Aloo Paratha
آلو کا پراٹھا
A good aloo paratha has a thin, crisp, golden crust and a soft potato filling right to the edges. The two things that make or break it are a soft, well-rested dough and a filling that is completely smooth and dry. Get those right and the rolling, which looks like the hard part, becomes easy.
- ⏱ Total: 55 min
- Prep: 35 min
- Cook: 20 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the and salt in a bowl. Add the water a little at a time, mixing with your fingers, then knead for 5–7 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. Rub the oil over it, cover and rest for at least 20 minutes.
Mash the cooled potatoes until completely smooth, with no lumps at all. Mix in the onion, green chilies, coriander, chili powder, cumin and salt.
Divide the dough and the filling into 4 equal portions each. Roll a dough ball into a 10 cm circle, put a ball of filling in the middle, pull the edges up around it and pinch them closed. Flatten gently, dust with flour and roll out to about 18 cm, pressing lightly and evenly.
Heat a over medium heat until a sprinkle of flour browns in a few seconds. Lay the paratha on it and cook for about a minute, until small bubbles appear and the underside has a few pale brown spots, then flip it.
Spread a teaspoon of ghee over the top, flip again and press the edges down with a spatula. Spread ghee on the second side and flip once more. Cook until both sides are crisp with golden-brown spots, about 2–3 minutes in all.
Serve hot with yogurt or raita, achar and a cup of chai. Keep finished parathas wrapped in a clean cloth while you cook the rest.
Kitchen notes
The filling must be cool and dry. Warm or wet potato makes steam that tears the dough from the inside.
If a little filling peeks through while rolling, pinch some dry flour over the spot and keep going gently.
Medium heat, not high. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through.
The weekend breakfast
Aloo paratha belongs to slow mornings: Sunday breakfast, a holiday, guests staying over. It’s usually eaten with plain yogurt, a spoon of mango or mixed achar, and very strong chai. One paratha with yogurt makes a full meal.
Dough and filling, in balance
The dough should be softer than for everyday roti, so it stretches around the filling instead of cracking. Resting it for 20 minutes relaxes the gluten and makes rolling much easier. The filling should hold together in a ball but never feel wet; if your potatoes are watery, let them steam dry for a few minutes after boiling, or add a spoon of flour.
Variations
- Ajwain: swap the cumin for half a teaspoon of carom seeds (ajwain) for a sharper, more traditional flavour.
- Anardana: a teaspoon of crushed dried pomegranate seeds adds a gentle sourness.
- Cheese: a little grated cheese mixed into the filling is a favourite with children.
Questions people ask
Why do my parathas keep tearing?
Usually the dough is too stiff, the filling is lumpy or wet, or there's too much filling. Make the dough soft, mash the potatoes completely, and use roughly equal weights of dough and filling.
Can I make them ahead?
Yes. Cook them on the tawa without ghee until just spotted on both sides, cool, and freeze between sheets of baking paper. Finish from frozen on a hot tawa with ghee.
Can I use butter or oil instead of ghee?
Yes. Oil gives a slightly crisper paratha, butter a richer one, though butter can brown quickly, so keep the heat at medium.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 11 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
