Paratha(Parantha) is an Indian flatbread made usually with wheat flour with vegetable stuffing inside and pan fried with little ghee/oil. It can be round, triangular or square in shape. The stuffing can be 1. Simply mixed while preparing the dough and rolled out like rotis. or 2. The dough is rolled out, stuffing is placed inside, then sealed with the dough to form an envelope and rolled out again. This way you have distinct layers in the paratha.
The commonly made parathas and the other variations that can be made are:
1. Plain Paratha (chappati with ghee added)
2. Aloo(Alu) paratha (potato stuffing)
3. Mooli (Muli) ka paratha (radish stuffing)
4. Paneer paratha (indian cheese/cottage cheese stuffing)
5. Gobi paratha (cauliflower stuffing)
6. Pudhina paratha (mint leaves stuffing)
7. Turnip paratha (shalgham stuffing)
8. Carrot paratha (gajar stuffing)
9. Mattar paratha (green peas stuffing)
10. Kheema (Qeema) paratha (ground meat stuffing)
11. Soya paratha(ground soya chunks stuffing)
12. Palak paratha (spinach stuffing)
13. Methi paratha (fenugreek leaves stuffing)
14. Dal Paratha (mashed lentil stuffing)
15. Laccha Paratha (layered with ghee)
16. Anda Paratha (egg stuffing)
17. Pyaz ka Paratha (onion stuffing)
18. Avocado Paratha
19. Broccoli Paratha
20. Ajwain Paratha
21. Tomato Paratha
22. Sattu Paratha (roasted gram flour stuffing)
23. Mughlai Paratha
24. Jalebi paratha
25. Kerala Paratha (commonly called as parotta or barotta)
26.. Ceylon Paratha
27. Band gobi wala paratha(cabbage stuffing)
28. Meat Paratha (chicken, mutton, beef, pork, turkey, shrimp etc.)
29. Meetha Paratha (sugar stuffing)
The variations of paratha are also found in other countries like Malaysia (known as roti canai), Mauritius (known as farata) ,Singapore (known as roti prata), Myanmar (known as palata), It is typically had with a dollop of butter, fresh yogurt or some pickle though it goes very well with any spicy gravy too. Here is the generalised recipe which can be used for any stuffing.
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour - 2 cups / Whole wheat flour - 1 cup + All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 cup
salt - to taste
oil - 1 Tblsp
warm water - 1/2 cup
Yogurt/ Curd - 3 Tblsp
Method
1.Mix the flour, salt, water and yogurt. Knead the dough. If the dough is little sticky, it gives very soft parathas.
2.Cover it with moist kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 hour.
3.Knead the dough again and make lemon sized balls.
4.Dip each ball into dry flour and roll out into a small circle using a rolling pin.The edges
should be thinner than the center.
5.Place a tblsp of stuffing in the center.Bring all the edges of the rolled out chappatti to the
center so it covers up the stuffing.
6. Seal it nicely and press it again to form a circle. Roll it out with your hands or with a
rolling pin.
7. If small bubbles appear just prick it. If some stuffing pops out, just add some flour and roll
again. (Alternatively, just mix the stuffing along with the dough and roll out.)
8.Place a griddle or dosastone on the stove at medium-high heat and apply oil. When the oil is hot, put the rolled out paratha on it.
9. While light brown spots appear, flip and let it cook.
10. Serve with yogurt and pickle.
To prepare stuffing
Ingrediants
Any vegetables - 1 cup (grated or finely minced)
( Commonly used vegetables are potato, cauliflower, paneer, radish, green peas etc)
Onion - 1(grated or finely minced)
Garlic - 2 cloves(grated or finely minced)
Green chilly - 1/2(grated or finely minced)
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - a pinch
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Cumin Powder - a pinch
Amchoor (Dry mango) powder - a pinch
Ajwain - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Method
1. Boil the vegetable/vegetables in water. Once it boils drain the water. Squeeze out the excess water using a dry kitchen towel.
2.Heat oil in a pan, fry the onions, green chilly and garlic.
3.Next add all the dry masala powder with few drops of water so it doesn't get burnt.
4.Add this to the boiled vegetables and mix nicely. Check for salt.
