Delicious parotta/Malabar Paratha made with just flour and few ingredients. Excellent flat bread goes well with any spicy curry.
Parotta / Malabar paratha one of the most famous flat bread from Kerala, South India. It appeared as street food and restaurant food. Nowadays it has become the symbol of Kerala’s dishes. Ultimate combo for Parotta/ Malabar paratha is beef curry.
Parotta is made with all-purpose flour/ Maida rather than its counterpart Laccha paratha which is made with Whole wheat flour.
Origin of Parotta / Malabar Paratha
Even though exact details of origin of parotta is not known, it is believed that it is based on Chinese Scallion pancakes which use this method of using layers in flatbread. There is a striking similarity of technique between making the parotta and the Chinese scallion pancake, although in texture the latter is far crisper.
One theory is that it has its origin from Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Parotta was popularized in Tamil Nadu by Sri Lankan laborer’s working in Toothukudi port. Later it gained popularity in Kerala as well.
It became popular around 1960 in Malabar coast then by 1980 it became almost a staple dish throughout Kerala.
International variations of the parotta include Sri Lankan kottu parotta, Malaysia’s roti canai and Trinidad’s ‘buss up shut’ – named for the ‘busted-up shirt’ that this soft, crumpled, and torn parotta with layers that is supposed to resemble folds.
How to make Parotta/ Malabar paratha
You need the following ingredients to make parotta.
All-purpose flour/ Maida: Do not think about Whole wheat flour here, if you use that then it becomes a different dish.
Oil: You can use any oil, I used canola oil in this recipe. Even though the dough initially contains only a small amount of oil, during the process of making, oil is liberally incorporated.
Egg: Egg adds softness to the recipe. You can skip if you want, but street food vendors add eggs in their recipe.
Milk: Milk adds richness to the parotta. You increase the amount if you want.
Water: You need around 61- 62 % hydration is needed to make Parotta.
Salt and Sugar: Adds flavor and taste to the parotta.
Parotta and its combo.
Parotta is usually eaten with beef curry. It is a classic combo. It can be eaten with other meats like chicken, mutton, and with vegetable curry. Parotta and egg curry especially Egg roast is another famous combo.
It can be served with chickpea curry, green peas curry.
In Tamil Nadu parotta is served with Salna, a gravy type curry made with chicken, mutton or vegetables.
How Parotta is made?
You need to make a dough with all purpose flour, milk, water, egg, salt, and sugar. This should rest about almost 4 hours and then is divided into small balls which is coated with oil. Again, rest for 30 minutes and then each ball is spread it into thin sheet by beating them into the work bench. This process is called “Veesiyadikal” and then wrapped into spirals and set aside for another 15- 30 minutes. This process requires practice and expertise, since I am a beginner, I used another method suggested by a chef in Kerala.
This method involves spreading each ball into thin disc like a flat bread and brushed with oil and flour (to prevent sticking from one another) and placed on top of each other. And rest the dough for another 1 ½ hours. If you carefully pull the dough and you will be amazed to see the gluten work and how much you can stretch it. Then make spiral shaped balls just like traditional parotta making process.
After resting for 15 minutes, you need to shape it into 6-inch circle. Cook them in a skillet until golden brown spots on both sides.
Then comes squeezing the parotta, you need to beat at least 4 parotta stacked together from all sides so that layers will separate. It requires lots of practice.
Traditionally all process is done by hand, but I used Kitchen Aid mixer for making the dough and then did the rest of the process by hand.
On the funny side if you are in bad mood you can make parotta and beat the hell up, in the end your bad mood will be gone and at the same time your parotta become super soft.
I made this parotta as part of bread bakers this month event Griddle bread. If you make this recipe, please tag me @nidhinikhil on Instagram and @zestysouthindiankitchen on Facebook.
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. This month the Bread Bakers are making Griddle Breads, a theme chosen by Sneha from Sneha's Recipe.
Buss Up Shut Bread From Karen's Kitchen Stories
Buttermilk Scallion Flatbreads From Ambrosia
Easy Sourdough Pancakes From Food Lust People Love
Ham and Cheese Corncakes From A Day in the Life on the Farm
Homemade English Muffins From Making Miracles
Malabar Partha From Zesty South Indian Kitchen|
Phulka- A Whole Wheat Puffed Flatbread From Sneha's Recipe
Purple Kale Paratha (Kale Flatbread) From Cook with Renu
Sourdough Crumpets From A Messy Kitchen
Parotta/ Malabar Paratha
Ingredients
- 450 g 3 ½ cup All-purpose Flour
- 225 g Water
- 20 g / 2 tablespoon milk
- 7 g salt
- 12 g / 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ egg
- 118 g /½ cup + 1 tablespoon canola oil
Instructions
- In a kitchen-aid stand mixer bowl add 400g all-purpose flour, water, milk, salt, sugar, egg and canola oil and mix well to form soft supple dough.
