Blog Post 21 — Paratha
Every country is thought to have at least one form of flatbread which they will commonly eat. Many of these are extremely popularized across the world — pita from Greece, focaccia from Italy, tortilla from various Latin American countries. India is no stranger to flatbreads, having many varieties, with unique textural and taste characteristics. In this blog post, I will be talking about paratha — it’s history, preparation, and popularity across the subcontinent and beyond today.
Paratha has various spellings — parantha, parontay, prontha, and many other regional differences, but they all refer to the same flatbread dish. Paratha is a portmanteau of the words parat and atta, which respectively mean layers in Urdu and flour/dough in Hindi. The Hindi version of the word is taken from Sanskrit. Parathas are mentioned under the name puran poli (a different sweet flatbread) in Manasollasa — a Sanskrit encyclopedia written in the 12th century by Somveshara III. References were also made in the 1000s where it was stated that these parathas were very popular in Punjabi high class at the time.
In terms of the actual food, parathas are made with atta flour (a wheat flour), where, when creating parathas without stuffing, the dough is repeatedly coated in ghee or oil, which can provide the effect of creating layers, similar to the method used to create puff pastry. After these layers are made, the dough is rolled out to the proper circle shape (although other geometric shapes are found, albeit rarely), and then cooked on a tava, or a disk-shaped frying pan, before being shallow fried in oil. Finally, these parathas are often eaten with raita, plain yogurt, and pickle, among other condiments. They are often eaten as breakfast, or as a snack with chai (tea). In addition, you can find pre-made parathas, both frozen and ready-to-cook, in various markets, as they are easier to make since you only have to heat them up. These are more commonly found in Western markets.
Parathas are almost always stuffed with some vegetables — although it can be stuffed with cheese or meat. The most popular type of paratha is aloo paratha (paratha filled with a potato filling — often spiced, and sometimes with peas), which is my personal favorite. There are many different varieties of paratha, such as paneer paratha (my sister’s favorite), gobi paratha (stuffed with cauliflower), mooli paratha (stuffed with radish), and hara bhara paratha (there is no direct English translation for this word, but it generally means greens).
Another commonly confused dish similar to parathas is the South Indian parotta. This dish is similar to the paratha, in that it is also a flatbread, and popularly eaten in South Indian states as street food, along with countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka. However, this dish is made by kneading the dough into extremely thin layers, which are then rolled up into a ball, and then rolled out once again. After the dough is cut out, it is then pan-fried, and served with some curry — often vegetable, beef, or chicken. The two main differences between parathas and parottas are, obviously, that parottas are not stuffed like parathas, and that parathas are made with mainly atta flour, while parottas are made with maida (a flour similar to all-purpose flour).
Paratha has established itself as one of the most popular street foods, and in Delhi, you can find a street called Paranthe Wali Gali devoted to this cause. The street was created in 1872 when a man named Pt. Gaya Prasad came to Delhi and started his own paratha shop in a lane near Chandni Chowk, one of the biggest markets in Delhi. As his business grew, he brought his family members in to open more stores next to him, and now, it has become a mainstay of Delhi. The establishment serves 55 different types of paratha, ranging from gajar (carrot) to kela (banana). The dish is served with a pumpkin curry, aloo matar (a curry with potatoes and peas), pudina (mint) chutney, and banana in jaggery and ginger chutney — a constant throughout the years. Celebrities have visited across the years, such as Gauri Khan, Shah Rukh Khan’s wife.
All in all, paratha joins India’s kitchens in becoming one of the most popular flatbreads, and its versatility lends itself to being both a great restaurant dish and street delicacy. I hope you enjoyed reading this piece!
