Aloo Paratha

Aloo paratha is a popular bread in Indian cuisine that has a variety of flatbreads. It is a famous breakfast item and common dish in north Indian households and is also served in restaurants.

It is a potato-stuffed vegan flatbread made with a stuffing which is a mixture of boiled potatoes and spices. This is an easy and delicious aloo paratha recipe and it can be made more or less spicy as per liking.

What is aloo paratha?

Aloo paratha is a vegan stuffed Indian bread. The stuffing of boiled mashed potatoes and spices is filled inside the dough and then rolled into a flatbread. It is then cooked on the skillet until golden brown.

It is easy to make at home. It is commonly served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and is a popular lunch box item for kids and adults alike.

Ingredients

Aloo paratha bread requires only a few main ingredients and can be spiced up as per taste. I prefer to use red potatoes to make the potato mixture as they bind well but other potatoes can also be used. A few spices like turmeric powder, serrano pepper, and garlic add flavor. Red chili powder can be used instead of serrano peppers.

The dough is made with whole wheat flour (atta). You can also use gluten-free flour to make a gluten-free version. It might be a little difficult to roll so it is best to make them smaller in size.

Instructions

The first step is to cook/boil the potatoes using a microwave, instant pot, or pressure cooker. I prefer an instant pot for boiling the potatoes but the microwave can also be used for lesser quantities.

Instant pot cooks perfect potatoes for the aloo parathas. Place a trivet in the instant pot container along with a cup of water. Place rinsed potatoes on the trivet and close the instant pot lid with the release valve in the sealing position.

Pressure cook the potatoes on high-pressure mode or manual mode for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release the remaining pressure.

Peel the cooked potatoes and mash them with a potato masher. Add salt, oil, chopped serrano pepper, chopped garlic, turmeric powder, and optionally nigella seeds, cilantro leaves, and garlic chives. A garlic peeler comes in very handy to peel garlic easily.

Mix everything well with your hands. I wear gloves while mixing to avoid any burns because of the spicy green chilies.

The next step is to make the paratha dough which is made by kneading whole wheat flour (atta), water and some oil, nigella seeds, and salt. The dough can be kneaded using a food processor, stand mixer, bread maker, or by hand. You can check this post on how to knead dough in a stand mixer or how to make roti dough in a bread maker.

To make paratha dough in a food processor, fix the dough blade in the food processor bowl. Add flour, salt, nigella seeds, and oil, and close the lid. Start the food processor on low speed and then slowly add water from the feeder on top. A well-kneaded soft dough ball will be ready in a matter of minutes.

Aloo paratha dough must be soft and non-sticky. If kneading the dough by hand, it is best to use lukewarm water and also allow the dough to rest for 20-30 minutes before rolling it to make parathas.

Divide the dough into equal portions. Take a piece of dough and roll it into a ball of about an inch and a half. Flatten it and then dust it with dry whole wheat flour.

Using a rolling board and pin (chakla belan), roll into a disc of about four inches in diameter. Use dry flour for dusting while rolling as needed to ensure that the dough does not stick to the rolling pin or the rolling board.

Now, take some potato mixture make it into a ball, and place it at the center of the rolled paratha. Press it and flatten it. You want to ensure that there is a good amount of stuffing so that you get the taste while eating. Avoid overstuffing as masala will come out while rolling.

Lift all the edges of the rolled paratha to cover the stuffing and make a stuffed dough ball. Remove any extra dough to avoid too much dough at the center of the paratha.

Roll the stuffed dough ball into a paratha of about six inches in diameter, dusting with flour as needed.

Place the rolled paratha carefully in a pan or a skillet on medium-high heat. I use the Lodge cast iron skillet. Allow the bottom side to cook until there are some brown spots; flip and cook the other side in the same way.

Apply oil (vegan option), butter, or ghee, and then flip it to cook well. Repeat the same for the other side. Paratha will look golden brown with some dark brown spots when done.

Variations

There can be a few variations to the aloo paratha recipe.

Stuffed naan: If you do not have atta or whole wheat flour, then you can use all-purpose flour and make a dough similar to the naan recipe and stuff it with the potato filling. You can cook it in the skillet on medium-high flame.

Gluten-free: You can also use gluten-free flour to make gluten-free aloo paratha. It might be a little difficult to roll so it is best to make them smaller in size.

Serving suggestions

Indian pickles and yogurt condiments (raita) or plain yogurt are usually served as a side dish or accompaniment for aloo paratha. However, my kids love to eat aloo paratha with some Indian chutneys like mango chutney, grape chutney, green chutney, tomato chutney, or tomato ketchup.

Storage

Aloo paratha can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Before eating, it is best to reheat them in a skillet.

The stuffing itself does not store well, it becomes a little dry and can be difficult to roll into a paratha. It is best to make the parathas and store them rather than storing the masala.

Aloo paratha also freezes well. You can make them ahead of time, allow them to cool down completely, and then layer them in between parchment paper. They can be stored in an air-tight container or freezer-safe ziplock bags. When you are ready to eat, you can reheat them in a skillet.

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