Parantha; a staple in the North Indian household

Parantha is a fried dough food originating from the Indian subcontinent. Previously parantha was made both with or without filling. However, as we became more health conscious, we�ve integrated a lot of healthy veggies into this preparation.

It is fascinating to know that there is no record of its date of origin or the years of its creation. The parantha lovers are increasing at an alarming rate in Delhi. Now almost all ladies in the house prepare this dish on a daily basis, so the quantity produced in a certain area is also increasing day by day. The cost incurred by each parantha is different i.e. based on its filling, if someone wants to minimize the cost he/ she may/ may not uses filling inside. Even a simple stuffing of potato may reduce the cost of the parantha. So, let me tell you the different type of paranthas made in Delhi. The aloo parantha, mooli parantha, Gobi parantha, paneer parantha, onion parantha and plain parantha are just a few of the stuffed bread that we cook locally here.

Image: 6tann Flickr

Every house has its own way or method of making this dish. The art of making parantha is embodied by how well a person can put the stuffing inside the parantha without breaking it. Only practice makes perfect in this case!

In Delhi if you want to explore the true taste of local food, then you must visit- Parathe Qali Gali, Kake di Hatti in Chandni Chowk, Chittaranjan park market, Moolchand Paranthewala in Lajpat Nagar; the list goes on! These haunts are famous for their renditions of the dish.

 

Delhi is packed with eating joints that prepare the parantha in different ways.
Image: Pranav Varshney

Ingredients

  • Wheat flour � 2 cup
  • Salt � � tsp or to taste
  • Oil � 2 tsp for kneading the dough and roasting the parantha
  • Water � to knead the dough

Instructions

  • Add salt and 2 tsp of oil into the wheat flour. Mix it really well. Now add water in small portions and knead a soft dough. Keep kneading the dough until it turns smooth. 1 cup of water is used to knead this much of flour. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 20 -30 minutes to set.
  • Once 30 minutes are over, grease the hand and knead the dough again. Pinch a lemon sized dough. Roll it into a peda. Dust it with some dry flour and roll out a 3-3.5 inch diameter thick circle. Apply some oil on it.
  • Lift the edges and join it at the center. Press it gently and dust it with some dry flour. Then roll it out into 5-6 inch diameter slightly thicker surface. Roll it from the edges, not from the center. Heat a pan and pour some oil on it. Spread it evenly and place the rolled parantha over it. Roast the parantha from beneath. After that, flip its side and apply some oil on top.
  • Flip it over and apply some oil on the other side as well. Press gently with the spatula and roast it until brown spots appear on both the sides. Once the parantha gets roasted well, transfer it to a bowl placed over a plate or on napkin paper. Similarly, prepare few more!
  • Serve this delectable dish steaming hot with a side assortment of chutney, curd, pickle, raita or any sabzi of your choice.

 

One Reply to “Parantha; a staple in the North Indian household”

  1. Both the pictures are a tiny bit misleading as none of them are of ‘parantha’ but puri, another type of north indian bread!

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