This homemade paratha recipe guarantees soft, flaky plain parathas each time you make them. Making plain parathas at home is straightforward and quick. You need just four ingredients or pre-made chapati dough from your refrigerator. These parathas are perfect for pairing with my vegetarian Indian curries, tarka dal with red lentils, or cucumber raita.
What Are Plain Parathas?
Plain parathas are made from chapati dough that is rolled, layered, and cooked on a hot griddle / pan on high heat until golden on both sides. These soft, flaky parathas involve just one additional step compared to making traditional whole wheat rotis at home. Typically enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, these flaky layered parathas pair wonderfully with curries, dal, raita, chutney, or pickles. You can even enjoy them on the go with a sprinkle of sugar and ghee—much like sugar crepes!
Storing Cooked Parathas
As you make the parathas, place them in a casserole dish lined with fabric and tissue paper. Stack them and seal to keep warm for your meal.
Chapati Flour (Chapati Atta): Made from whole wheat flour. Water: Room temperature tap water. Salt: To season the flour. Oil or Ghee: Used to knead the dough and for spreading inside the paratha. Sunflower oil is recommended for kneading, and ghee is ideal for smearing inside the paratha.
How to Make Plain Parathas
Prepare the chapati dough: In a bowl add all the ingredients and knead to a soft pliable dough.Alternatively use a stand mixer to knead the chapati dough. Once you have your chapati dough ready, divide it into 10-12 medium-sized portions. I have detailed all the steps and troubleshooting in my Chapati recipe
Roll Out the Dough: Take one dough ball and roll it into a flat, round disc to form a circle using a rolling pin - about 4-5 inches in diameter. Brush the top with ghee or oil and sprinkle a pinch of whole wheat flour.
Shape the Paratha: Triangle Shape: Fold the disc in half, then fold it again to form a triangle. Dust the triangle with flour and roll it out thinly.
Cook the Paratha: Heat a pan or griddle on medium -high heat. Place the paratha on the pan and . They will begin to bubble and puff up. Cook the paratha on both sides until golden brown spots appear, drizzling with ghee or oil as needed.
Serve: Transfer the paratha to a casserole dish and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining dough.
For later use, once cooled, cover in foil and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, sprinkle a little water on each paratha and microwave for 10-15 seconds until warm. For longer storage, freeze the parathas. Place cooled parathas between parchment paper, transfer to a plastic bag, label, and store for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave until ready to enjoy.
Easy Homemade Plain paratha recipe below with step by step guide
They’re also delicious with curries like paneer curry, aubergine bhaji, or chickpeas and cauliflower curry. Post a photo of your creation on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #sandhyaskitchen. I would love to see your pictures! Subscribe to our weekly newsletters!