- Set aside at room temperature for about 4 hours.
- After 4 hours divide the dough (676g) into 8 equal pieces of about (84.5g).
- Spread each piece of dough into small round and set aside.
- Then spread each round ball into a 6-inch disc of ½ inch thickness.
- Spread 2 teaspoon oil on the top of the circular disc and sprinkle with all-purpose flour top of it.
- Continue to make rest of 7 dough pieces and into 6-inch disc and stack each other. Top each circular disc, spread oil, and sprinkle the all-purpose flour. When you reach the last one you need to apply only oil no need of sprinkle the all-purpose flour on the top. Set aside for another 1 hour 30 minutes.
- After 1.30 hours gently gather one end of the disc and it will extent into thin rope and make a spiral with help of hand. Tuck the ends into the center and set aside. Repeat with all the dough discs. Thus, you will be able to make 8 spiral discs. And set aside.
- Spread each spiral disc into 6-inch circle.
- Heat a griddle pan/ skillet/ tawa and place the parottas on the tawa. Cook a minute on each side. Then apply a teaspoon of oil for each parotta and cook for a couple of more minutes on low flame.
- The dough needs to cook on a low flame so the inner part of the parotta also gets cooked evenly. When the parotta is golden, remove from heat.
- Make a stack of 4 cooked parotta and fluff up the parotta by gently tapping the sides of the parotta (like clapping hands with parotta in the middle). So that you can see layers. More you practice you can get more layers.
- Serve with favorite curry.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Renu says
Wow making a Malabar paratha is not easy. Was checking your video and you have explained it so well and love the flaky layers it has got. Hope I can make it too
rika says
This is something that I always order at the restaurant. I didn't know that it's pretty easy to make. I have the mixer, and will be making this soon.
Marysa says
This looks somewhat similar to scallion pancakes. I haven't had this before but would like to try making it.
Monica Y says
That looks so good, and a recipe I can for sure recreate at home, so I will be trying this soon
Namita says
Beautiful Parota recipe Swathi. We make many kinds of layered parathas in north India and I always wondered about this parotta that we get in the South. Your video recipes are always a big help. This will pair so well with mushroom gravy. I am definitely going to try this soon.
Radha Rajagopalan says
Our family loves this with kurma. Would love to try your recipe. The paratha looks flaky and delicious.
Crystal Carder says
This looks delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever tried these before.
Kathy says
This looks really good. It's the first time I'm hearing of it as well. I definitely need to try this.
Rebekah R Hills says
Such a pretty swirl!!
Catalina says
With you video it's so easy to make Malabar Paratha. I love trying new recipes!
Melissa Dixon says
This looks really good. I bet my daughter would enjoy this and since she is so picky, I have to give it a try.
Chef Dennis says
This Parotta/ Malabar Paratha looks sooo delicious! This will be perfect over the weekend meal.
Nile Flores says
This looks close to flour tortillas. I learned how to hand make them when I lived in Texas. These look really good.
Nikki Wayne says
Nice article. I don't have any clue on making this. Now I think I can make some. Hehe
Monica Simpson says
I haven't heard of this bread before but it sure does look delicious! So fluffy and soft.
Heather says
I don't think I've ever tried this before. It looks and sounds delicious!
Tasheena says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I would love to give this a try.
Rose Ann Sales says
Thanks for sharing this food's history. It seems great with any kind of ground meat and sauces.
Stacy says
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a bread I know from living in both Trinidad and Malaysia has a counterpart in India. As I said in a comment on Karen's post, it's one of my favorites, wherever it comes from! You have made me homesick for my other homes, Swathi.
Linda says
I'm so glad to learn all about paratha. Our family loves paratha and we usually eat this with Malaysian curry or beef rendang. Can't wait to try a homemade version!
Suja Manoj says
Looks perfect Swathi, flaky and delicious.
Karen @Karen's Kitchen Stories says
What a cool shaping method. Love the video!
Kelly says
They look wonderful, and your technique video is super helpful! I haven't made beef curry in a while...
Amber Myers says
Oh yum, this looks tasty. I don't think I've ever tried anything like this before.
melissa chapman says
I have not been to any restaurants lately but when I do I have to order this bread. It looks perfect and I would love spicy foods with it.
Ann says
Yummy parotta that is not too difficult to make. A must with curry beef! Yum.
Wendy Klik says
I just learned about buss up shut during this event and it is fun seeing different versions from different cultures. Thanks.
Dana says
This recipe is a must in our house when making curry dishes. It's so easy to make and it's easy to freeze.
Sneha Datar says
Love these flaky parotta and can have them with just anything.