Aloo Parathas

Be it breakfast or dinner, or any other time of the day, I can always eat the aloo paratha. Very easy to make, these parathas are very filling as they are delicious.


This recipe is also going to RCI:Haryana hosted by EC.Thanks Asha!!

Ingredients:
Atta / Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup
Potatoes - 2 large or 5 to 6 small or 3 medium sized
Cumin Seed - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 3 chopped
Turmeric powder - a Pinch
Coriander Leaves / Cilantro - A small fistful chopped
Salt to Taste
Oil

Boil the potatoes with the skin on. Pierce holes to allow the steam to be released. If possible steam the potatoes rather than boiling it in water. I did it in a pressure cooker for up to 2 whistles on medium heat by placing the potatoes in a bowl and the pouring water around the bowl. The reason for this is you want the potatoes to be cooked and be nice and soft but retain very little water.
You can also use the microwave to achieve the same result, by having one bowl of water and placing another bowl inside it with potatoes. Cover the big bowl with a wrap and pierce the wrap to allow the steam to be released. Cook according to the size of the potatoes from 6 minutes to 10 minutes. Let it cool.

While the potatoes are being cooked, in a mixing bowl add the Atta, a pinch of salt, a drop of oil and add about 3/4 cup of water, and knead the mixture into a dough. You want the dough to be soft to touch , but not wet and sticky, this amount of water should be just right, in case you find that the dough is still hard ...wet you fingers in water and knead. Spread 1/2 tsp of oil all around the dough and let the dough sit for 15 minutes.

By this time the potatoes would be cool enough to handle, so remove the skin and mash the potatoes in another mixing bowl. Add the Green Chili, Cumin Seeds, Turmeric Powder, Cilantro, a pinch more than 1/4 tsp of salt. Combine the ingredients well and then divide the mixture and make balls the size of golf balls.

Now divide the dough into equal number of balls. Dust each with a little flour, and roll out into small disc about 3 to 3 1/2 inches, enough for you to place one potato stuffing and cover it with the dough like a dumpling by crimping and sealing the top to form a ball again. Pat the ball gently into a disc again and dust with flour and keep aside. Finish stuffing and dusting all the dough in this fashion before rolling out the parathas. Now gently roll out the parathas as thin as you can without breaking the parathas, you most probably won't need to dust again.Now cook on a tava, allow one side to cook for a minute, when the color changes into light golden color.Turn, drizzle a drop of oil, turn again, drizzle oil again, and then using a spatula, spread the oil, wait for a minute and turn again for other side, remove after a minute. If your paratha is thin enough and is not broken, you will even see it puff up too. Serve hot with yogurt and punjabi achar.