The Ever-Popular Paratha

The Ever-Popular Paratha

There is a misconception that the Paratha (or Parantha) – a traditional flatbread – was introduced to Indian cuisine by the Mughals. On the contrary, the Paratha originated in ancient India. The word “Paratha” has Sanskrit roots that mean “layered dough” and has been mentioned in numerous ancient Sanskrit texts. In fact, the Paratha was so popular that the Mughal chefs later integrated it with their own cuisine and added a wide range of variations.

Even today, the Paratha continues to be extremely popular and makes its way into school Tiffin boxes and office lunchboxes – and is an important part of Indian meals. By varying the stuffing inside the Paratha, a wide range of flavours can be created. In today’s recipe, we look at a modern-day variation: the Cheese-Onion Paratha.

Here are the ingredients that you will require:

Ingredients:

1. Plain Wheat Flour: 125 gram

2. P Mark Mustard Oil: 4 tablespoon

3. Ghee: 1 teaspoon

4. Cheese: 50 gram

5. Onion: 1, medium-sized

6. Tomato: 1

7. Green Chilli: 1

8. Ginger (Adrak) Paste: half a teaspoon

9. Garlic (Lasun) Paste: half a teaspoon

10. Black Pepper Powder: half a teaspoon

11. Coriander (Dhania) Leaves: One small bunch

12. Salt: half a teaspoon

The ingredients mentioned above are for making four Parathas. Please adjust the quantities if you require less or more.

Preparation:

Mix the plain wheat flour with a little water, salt and a teaspoon of ghee, and knead it to turn it into soft dough.

Grate the cheese.

Chop and dice the tomato.

Finely chop the onion.

Finely chop the green chilli.

Coarsely chop the coriander leaves.

Method:

Heat the Mustard Oil in a pan on a Medium flame. Add the onions and fry. Add the green chillies, ginger paste, garlic paste and black pepper powder. Mix well and continue frying.

Add the chopped tomatoes and grated cheese – and cook for a couple of minutes.

Remove the pan from the flame and transfer the contents to another dish; let them cool down.

Take the dough and divide it into four equal portions. Roll them into chapatti-sized circles. Divide the cheese-onion-tomato-spices mixture into four parts and spread it on the circles. Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves over this mixture. Draw up the edges of the circles and pull them towards the centre to cover the mixture. Use a rolling pin (Belan) to turn the layered and stuffed dough into neat round Parathas.

Now apply a little Mustard Oil to both sides of each Paratha and shallow fry in Mustard Oil till the Paratha turns medium brown on both sides.

Your Cheese Onion Paratha is now ready to be served. Eat it hot – and if you have any mango pickle left over from the recently concluded pickling season, it is a great accompaniment for this Paratha.