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There is Nothing Like a Flakey, Crispy Paranthas

Crispy paranthas are one of my favorite Indian dishes I have ever eaten. It is a type of flatbread, very different from like your standard tortilla or wrapped because its got these flaky layers. To start with, make the dough by adding all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl then whisk that together. Add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil then rub it into the flour by hand for around ten minutes.

Add warm water just to bring the dough together a little bit faster than cold water, stir it around until it comes together then begin to knead the dough. Its very simple to knead this dough by hand and once you are done, let it rest for an hour and it will become perfect all by itself.

Once the dough has rested for about one hour, remove the dough and onto your working surface divide your dough into different portions depending with the numbers of parantha you want to have. You are going to work with one dough at a time while the others rest, covered in a kitchen towel so they don’t dry out. Roll the dough using a rolling pin to make it into a pretty round shape gently flour the surface of the dough while you are rolling it.

The thinner your dough is rolled the flakier your paranthas will become. Spread some butter on the rolled dough and you want to keep the butter at room temperature because when you use melted butter and you roll out the dough the second time, the butter will ooze out. Once you are done, roll out the dough and people have different ways of rolling out this dough, some cut the dough into strips and stack it together while others fold it like an accordion.

The easiest way is to pull it from the top and roll it downwards to the end as it forms a rolled tube. Roll it from both ends, coil it up and fold it on top of each other. Roll the rest of the remaining roll then let them rest again before finally rolling them to make your paranthas. Flour your surface and begin to roll your paranthas into a round shape, place your pan on heat and let it starts heating.

Place your rolled dough n the hot pan until it starts to dry out then start adding a little oil o medium heat until its well cooked. These paranthas are great with your curry.

Ingredients;

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Canola/vegetable oil

Instructions;

  1. In a bowl, mix together flour, salt, and sugar. Slowly add water, and continue mixing until a soft and slightly wet dough forms.
  2. Remove from bowl and knead for 5 to 7 minutes to develop gluten.
  3. Form dough into a ball, and grease with a little bit of oil before returning it the bowl and covering it with a damp cloth. Allow resting for 30 minutes.
  4. Cut off a tennis-ball-sized piece of dough and place on a counter that has been lightly greased with oil.
  5. Dribble a little bit of oil over the dough, flatten it, and begin to stretch it out with the palms of your hands or a rolling pin.
  6. If you find the dough gets a bit sticky, add a little more oil and continue to stretch until the dough is very thin and almost transparent.
  7. Dribble a little more oil over the surface of the stretched dough and sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over the top. Spread the flour over the dough.
  8. Begin to pleat the dough lengthwise so that it looks like an accordion. Coil pleated dough to form a circle.
  9. Repeat with remaining balls of dough and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
  10. Gently press down on pleated dough to flatten, using a rolling pin if needed.
  11. Add 2 teaspoons of oil to a frying pan on medium-high heat and cook paratha on each side for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy.
  12. Serve hot!

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