Aloo Paratha Recipe|How to make

Aloo Paratha/ Spicy Stuffed Potato Paratha is a delicious and flavorful bread dish originating from the Indian subcontinent, a staples of many a home in the Punjab region.

The recipe is one of the most popular breakfast dishes throughout the western, central and northern regions of India as well as the eastern regions of Pakistan.

These parathas/ flat bread are made with whole wheat flour, potatoes, spices and herbs. Paired with sweetened yogurt or pickle, they hold a royal place in the dinner menu’s of restaurants across North India.

What does Aloo Paratha mean?

Aloo is the Hindi term for Potatoes, Paratha’s simply mean a kind of Indian flat breads.

Check our Beginner’s Guide for Indian Flat Breads to learn more!

How is Aloo Paratha made?

The first step in making Aloo Paratha is to make a dough with whole wheat flour.

Next is to prepare a potato stuffing flavored with spices and herbs, to go into the dough ball.

When the potato stuffing is completely sealed within the dough ball , it is then rolled out into flat breads. Then they are pan fried and served hot with butter or sweetened yogurt.

Do Aloo Parathas taste the same all over the India?

Aloo Parathas are a popular breakfast or dinner menu item all over India and are most authentic to the state of Punjab.

They are delicious flat breads and are most sought among the restaurant food items.They may vary in taste a little depending upon the region in India, where they are made in, depending on the unique spices that are used in the recipe.

Want to know more about Indian Spices and how to use them in your cooking?

Check out our E-Book on the Complete Guide to Essential Indian Spices here.

Aloo Paratha Recipe

Aloo Paratha Recipe|How to make

Recipe by Maya Shetty

Course: FLAT BREADS, FOOD, POTATOCuisine: Indian

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Servings

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

2794

kcal

Total time

35

minutes

Ingredients

• For the dough

• 3 cups 3 Whole Wheat flour (Atta)

• 1 tbsp 1 Coconut Oil

• 1/4 tsp 1/4 Salt

• 1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 Water

• For the stuffing

• 4 large 4 Potatoes

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 Kashmiri Red Chili powder adjust as per your taste

• 2 tsp 2 Garam Masala adjust as per your taste

• 1 tsp 1 Coriander powder

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 Chaat masala

• 1/4 tsp 1/4 Saunf powder Fennel seed powder

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 Ajwain seeds Carom seeds

• 1 tsp 1 Kasthuri Methi Dried Fenugreek leaves

• 1 tsp 1 Grated Ginger

• 2 2 Green chili optional

• 3 tbsp 3 Cilantro/Coriander leaves chopped

• 1/2 tsp 1/2 salt to taste

• To coat while pan frying

• 2 tbsp 2 Ghee

Directions

• In a pressure cooker, boil the clean potatoes up until for 3-4 whistles.
• Meanwhile in a mixing bowl start preparing the dough.Mix the wheat flour (Atta), salt and oil, while adding water gently while mixing the dough.It should be a soft, non-sticky, uniform dough when all done. Cover it and set aside.
• Next gently open the pressure cooker and peel the “not so mushy” potatoes under cold running water. When peeled place them in a bowl and gently use a fork to mash them.Make sure there are no lumps in the mix and it is not soggy/mushy.
• To the above mashed potatoes now add all the spices one by one, along with salt, green chilies, grated ginger and cilantro. Mix them well together. and taste test. If more salt or spice is required at this stage add some as per your preference.
• Next make 8- 10 balls of this spicy potato mix and set aside on a plate.
• Do the same with the wheat flour (Aata) mix.Divide it into 8 -10 round balls and set aside.
• Method to make Aloo Paratha
• Roll a dough ball to smooth in the palm of your hands removing any creases, and pat it flat on the rolling surface.Dip it in a little wheat powder so that it is easy to roll and does not stick to the surface when rolling. Make a 4-5 inch roti/flat bread.
• Now place a spiced potato mix ball in the center of the roti and gently cup it, so the dough is raised in the sides with the potato mix in the center, folding the dough at the edges into tiny pleats. Bring the dough pleats all together in the center and then gently flatten the roti with your hands, moving it in a circular fashion, ensuring all of the aloo/potato mix stays inside the dough edges.
• If the stuffing is sticky , dip your fingers in water and gently push it inside the dough ball to ensure the seal is good and it does not open up while rolling.
• Next lay the side where the edges came together, face down and gently roll the rolling pin on top after sprinkling some flour on top. This helps it roll well and not stick to the surface of the rolling pin.Gently keep moving the roti in a circular motion after each roll, to ensure that the stuffing inside is evenly distributed in the roti.
• Now gently turn it the other side and do the same. Do not add too much flour while rolling as this will make the roti’s hard and make them burn while pan frying.
• Pan frying
• When the griddle ot the frying pan is hot, gently transfer the rolled paratha/roti onto the pan.
• Coat the surface with ghee and press the edges with a flat spoon, to ensure the parathas are cooked well.
• When you notice golden brown bubbles puffing up from the surface, it is an indication to flip it over to the other side.
• Once again , smear it with ghee and allow it to cook well. Wait for the bubbles on the surface. Gentle remove it and stack it on a plate. This helps make them soft and delicious when eaten.
• Serve with sweeten yogurt, pickles or can be eaten plain as is.

