Lacha dar paratha (paratha bread)

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
375 grams Plain flour; plus extra for
; rolling (12oz)
50 grams Plain wholemeal flour; (2oz)
½ teaspoon Salt
250 grams Concentrated butter or ghee; melted (8oz)
250 millilitres Water; about (8fl oz)

Directions

Sift the flours and salt into a bowl. Add 5 tablespoons melted concentrated butter or ghee and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Gradually add the water, mixing in just enough to make a very soft, pliable dough.

Work the water into the flour and gather the dough into a ball. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic, then roll the dough into a ball.

Rub the ball with a little melted butter or ghee and put it in a polythene bag. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Knead the dough again, then divide it into six equal portions. Keep all the portions you are not working with covered with clingfilm.

Take one portion and roll it into a ball, then flatten it slightly.

Roll out the ball on a lightly floured surface until it is a round measuring about 23cm (9inches) in diameter. If it seems to stick, sprinkle a little flour on both the work surface and the paratha.

Brush the round with melted ghee. Starting at the edge farthest away from you and using both hands, begin rolling up the paratha tightly towards you.

When you have completed the rolling you should have a 23cm (9inch) long ''rope'' in front of you.

Brush the top of this with more melted butter or ghee.

Coil the rope into a tight cone and flatten the cone into a patty. Press down on the patty a bit to make sure that it will not open up.

Put the patty on a plate and cover it with clingfilm.

Work the remaining five patties in the same way. Put all the patties on one plate in a single layer. Make sure they are well covered, then refrigerate them for at least 1-2 hours or overnight.

Heat a large cast-iron griddle or frying-pan over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to low (but not very low).

Take one patty and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 23cm (9inches) in diameter, dusting with flour whenever necessary.

Brush the griddle or frying pan lightly with melted ghee. Cook the paratha on the hot griddle for about 3 minutes, until the top of the paratha has turned whitish.

Brush the top of the paratha with melted ghee and let the bread cook, on the same side, for another 3 minutes.

The first side, which should now have cooked for 6 minutes, should have nice brown specks on it. It should not be too dark, so keep an eye on the heat.

Turn the paratha over and cook the second side for 5-6 minutes.

It, too, should get nice medium-brown specks on it.

The cooked paratha should be crisp and flaky outside, soft and pliable (but not uncooked) inside. Take the paratha off the griddle, cut it into four quarters and eat it immediately.

If such hasty consumption is impractical, wrap the paratha in foil and keep it warm while cooking the remaining parathas.

As they are cooked, stack them one on top of the other and keep them covered.

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Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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