Where it comes from
The breakfast of the wheat belt. In Punjab it comes with a slab of white butter and a glass of lassi; in Delhi's Paranthe Wali Gali the same bread is deep-fried instead of griddled.
Method
- 1
Rest the dough
08:00Knead flour, salt and water into a soft dough and let it sit covered for twenty minutes.
- 2
Dry the filling
06:00Mix the mashed potato with chilli, ginger, coriander and spices. It must be dry, or the paratha tears.
- 3
Stuff and seal
08:00Cup a disc of dough, spoon in the filling, gather the edges, pinch shut and flatten gently.
- 4
Roll with a light hand
05:00Roll outward from the centre with even pressure so the filling stays put.
- 5
Griddle in ghee
12:00Cook on a medium tawa, smearing ghee on each side, until brown blisters cover both faces.
Cook's notes
- Cool the potato completely before mixing — warm mash goes sticky.
- Medium heat: too high and the crust sets before the middle cooks.
