Aloo Paratha (Potato Stuffed Flatbread)

This post is sponsored by Sprouts! 

Aloo Paratha is an Indian flatbread stuffed with potatoes. It is traditionally enjoyed as breakfast but I prefer it over lazy brunch or lunch with a hot cup of Nepali tea.

I have been gone for a hot minute from the blog and I have dearly missed it. Food, Pleasure, and Health started as a creative avenue back in 2012 and now it’s extended into a small business, which is why I have been MIA. My friend, turned business partner Hao and I have been busy rolling dumplings for our pop-ups which has been amazing and hectic in many ways. I will keep you guys posted about the side biz adventure (or find us on instagram – Hao & Dixya) but now, let’s talk about Aloo Paratha – Potato Stuffed Flatbread. It’s a carb on carb action that can be enjoyed anytime of the day although it is traditionally eaten for breakfast.

Aloo Paratha is one of those recipes I like to save for a lazy brunch although it’s a fairly simple, straightforward recipe. It involves kneading the dough, making the potato filling, and rolling + cooking the flatbread. It’s a pretty therapeutic recipe if you ask me particularly on a rainy day with a nice music in background.

Like most recipes, Aloo Paratha can be prepared in many ways using different flours, spices used in potato filling, & the way it’s rolled. My version is pretty straightforward utilizing common pantry ingredients, all of which are purchased at Sprouts.

Typically, chakki atta (durum whole wheat flour) is used for making the dough, which I didn’t have on hand, so instead I used all-purpose flour. Chakki atta is different than Western whole wheat flour due to the milling process, which alters the protein and starch content and the final result. A lot of times, people make mistake of substituting whole wheat flour for chakki atta (which is typically used for rotis and parathas) and the final result is often dense bread/roti.

Let’s talk fillings! Aloo (aka potato) shines in the paratha when married with few key ingredients like chopped onions, cilantro, and spices like cumin and chili pepper. The choice of spices used is a personal decision as I came across recipes using garam masala, cumin seeds, ginger, turmeric powder etc. To keep things simple, I used Sprouts Organic Curry Powder Spice as it already contains a lot of basic spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric etc. That curry powder is a staple in my pantry as I use it for Weeknight Chicken Curry and make a meatless version using chickpeas.

You can switch up your fillings for parathas (flatbread) with paneer, cheese, onions, cauliflower, cooked ground meat, mix vegetables etc.

If you are new to the world of paratha making, here are some tips:

• Knead the dough until it’s smooth and let it rest. Do not skip this step!

• Chop the ingredients for potato filling very finely and mash everything evenly.

• Use a medium-hot pan greased with butter, ghee, or oil.

I made a short video making Aloo Paratha and I hope you will find it resourceful.

ALOO PARATHA – POTATO STUFFED FLATBREAD

serves : 6

Ingredients

1.5 cups all purpose flour
½ cup warm water
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 large potato
3 tablespoon minced onion
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon Sprouts Organic Curry Powder Spice
generous pinch of amchur powder (dried mango powder)
¼ teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoon ghee or oil, to cook

Steps:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add 1.5 cups flour and gradually add ¼ cup warm water and 1 teaspoon canola oil. Knead the dough and add water as needed until it forms into a smooth, playdough consistency dough. Cover and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.

2. Boil the potato until fork tender. Let it cool and peel the potatoes and mash them in a large bowl.

3. Add 3 tablespoon minced onion, 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon Sprouts Organic Curry Powder Spice, generous pinch of amchur powder (dried mango powder), ¼ teaspoon red chili powder. and 1 teaspoon salt.

4. Mix everything well so that no lumps remain.

5. When ready, make small-medium balls of the dough and roll them out into 3 to 4 inch circles. Make sure the dough is thick enough to hold the potato filling.

6. Add a spoonful of potato filling in the centre. Seal the dough and round it with the your fingers. Flatten them gently with your hand and use a rolling pin to make parathas.

7. Heat a cast iron skillet or a girdle with little ghee, butter, or oil.

8. Add paratha to the pan and cook them on both sides for 2-3 minutes on each sides.

9. Serve it hot with raita, or pickle.

Optional: Mix in little cheese, veggies or cooked meat to the potato filling to make a different version.

I hope you will give Aloo Paratha a try soon and if you do, please share/tag @foodpleasurehealth.

This post is sponsored by Sprouts. Thank you for supporting the brands I love that continues to make Food, Pleasure, and Health possible.