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Tips to make the best Aloo Parathas at home

• Choose potatoes that do not turn too mushy or sticky on boiling, I personally prefer using the red potatoes. Sticky and mushy potatoes don’t make for good stuffing, when it comes to Aloo Parathas. They need to be just fork tender upon boiling.
• Mashing the potatoes using a fork is the best. You can check for any lumps with your hands to ensure a uniform mix, so that they do not break the parathas when used as a stuffing. Do not over mash and make the stuffing pasty as this will make the parathas soggy with moisture.
• Stuffing, Flattening and Rolling the Parathas– This needs to be carefully done, to ensure that the potato stuffing is completely sealed in the dough ball, then flattened to be rolled out as a paratha or flat bread. This step is crucial because improper handling might lead to the stuffing leaking out the dough ball and invariably ending in the paratha breaking when being rolled or pan fried.
• Spices added in the mix are basic ones like cumin, coriander and chili powder. But enhancing them with the ones that are listed here in our recipe will not only make flavorful aloo parathas but will result in your home smelling delicious with the aroma of the spices. A win-win both ways!Why would you want to miss out on that? So dig into your spice box, will ya?
• Frying the parathas on medium heat is the best, since low heat will make them hard. Generously coating them with ghee while pan frying not only makes them delicious but they also turn out fluffy and soft. Do not use too much flour to sprinkle on, while rolling since this will result in burning the parathas while pan frying them.

Variations in making Aloo Parathas

• One can temper the spices before adding them to the mashed potato mix, instead of directly adding the spice powders to the mix ( it’s based on your own preference). It tastes great even when simply added without tempering as we have done here in our recipe.
• Some prefer to add sauteed onions to the potato mix, though this taste great, there are chances that it will make the stuffing too moist or watery. If you are planning to freeze the parathas for later, the onions are not a great choice in the stuffing, since their shelf life is short when frozen.
• Some prefer to make 2 rotis and then spread the potato filling on one, while layering the other roti on top and then rolling them together, to seal and pan fry (A lot of extra work for the same result!)

FAQ’s

What are the ingredients used in making Aloo Paratha?

The basic ingredients are whole wheat flour, potatoes, spices, herbs along with grated ginger, salt, and ghee/butter or oil.

Why does my aloo paratha break?

If the stuffing inside is too moist/wet due to overcooked and mushy potatoes.

If there is not enough dough covering the stuffing or if too much dough has been pinched off, after stuffing, there is a chance for the stuffing to leak out due to improper seal , while you roll the paratha.

How to freeze/store aloo paratha for later use?

If you are planning to store parathas in the freezer for later, partially cook them on the griddle or tawa, allow them to cool completely on a plate.

Next use parchment/butter paper to separate each one and stack them up gently inside a freezer safe ziploc bag and place them in the freezer, after labelling the date on the bag.

When you are ready to use them, gently take each one of them out of the ziploc bag and smear a little ghee and pan fry them as needed.

How long does parathas last in the freezer?

It would be best to use them within 2 months of freezing them, if done well they could last longer, but the taste may differ a bit from wen they are freshly made.

Is paratha a roti?

One of the most popular unleavened flatbreads in India for its versatility, parathas are flaky, chewy and denser than chapatis.

The result is a beautiful crisp flatbread that can carry and hold up well against thick curries and dry stir-fries without disintegrating.

How long can you keep the dough/Atta in the refrigerator?

If you cover the dough in cling wrap, store it in air-tight container it may last long up to 36-48 hrs. Best is to use the dough within 24 hours.

The Bottom Line

Now that you know all about the secret of making deliciously good and authentic Aloo Parathas, go on and try making them in your own kitchen, at home.

You can thank us later for saving you dollars on eat outs from the Desi restaurants around town. What’s more you can tweak the healthy bit on the ingredient additions as per your preference, be it the spices or the coating of ghee on your parathas.

Nothing like a hearty dinner with Aloo Parathas on a cold winter evening, listening to some ghazals or old Indian music.You get the picture, right? Home is just a thought away!