Growing up, I knew it would be a good day if I smelled parathas being made at home. For those who don’t know, parathas are flaky unleavened flatbreads that are made by spreading butter on a rolled-out dough ball, rolling it up, and then re-rolling it into a flatbread.
This gives those quintessential flaky layers that are insanely addictive and moreish- it’s honestly impossible to put them down if you have a stack in front of you.
This recipe is my nani’s and I’ve tweaked it a bit to make it easy for you guys to use. Traditional parathas are made with atta, which is whole wheat flour, but it can be a little difficult to work with.
I use a mix of atta and all-purpose flour to get that signature flavor while retaining the softness that is so crucial in a good paratha. Another key to making it soft is being brave with the amount of liquid you use. It should be a soft dough that is a little hard to knead at the beginning. If you feel it’s sticking too much, just add some oil to your hands and counter.
I hope you try this out!
Ingredients:
(makes 5-6)
120 g bread or whole wheat flour
120 g all-purpose flour
140 ml water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil or ghee
1/4 cup softened butter or ghee
1/4 cup flour
Method:
In a bowl, mix together the flours, salt, water, and oil until a soft dough forms.
Tip out on the counter and knead until smooth and uniform (5-6 minutes).
If you find it too soft and sticky to work with, add some oil to your hands and the counter to make it easier to manage.
Once smooth, put in a bowl and cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Let rest for at least 30 minutes
Divide the dough into 5 or 6 equal pieces.
Roll into a rough ball, and then coat the ball in some flour.
Flatten into a disc with your hands and then start rolling.
It doesn’t need to be a perfect circle but you want to get it as thin as possible.
Once you can see the counter through the dough, spread some of the softened butter across the entire surface. Then, sprinkle with flour.
Roll the dough into a log, I like doing this from the long side.
Then curl the log into itself, creating a spiral circle. Tuck the tail end under and flatten it into a disc.
Repeat this process with the rest of the dough balls, keeping them covered so they don’t dry out.
Then, starting with the first one you worked on, dust it with flour and start rolling it out into a circle. You don’t want it too thin as it won’t stay soft but make sure it’s not too thin. It should be the thickness of a regular flatbread.
If the butter starts seeping through, just dust it with more flour.
Heat up a pan over medium heat and add a tbsp of oil and butter.
Put the paratha in and cook over medium heat until golden brown on one side. The uncooked side should turn an opaque color. Then, flip over and cook until golden brown on the other.
Brush with some melted butter and enjoy warm.