Step by step process for Different Types of parathas

1. Plain Paratha

Ingredients

For The Dough1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp oil

Other Ingredients

whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta) for rolling
melted ghee for brushing and cooking

For Servingfresh curd

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients of the dough in a bowl and knead into a semi-soft dough using enough water.
2. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
3. Roll out each portion into 125 mm. (5") diameter round and brush with melted ghee.
4. Fold into half. Brush again with melted ghee and fold again.
5. Roll out again and cook on a tava (griddle) on both the sides using ghee till brown spots appear on the surface.
6. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 11 more parathas.
7. Serve hot with fresh curds.

2. Jeera Paratha

Ingredients :

1. wheat flour - 1 Cup

2. Cumin - 2 tsp

3. Pepper powder - 1 tsp

4. Salt - Needed qty

5. Oil - 2 tsp

6. Ghee - Small qty

Procedure :

1. Combine all the ingredients except ghee. Add water and make a soft dough.

2. Cover with damp cloth and keep it as such for atleast 30 minutes.

3. Now, roll the dough to parathas.

4. Put rolled paratha on a pre-heated tava. Let that side cook.

5. Now, pour half a teaspoon of ghee on top of the paratha and flip it to the other side.

6. Let the other side cook.

7. Serve hot with any Kurma or Gravy.

3. Lachha Paratha

Ingredients:

1 cup (for dough) + 1/2 cup (for dusting) Maida (all purpose flour)

Warm Water for kneading

1 tablespoon + for shallow frying Oil or Ghee (clarified butter)

Salt

Directions:

1. 

   Take 1 cup maida, 1 tablespoon oil and salt in a large bowl. Knead smooth dough by mixing all ingredients and adding warm water in small incremental amounts (1 or 2 tablespoons at a time). Addition of water in small quantities as required will prevent you from adding too much water to bind dough. The dough should be soft like chapati dough. Grease surface of dough with 1/2 teaspoon oil, cover it with clean muslin cloth and leave it to set at room temperature for 25 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal chunks and give each chunk a shape of ball.
2. 

   Take one dough ball, flatten it like pattie (by pressing between your palms of against rolling board) and coat it with dry wheat flour.
3. 

   Roll out dough ball in a circular shape (approx. 7-8 inch in diameter) or as thin as possible. Now spread 1/2 teaspoon ghee or oil evenly over entire surface using brush or your hand and sprinkle 1 teaspoon dry wheat flour over it.
4. 

   Hold approx 1/3 inch wide strip with your first two fingers and thumb from the top edge of rolled raw paratha, lift and fold backwards such that top edge remains on top.
5. 

   Now hold two ends of plited strip and repeat lift and fold backwards process until entire rolled paratha is like a stack of folded plits.
6. 

   Now hold each ends of long stacked-plited strip with your first two fingers and thumb. Lift the strip slowly away from rolling board and give a few mild gentle swings. This will stretch the strip a bit.
7. 

   Horizontally place elongated strip on a rolling board.
8. 

   Roll it like a Swiss roll. Press and stick outer-end against roll’s immediate surface. Prepare remaining rolls.
9. 

   Take one roll and place it horizontally on rolling board. Coat it with dry wheat flour and roll it out gently without applying too much pressure and give it a round shape (approx 5-6 inches diameter).
10. 

    Heat tawa or griddle over medium flame. Place raw lachha paratha on a hot tava. When you see tiny bubbles rise on the surface, flip it up side down.
11. 

    Spread 1 teaspoon oil over each side with spatula and cook until both sides gets evenly spread golden-brown spots.
12. 

    Transfer to plate and spread butter or ghee as per your preference. Repeat process for remaining rolls. Soft and crispy parathas are ready. Serve them with aloo curry and coconut chutney.

Tips and Variations:

• Replace maida flour with wheat flour or mix of 1/2 cup wheat flour and 1/2 cup maida.
• Use ghee instead of oil to knead dough for more soft and crispy paratha.
• Do not apply too much pressure while rolling out to get more visible layers in cooked lachha paratha.

Taste: Soft layers concealed by crisp outer layers .

Serving Ideas: Serve them with dal makhani, chickpea curry and tomato salad for healthy lunch. It makes tummy filling breakfast when served with sour mango pickle and tea or coffee.

5. Aloo Paratha

Aloo Paratha-Punjabi Aloo Paratha-Step by Step Recipe

I have posted Aloo Paratha before. But since then, I'd like to believe that I have perfected my technique to dish out a very decent aloo paratha, especially for a South Indian!

Potatoes have the property to inherently make aloo parathas soft so that makes our job that much easier. Although I struggled to make the perfect aloo parathas when I started cooking, I realised with practise it's really a piece of cake paratha!



Aloo Paratha (Punjabi Aloo Paratha) Recipe
Makes 8

Ingredients:

For Dough:-
2 cups atta / whole wheat flour
Just over 1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
A few drops of oil

For Aloo Filling:-
2 medium sized potatoes
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp jeera / cumin powder
1/4 tsp ajwain / omam / carom seeds
1/2 tsp chaat masala (or garam masala)
1/2 tsp salt
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped fine

How I Made It:

1. Make the dough first. (I use my Kitchenaid now for making chapati dough and its a breeze, will share details in a later post). Mix the atta and salt well together. Add a few drops of oil and mix with fingertips. Add water little at a time and keep kneading into a soft dough. Knead for 3-4 mins and coat with some more oil (don't overdo the oil bit, very few drops will do). Set aside while making the filling.

2. Boil and grate the potatoes. I used to mash them but that leaves small lumps here and there making it harder to roll out the aloo parathas smoothly. Grating is a better method to ensure a smooth filling. 

3. Mix all ingredients for the filling together, making sure they are well incorporated.

The spices you add to the filling also make a large difference to the taste of your aloo parathas. There are tons of different versions here. Since I visited TH's aunt in Mumbai and watched her Marathi maid make aloo parathas (in awe, I must add!), I use her recipe for the aloo filling.

4. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll into smooth balls. Do the same with the filling. I like to make the size of the filling slightly smaller than the dough balls but you can make them into equal sizes if you wish.

5. Flour the surface you are going to use to roll the parathas. Take one dough ball, place it on the floured surface and flatten with fingertips into a small round. I find that doing this with my fingertips makes it easier to get the surface equally thick than rolling with a rolling pin. The Vahrevah Chef agrees.

6. Place a filling ball in the centre of the flattened dough ball.

7. Gather the dough ball around the filling, sealing it gently on top.

8. Make it into a momo-like ball, making sure that the dough covers the filling ball completely.

9. You can pinch off the extra bit of dough on top. I sometimes just flatten it against the top and continue.

10. Again, using your fingertips, gently press the filled dough ball into a small circle, making sure the thickness is equal on all sides.

In case you are wondering, there was no tripod used in any of the pics. I clicked with my left hand. The things food blogging teaches you -  mind-boggling!

11. Then use your rolling pin to flatten it out to as thick or thin as you want. I keep it slightly thicker than chapatis. And before you ask, I still can't make a perfectly round chapati / paratha, so help me God. Oh, you weren't going to ask..

Ok moving on.

12. Transfer rolled paratha to a hot griddle. Make sure you tap out the excess flour used in rolling. I didn't take enough for this paratha so ignore the excessive white patches.

13. Cook until both sides are golden brown. When done, brush with some ghee / butter or oil and transfer to a plate. I use my olive oil spray while making chapatis / parathas. You can spray on the oil at the end and it creates zero mess. Of course if you want to use ghee, then the mess doesn't matter, only the flavour does!

That's it! Serve hot with a pat of butter on top, some curd and pickles.