Sweet Paratha 5 with Mawa and Paneer Stuffing
Meetha Paratha with Mawa and Paneer Stuffing
Mamta Gupta
Here is a basic recipe for making sweet parathas and a selection of other filling ideas. It is very popular amongst children in India. You can think of many others fillings according to your taste. If you come up with something extra special, please share it with us, sending it to me via the contact link. If I can reproduce it, I will add it to the site with your name on it.
Makes 10-12
Ingredients
For the dough:
500 gm. (3-3 1/2 cups) chapatti flour
Water to make dough
1 tbsp. oil
For the filling
1/2 cup Mawa/Khoya
1/2 cup paneer, mashed in a processor or by hand (you can use Ricotta cheese instead)
5 tbsp. cashew nut powder
Sugar to taste (roughly 4 tbsp.)
1 tsp. green Cardamom powder
20 raisins, chopped (Soaking in warm water for 10 minutes makes chopping easier)
8-10 strands of Saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp. warm water or milk (optional)
For cooking the Parathas:
Oil or ghee for pan frying.
Instructions
Making the dough:
Knead the flour using enough water to make a soft to firm dough, the right consistency to roll out. Let it mature for 10-20 minutes or so.
Making the filling:
Roast/fry mawa and paneer together in a wok, until light golden. Add cashew nut powder, sugar and coconut. Mix well and continue frying until it begins to come off the edge of the pan. Leave aside to cool completely.
Making the parathas:
Heat* the griddle or tava or frying pan.
Break dough into 10-12 portions and make balls.
Now take one ball and divide it into two balls. Roll out each of the two balls into a circle of approximately 10 cm. or 4 inch.
Place 1 heaped tablespoon of the filling mix in the centre of one circle, spreading it evenly in the centre, leaving the edges clear. Cover it with the second circle. Press gently at the edges to seal.
Dip the circle in dry flour on both sides (or dust using a flour duster) and roll out again to a 5-6 inch/14-15 cm. circle. You may need to dip the paratha in dry flour from time to time during the rolling out process.
Cooking:
Place the paratha in the centre of a heated, lightly greased griddle/tava/frying pan.
Turn it over when it changes colour to a darker shade and you can see a few blisters on the under surface.
Cook the other side the same way. Turn over again.
Brush a little oil on both sides one by one. This can be done with a small ladle or a soup spoon.
While this paratha is cooking, roll out the next paratha, ready to cook.
Cook until nicely browned on both sides.
Serve hot with a glass of chilled milk-shake or Lassi.
Continue until all parathas are cooked.
*The frying pan/griddle should be medium hot, too hot will burn the parathas and they will not be fully cooked inside. Too cool will make them stiff.
Notes
Other Sweet Filling ideas:
1) 1/2 cup Mawa/Khoya or ground Paneer or Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup mix of coarsely ground almond and pistachios
1/2 cup (adjust to taste) caster or ground sugar.
1 tsp. ground cardamoms (green or little illaichi)
Cook together in a wok or frying pan until it begins to come off the pan. Allow to cool completely before using as a filling.
2)1 cup Paneer, mashed roughly
1/2 cup grated or dessicated coconut
1 cup caster or ground sugar
1 tsp. cardamom powder (little or green illaichi)
Cook together in a wok or frying pan until it begins to come off the pan. Allow to cool completely before using as a filling.
3) 1 cup arhar or tuvar dal (pigeon peas), cooked with little water, so it is semi solid and mashed
1 cup chana dal (skinless, split gram dal)
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup Jaggery or Gur, grated
1 tsp. Powdered cardamom
2 tbsp. ghee or oil
Mix everything together in a bowl. Stir-fry in a wok until it begins to come off the pan. Allow to cool completely. It should be roughly same consistency as the dough.
4) 1 cup boiled and mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup boiled and mashed ordinary potatoes (you can use potatoes alone, leaving sweet potatoes out. You will need extra sugar to get the same sweetness though)
1-2 tbsp. coarse corn flour
1 cup sugar, adjust to taste
1/2-1 tsp cardamom powder, green, small ones)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Ghee 2 tablespoons
Melt the ghee in a wok or pan, non-stick is better. Add both the potatoes, corn flour and sugar. Cook on a medium heat until the mixture begins to come off the sides of the wok. Add cardamom and cinnamon. Remove from heat and cool.
5): Carrot halwa
