After moving to our new house and no longer being spoiled by having a really good Indian restaurant a short walk away, I experimented with a bunch of Indian recipes. Indian food has been quite the challenge for me to learn to cook. I did not grow up eating it and the bulk of what I have for reference is restaurant style Indian food, so I am not really sure how things are supposed to look or taste, and Indian cuisine uses a lot of techniques that are unfamiliar (though with the advent of the internet there are resources aplenty and I am learning!) or difficult to replicate in a typical American kitchen. Another thing I quickly learned is that many cooks in India seem to work based on taste and feel rather than measuring things out and describing things in exact terms, which is easy if you're used to the recipe and the variations in your ingredients, but if you're unfamiliar with what you're cooking it can be a challenge to know how much of each thing is appropriate.
Having said all that, this was one of the first Indian foods I cooked from scratch where I was happy with the result I got. It might not be particularly authentic, but I like how it tastes.
Notes:
- The salt in the bread dough supposedly makes it softer than if you do not use it.
- If you like a less spicy filling, use less birdseye chili or remove the seeds, and less or no cayenne pepper.
- If you cannot find amchur, you can use a small amount of lemon or lime juice, or just leave it out.
- The filling should have a much drier, more crumbly texture than the dish most Americans know as "mashed potatoes". My first batch used American style mashed potatoes and the filling squished out the sides as soon as I rolled it to press the layers together.
- The sandwiching-two-rolled-circles-together method worked better for me than wrapping the edges of one circle around the filling, but try both and see what works better for you.
- Ghee (clarified butter) is traditional for frying these but you could also use another oil with a high smoke point.
- One of my Indian friends likes to eat these with maple syrup. I have not tried it but I plan to if I make them again.
- These freeze well. After frying, let them cool and then place between sheets of parchment paper in a plastic bag, then put the bag in the freezer. To reheat, place frozen parathas in a single layer in a 350°F oven for 4-5 minutes.
- The source website has lots of extra photos detailing the process; these may be helpful for you if it's your first time making them.
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RECIPE:
Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Stuffed Pan Fried Bread)
Makes 10-12 pieces
Dough:
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 cup water, or more if needed
Filling:
4-5 medium potatoes (about 2 lb)
1 medium onion, chopped finely (optional)
1 green birdseye chili, chopped finely, or to taste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp amchur/dry mango powder
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Ghee or canola oil, for frying
Ghee or butter, for serving (optional)
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped finely (optional)
Prepare dough: Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Pour in water and stir with a spoon until water has soaked in, then use your hands to gather it into a ball, adding more water a tablespoon at a time if there's a lot of dry flour left. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until it is smooth and pliable. It should not be sticky. Divide into balls about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Let rest while you prepare the filling.
Prepare filling: Peel potatoes, cut each in half, and place in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until you can easily stick a fork in them, about 10-15 minutes. Drain very well, then place in a medium bowl. Add onion if using, birdseye chili, cayenne, garam masala, amchur, and salt, and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and mix in the other ingredients. The mixture should be dry and somewhat granular, but still stick together when pressed.
Shaping the breads: Using a rolling pin, roll a ball of dough into a circle about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Repeat with another ball of dough. Moisten the outer edge of one of the circles of dough with water. Place about 2-3 tbsp potato filling in the center, then top with the other circle of dough and press down the edges so they stick together. Flatten gently with the rolling pin, being careful not to squish the filling out of the dough, until the entire thing is about 1/8 inch thick (it will be around 5-6 inches in diameter). Repeat with remaining dough.
Cooking the breads: Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and put about 1 tbsp of ghee or oil in it. When the pan is hot, place the bread in it and cook until the bottom has browned and puffed, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Repeat with remaining breads. Serve warm.
