Paratha: the easy recipe for a popular Indian flatbread

If you've never had parathas, you're in for a treat. This easy-to-make popular Indian flatbread is incredibly soft, with flakey layers. Parathas are cooked in a griddle or skillet, which gives the outside of the bread a slightly crisp texture and delicious flavor. You only need a few ingredients to make parathas at home: flour, water, oil, and ghee. You can also add other ingredients like herbs, spices, potatoes, and other vegetables to make them heartier and give them even more flavor.

Serve your parathas as a side dish with meat or vegetable curries, dal, saag paneer, biryani, or enjoy them as a snack with dips like chutney, yogurt, or pickle mix.

What is Paratha?

Parathas are a tasty type of flatbread that is popular in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and other South Asian countries. They're made with flour, oil, water, and ghee.

Unlike rotis, parathas have several layers and are a little flaky. They're fried in a skillet or griddle, whereas naan is baked.

How to Make Paratha

Making homemade parathas is very similar to making any other type of flatbread. Combine the flour, salt, and oil in a large bowl, then pour in just enough water to form a dough. Knead the dough until it becomes soft, but not sticky. If your dough is too sticky, you can add a tiny bit more flour to it. Once you have a supple dough, cover it with a damp towel and let it rest for half an hour.

After 30 minutes, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball then cover with a damp towel. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface. Working one at a time, roll the dough balls out and flatten them so they're about 7-inches in diameter. Keep the dough covered when you're not working with it.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the paratha on one side until it begins to bubble. Once it bubbles up, flip it. Keep flipping the paratha until it puffs up and begins to brown. Repeat until all the parathas are cooked. You can layer them one on top of the other to keep them warm and soft. Enjoy immediately.

Tips for Making Homemade Paratha

For soft, flaky parathas, knead the dough well. You can do this by hand, use a food processor, or a stand mixer with a dough hook.

Don't forget to rest the dough. This will give you soft, perfect parathas.

Use oil or ghee to make parathas. Oil is preferred by some people because it won't harden up if the parathas are left for later.

If your dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour to it. If it's too hard, add a little bit of oil or water until it becomes soft and easy to work.

Paratha Variations

Add your favorite spices and herbs to the paratha dough to give it more flavor. Try sprinkling in some fenugreek leaves, cilantro, spinach puree, green onions, a dash of red chili powder, cumin, and garam masala, or boiled mixed veggies to the dough.

You can also stuff the paratha with potatoes or paneer.

What to Serve with Paratha

Parathas are usually served as a side dish with main meals like curries, tandoor chicken, moong dal, and kormas. You can also dip them in achar (pickle), yogurt dip, chutney like cranberry chutney, or curry sauce.

How to Store Paratha

To store parathas, stack them with a piece of parchment paper between each layer and place them in a sealable bag. Refrigerate the parathas for up to 2 days in the fridge, or you can freeze them for up to 1 month.

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and oil. Pour the water in a little bit at a time until a dough starts to form.

Knead the dough until it becomes soft and easy to work. Cover the dough in a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Shape the dough into balls and cover with a damp towel.

Lightly flour a work surface. Working one at a time, roll the dough balls out and flatten them so they're about 7-inches in diameter.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the paratha until bubbles start to form, then flip it. Keep flipping the paratha until it puffs up and begins to brown. Repeat until all the parathas are cooked.

Notes

The dough should be firm, and not sticky.