Translated, this traditional Indian recipe is Flat Bread filled with Spiced Potatoes and although a little time consuming to make, the end result is well worth it and considering I did this on day 30 of my Covid-19 lockdown, time was something that I had in abundance.
If you follow the recipe the parathas are quite mildly flavoured, so if you prefer spicier, just add more cayenne or even a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes. I like to leave the skin on vegetables if at all possible, so just wash the potatoes and ginger before preparing to cook as there is no need to peel them.
Parathas can be served on their own with raita or plain/spiced yoghurt, but are also a perfect complement to any saucy Indian dish, for example, Spinach & Paneer Curry.
They can be made in advance and still taste great heated up the following day.
Alu Paratha
(makes 8)
2 cups wholemeal flour
1 cup white flour
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
250 ml warm water (more or less)
3 medium-sized potatoes (cube, boil and mash roughly)
Olive oil or spray
1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fresh ginger (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
Small bunch of coriander leaves (chopped)
Put the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre and add the melted butter and mix through.
Add the water gradually until it forms a solid dough and knead it for 6-8 minutes.
Dampen the dough with wet hands, cover and stand or 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
While the dough is standing add some oil to a large frypan and fry the ginger and spices for a couple of minutes.
Add the potatoes to the pan and fry with the spice mixture, stirring constantly for 4 to 5 minutes.
Lastly, add the remaining teaspoon of salt and the coriander and mix through. Set aside to cool down to room temperature.
Divide the dough into eight equal portions, roll out on a floured surface, add 1/8th of the potato mixture to each piece of rolled out dough and pinch up the dough around the filling.
Gently roll or pat out each paratha as flat as possible with the stuffing still well-contained – each should measure about 150mm in diameter.
Heat a little oil in a heavy bottom pan and fry in batches over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes each side.
Keep the serving dish with the cooked parathas in a warm oven while you are cooking the rest.
Serve immediately or can be kept warm until ready to serve.