Potato And Spinach Stuffed Paratha-Easy Method
Aloo-Palak Paratha
Mamta Gupta
This is an easier method of rolling out stuffed paratha.
Spinach and potatoes make a great filling for parathas. You can use either fresh or frozen spinach. If using frozen, use whole leaves one for a better texture. Once cooked, spinach filling should be stir-fried on high heat until all water is evaporated, otherwise you will end up with a filling that is soggy and difficult to handle.
Makes-10. Numbers also depend on the size you make.
Recipe rewritten March 2021
Ingredients
Dough
3 1/2 cups (approximately 500 gm.) chapatti flour
1/2 tsp. salt
300 ml. water approximately. Add a little more or a little less until you get a soft dough
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. carom seeds or ajwain
The Filling (you can use leftover Alu Palak sabji
2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 bunch/100-150 gm. spinach leaves/palak. Or used frozen spinach, as shown in picture
1 tsp. oil
1 tsp. chilli powder or flaked chillies
1 tsp. Garam Masala
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric (optional)
Salt to taste
For making parathas
1/2 cup dry flour for dusting
Oil for pan frying
Instructions
Place flour, salt, carom seeds and oil in a bowl. Add enough water to make medium soft dough. It should not be too soft to make it difficult to roll out or too firm to make parathas hard. Keep aside covered with a moist cloth. Give it another quick knead before rolling out parathas.
The filling
Heat oil in a pan, add potatoes, spinach leaves, salt, chilli powder/flakes, garam masala and coriander powder. Stir and then lower the heat. Cook covered until potatoes are soft.
Now raise the heat and stir-fry until most of the water is evaporated. If tit is soggy, rolling out parathas will be very difficult. Allow to cool completely. Keep aside.
Making Parathas
Place 1/2 cup of dusting flour on a flat plate.
Give the dough a quick knead to make it smooth.
Place the pan or tava on heat and let it heat to medium hot. If you do not have a tava, the Indian griddle pan, you can use an old frying pan for this, do not ruin your new pan for making parathas or chapatties.
Meanwhile, take a golf ball size portion of the dough and make it into a ball.
Flatten with your hand or roll out to a 2-3 inch or 7-8 inch/16-7cm. size circle.
Place one tablespoon of the potato/spinach filling mix on one half of the circle.
Fold over and press the edges gently
Gently dust it with flour on both sides by dipping it in dry flour.
Now roll it out with a rolling pin (belan) gently, dusting it in dry flour. It will make a roughly elliptical shape. Remaining parathas will be rolled the same way, one at a time, while the previous one is cooking.
Place the rolled paratha on the preheated pan.
After a minute or so, turn it over.
Brush it gently with oil on both sides one by one. I use a small, Indian ladle called karchi, see last picture, for this purpose. You can use a table spoon or soup spoon, if you do not have a ladle.
Turn it over a few times and keep pressing it all-over gently with the ladle, until it is nicely cooked and crisp on both sides
Parathas can be made in traditional, circular shapes too, see last two pictures.
Serve immediately with a selection of Indian pickles and yoghurt or a glass of cold Lassi 1, Lassi 2 or Lassi 3.
You can make the parathas in advance, but reheat them to crisp before serving. You can do this in a pan or 3-4 at a time under a hot grill.
Parathas can be frozen, but I will recommend placing small squares of wax paper or foil in between. This stops them sticking together. Also, make sure that they are completely cold, at room temperature, before freezing.
Notes
To make stuffed poori, make the balls a little smaller, roll out to 4 inch or 9-10 cm. size disc. Deep fry until golden brown on both sides.
Also see Methi Paratha and Aloo Methi Paratha
