This is one of the most loved Indian recipes and I have always been asked for the recipe. Today I am sharing my way of making this. This particular recipe varies from kitchen to kitchen as to how many spices to be added or how to knead the dough. It would actually depend on your scale of measuring your spice level. People in some states India like it very flavoursome and spicy while some like to keep it mild. Likewise, when I recently made it for a few non- Indians, I kept it really mild with salt, pepper, butter and a few Indian herbs namely mint, coriander leaves and kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves). The result was awesome and people loved it.
Preparing this recipe will come in three stages namely kneading the dough, making the potato filling and final assembly.
Makes 8 parathas
Ingredients for the filling
1/2 kg potatoes boiled, drained and mashed without lumps
2 tbsps Tomato paste
1 tbsp of Spice blend of dry roasted and powdered spices namely cumin seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies(Combine and roast all the spices in a wok, powder them and take one tbsp of the powdered spice)
1 tbsp each of finely chopped coriander leaves, green chillies finely chopped, freshly grated ginger, fresh mint leaves.
I have tried making this with dried coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chillies. You can always use dried herbs if you don’t find the fresh ones.
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tsp Butter
Procedure for the filling
Take a micro waveable glass bowl. Peel the boiled potatoes and mash them with a fork till there are no lumps. Now add all the spices that suit you. Omit the ones you dont have or don’t want to incorporate. Add tomato paste, butter and salt and if you are adding dried herbs this is the time to do so. But don’t add the fresh ones at this stage. Mix them well. Microwave on high for two to three minutes by pausing after a minute and mixing again with a fork to ensure uniformity in cooking. Add fresh herbs now. Mix well and keep aside.
For the Parathas
Ingredients
250 gms of wheat flour
100 gms of refined flour
2 tbsps of oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp salt
Water as required to knead.
Procedure:
Add the dry ingredients to the kneader and run it once to mix everything. Now, add water and run it. The kneaded dough is ready. Cover it and keep it.
The final assembly
- Take your dough and roll two rotis half the size of normal roti.
- Keep one aside and the other on the rolling board.
- Take out two tbsps of stuffing and spread on the roti on the rolling board leaving the sides.
- Take the second roti and put on top of the stuffing sealing all the sides with your hands.
- Then roll both the rotis together dusting it with flour so that they dont stick to the rolling board.
- Put the non- stick tawa on the burner and let it get adequately hot.
- Keep oil or ghee or melted butter in a bowl with basting brush .
- When hot, turn the flame to medium and put the paratha on it.
- Press gently with a spatula to make sure every part of the paratha is cooked uniformly.
- This should take you around 3-4 mins.
- Flip it and let it cook on the other side too.
- When both the sides look cooked(when there are brown spots on both surfaces), brush oil or butter or ghee on both the sides and fry on high.
- It will puff up, once it is cooked.Take it off the heat and serve or store in a bowl with lid. Make sure to line the bowl with a padded cloth in the bottom and on top.This prevents the parathas from turning soggy.
- Serve with pickle and yogurt.
I have an easier version though. Knead 500gms of flour with grated boiled potato, finely chopped coriander, green chillies, ajwain powder, red chilli powder, salt to taste, oil and garam masala powder and water. Let the dough rest for a while. Roll the chapatis and cook on a tawa .
Aromas of My Kitchen 