Paratha Recipe (Indian Flatbread)

4.90 from 39 votes

Paratha is a traditional Indian flatbread made with whole wheat flour, water, and salt. The unleavened dough is rolled, folded, and cooked on a hot tawa to create soft, flaky layers. Paratha is lightly roasted with oil or ghee until golden and crisp. It is commonly served with curries, dals, curd, or pickles.

Prep Time35

Cook Time30

Total Time1 5

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 374kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

2 cups or 240 grams whole wheat flour (atta)
1 to 2 teaspoons oil or ghee (clarified butter)
½ teaspoon salt or add as required
½ cup water or add as required
oil or ghee, add as required, for roasting

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Kneading dough

In a bowl take whole wheat flour, salt, oil. Add water in portions and begin to mix and knead the dough.
Mix and then knead into a smooth, pliable, soft dough.
Add more water if required while kneading.
Cover and keep the dough aside for 30 minutes.

Method to make triangular paratha

Pinch a medium sized ball from the dough. Flatten and dust with some flour.
With a rolling pin, roll into a circle of about 4 inches diameter.
Spread some ghee on the dough circle. Fold in a half.
Now spread some ghee on this half folded dough.
Fold sideways and this time you will get a folded triangle.
Dust some flour on the folded triangle. Now begin to roll the folded triangle.
Add some flour if required and roll into a circle of about 6 to 7 inches diameter.

Method to make square paratha

Roll a medium sized ball on a lightly dusted board to a circle of about 4 to 5 inches in diameter.
Spread some ghee on the rolled dough.
Bring one side of rolled dough towards the center and press lightly.
Now spread again some ghee on the folded part.
Fold the opposite side of the rolled dough on top of the folded part. Press lightly.
Again spread some ghee on this second folded part.
Fold the right side and bring towards the center. Spread some ghee on this fold too.
Lastly fold the left side on top of the right fold.
Sprinkle some flour on the folded dough.
Begin to roll. Add some more flour if required while rolling. Roll into a square shape.

Roasting paratha

Heat a skillet or tawa or a frying pan and place the rolled paratha on it. The skillet should be medium hot.
You will soon see the paratha puffing up from the base at some places and will also see some air pockets on this side.
Flip when the base is ¼ cooked. Spread some ghee or oil.
Flip again when the second side is about ½ cooked. You will see brown spots now.
Spread some ghee or oil on this side now.
Flip again a couple of times till you see more brown spots and it is cooked evenly. You can press the edges of the paratha with a spatula, if needed.
Make all parathas this way. Either serve them hot or stack them in a roti basket.
Serve these plain paratha with any indian dal or vegetable curry or pickle.

Notes

If the dough looks dry, then add some water. If the dough looks sticky and moist, then add some extra flour and knead again.
For a vegan paratha, use any neutral flavored oil for layering and roasting instead of ghee.
To make the parathas more crispy you can fry them for a bit longer on each side so that you get more brown crunchy spots.
The recipe can be doubled or tripled.

Nutrition