edge

f.      Dip your finger in water and run it around the edge

g.     Please the other disc on top, press around the circumference lightly to seal

h.     Dip both sides into the dry flour and roll it out into a paratha (flat bread). I prefer between 1-2mm, keep the thickness as per your preference. Ensure the edges are thin

7.     Heat the tava/ non-stick pan before you start rolling the parathas. To test whether it�s ready, sprinkle some dry flour. When it turns brown, dust it off and the tava/ pan is ready for use

8.     Place the paratha on the tava, wait for about 10 seconds and flip it. This first side should be lightly cooked � mostly white with some flecks of brown. Ideally, turn it before it starts to turn brown

9.     When there are small �bubbles� or the lower side is slightly browned, apply oil with the back of a tablespoon to the top and flip the paratha

10. Cook the oiled-side well till golden-brown, apply oil to the top side which was lightly browned and flip again

11. Cook till golden brown and crisp

12. Serve hot with a generous dollop of butter - a good dollop of butter ideally goes on top of every paratha. In addition, use the recommended pairings below

Fillings, Ingredients and Pairings

Mix the ingredients as per the paratha you want to make, add salt and it�s ready to fill.

Most Important Tip: Add salt absolutely at the end, just when you are about to roll and make the parathas. Adding salt earlier will cause the filling to leave some water, making it a nightmare to roll!

Paratha Filling	Ingredients	Pairing
Aloo (Potato)	2 large/ 3 medium boiled potatoes � cut into small pieces and mashed lightly 1 tsp chat masala (I use Catch brand) � tsp garam masala (mixed spice) � tsp grated ginger A pinch of amchur (dry mango) powder � - 1 tsp red chilly powder 1-2 green chillies finely chopped (optional) Salt to taste (1 to � tsp)	� Malai (cream taken off boiled milk 1 day after boiling) � Mango/ Chilly Pickle
Aloo Pyaaz (Potato and Onion)	Same as Aloo (Potato)� �    Reduce 1 medium potato �    Add 1 finely chopped onion	� Yoghurt � Mango/ Chilly/ Vegetable Pickle
Aloo Methi (Potato and fresh fenugreek leaves)	Same as Aloo (Potato)� �    Reduce � potato �    Add � cup roughly chopped fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves. Wash well and pat dry before cutting	� Malai
Gobhi (Cauliflower)	1 cup grated cauliflower (squeeze very lightly and throw the water) 1 tsp chat masala � tsp garam masala (mixed spice) � tsp grated ginger A pinch of amchur (dry mango) powder � - 1 tsp red chilly powder 1-2 green chillies finely chopped (optional) Salt to taste (1 to � tsp)	� Yoghurt
Mooli (White Radish)	1 small white radish, grated (squeeze the grated radish lightly and throw the water) 2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) � - 1 tsp red chilly powder 1-2 green chillies finely chopped (optional) Salt to taste (1 to � tsp)	� Tea � Yoghurt
Paneer (Cottage)	1 cup grated/ crumbled paneer (cottage cheese) 1 tsp chat masala � tsp garam masala (mixed spice) A pinch of amchur (dry mango) powder A dash of black pepper � - 1 tsp red chilly powder 1-2 green chillies finely chopped (optional) Salt to taste (1 to � tsp)	� Yoghurt
Peas and Cheese (Cottage/ Processed)	1 cup boiled and mashed peas 2 tbsps grated cheese (processed/ cottage) 1 tsp chat masala � tsp garam masala (mixed spice) � tsp grated ginger A pinch of amchur (dry mango) powder � - 1 tsp red chilly powder 1-2 green chillies finely chopped (optional) Salt to taste (1 to � tsp)	� Yoghurt
Cheese and Capsicum	� cup grated cheese (processed/ cottage) � cup finely chopped capsicum A pinch of amchur (dry mango) powder A dash of black pepper Salt to taste (1 to � tsp) Chillies are optional in this � I prefer without them	� Yoghurt

Parting Notes: I love crispy hot parathas. It�s a habit my mother passed on to me from her mother� As a child, my mum always ate her parathas/roti/puris (bread) straight off the tava/ pan/ kadhai� and ensured that her family did too!

I dislike parathas that are made and stored � they definitely don�t taste the same.