Paratha is one of the most commonly made flatbreads in most Indian households. Made with just a handful of everyday ingredients—whole wheat flour (atta), water, salt, and a touch of ghee, it offers endless possibilities for variations.
Plain Parathas are versatile as they can be paired with chutney, homemade pickles, yogurt, green chutney, and ketchup! The magic of crispy parathas lies in the perfect paratha dough and here I have given you top tips to make the dough. With that, you will also get the steps to make some delicious sada parathas and possible stuffed variations.
Ingredients for plain Parathas
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- ½ cup Water Might need a bit less
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Salt to Taste
- ½ tsp Ajwain or Carrom Seeds
- Ghee to fry the parathas
How to knead the perfect Paratha dough?
- Start by mixing the whole wheat flour with some salt and a tablespoon of oil in a large mixing bowl.
- Rub the oil well into the flour. You may add a teaspoon of ajwain or carrom seeds to aid digestion and add some flavor to the parathas
- Now add some water and start bringing it together into a soft dough. Rub some oil on the dough so that it doesn’t dry out and leave it covered for 15-20 minutes
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling in case you are planning to make stuffed Parathas
- Before you start making the parathas, knead the dough gently once again to make it soft and supple
- Now you may proceed with your parathas
Recipe instructions to make everyday sada parathas
- To avoid dry, hard paranthas, don’t overcook them. They should be golden brown on both sides.
- Before you start making the parathas, knead the dough gently once again to make it soft and supple
- Now you may proceed with your parathas. To make perfect paranthas, pinch off smaller dough balls and roll them out as thinly as possible. Layer them into different shapes of paratha
- Fry the paranthas over medium heat on a griddle so they cook evenly without burning or getting undercooked
- Flip the paranthas frequently to ensure that both sides cook evenly
- Drizzle some ghee and give them a fry. Serve hot
Top 10 tips to make perfect Indian paranthas at home
- Use the right type of flour: To make perfect Indian paranthas, use whole-wheat flour (atta) instead of all-purpose flour, or a combination of both in equal proportion
- Knead the dough properly: Knead the dough until it’s smooth and pliable. This will help the paranthas cook evenly.
- Add oil while kneading: Add a tablespoon of oil to the flour before kneading the dough. This will make the paranthas crispy & softer and help prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Let the dough rest: Let the kneaded dough rest for at least 30 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out later.
- Roll out the dough thinly: To make perfect paranthas, roll out the dough as thinly as possible.
- Use enough oil: When frying the paranthas, use enough oil to coat the entire surface evenly.
- Fry over medium heat: Fry the paranthas over medium heat so they cook evenly without burning or leaving them undercooked.
- Flip the paranthas frequently: Flip the paranthas frequently to ensure that both sides cook evenly.
- Use fillings that are easy to roll: If you are adding a filling to your paranthas, make sure it is smooth and easy to roll so that the paranthas don’t tear.
- Don’t overcook: To avoid dry, hard paranthas, don’t overcook them. They should be golden brown on both sides.
More popular Indian Paratha recipes
- Aloo Paratha: Stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes
- Gobi Paratha: Filled with spiced grated cauliflower
- Mooli Paratha: Filled with spiced grated radish
- Methi Paratha: Paratha dough made with fresh fenugreek leaves
- Paneer Paratha: Stuffed with paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- Veggie Stuffed Paratha: Stuffed with grated mixed vegetables
- Lachcha Paratha: Known for its flaky layers.
- Malabar Paratha (Kerala Parotta): A specialty from Kerala.
- Pyaaz Paratha: Onion-stuffed paratha.
- Matar Paratha: Filled with green peas.
- Chana Dal Paratha: Incorporates lentils.
- Sattu Paratha: Features roasted gram flour.
- Spinach (Palak) Paratha: Infused with spinach.
- Egg Paratha: Includes a cracked egg in the dough.
- Chicken Paratha: Minced chicken filling.
- Mughlai Paratha: Rich and layered.
- Cheese paratha
I have used this dough recipe to make basic everyday Indian paratha like layered triangle parantha, layered square paratha, and multi-layered lachha paratha. You will find recipe videos below.
Have you tried this recipe? I would love to hear about it. Please leave a comment and star rating if you loved my recipes. It would help this post to reach more readers. Thank you!
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Plain sada Paratha is one of the most commonly made flatbreads in most Indian households. Made with just a handful of everyday ingredients—whole wheat flour (atta), water, salt, and a touch of ghee, it offers endless possibilities for variations.
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- ½ cup Water Might need a bit less
- 2 tbsp Oil
- Salt to Taste
- ½ tsp Ajwain or Carrom Seeds
-
Start by mixing the whole wheat flour with some salt and a tablespoon of oil in a large mixing bowl.
-
Rub the oil well into the flour. You may add a teaspoon of ajwain or carrom seeds to aid digestion and add some flavor to the parathas
-
Now add some water and start bringing it together into a soft dough. Rub some oil on the dough so that it doesn’t dry out and leave it covered for 15-20 minutes
-
Meanwhile, prepare the filling in case you are planning to make stuffed Parathas
-
Before you start making the parathas, knead the dough gently once again to make it soft and supple
-
Now you may proceed with your parathas. To make perfect paranthas, roll out the dough as thinly as possible. Layer them into shapes
-
Fry the paranthas over medium heat so they cook evenly without burning or leaving them undercooked.
-
Flip the paranthas frequently to ensure that both sides cook evenly.
-
Use fillings that are easy to roll: If you are adding a filling to your paranthas, make sure it is smooth and easy to roll so that the paranthas don’t tear.
-
To avoid dry, hard paranthas, don’t overcook them. They should be golden brown on both sides.
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