The ultimate comfort food, these traditional Indian flatbread recipes topped with a dollop of butter make a perfect meal. 

 

Plain Parathas

Healthy and nutritious, this classic tastes the tops with just sliced onions and chillies. After all, simple is beautiful!

 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: a few minutes

Makes: 12 thin parathas

 

Ingredients:

¼ tsp salt

Melted butter

1 tsp oil

1 cup whole wheat flour 

Whole wheat (for rolling)

Fresh curd, to serve

 

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients with enough water to knead into a soft dough.
2. Divide this dough into 12 portions and roll out each portion into thin 6” rounds. 
3. Cook on the griddle on both the sides using butter until brown spots begin to appear on the surface. Serve hot with curd.

 

Naan

Dish out delicious Naans with a tandoor. Your pressure cooker makes a great substitute. Ensure that the dough is soft and is covered with a wet cloth for sufficient time for some mouth-watering, fluffy naan that will vanish from your dining table. 

 

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Makes: 20 Naans

 

 

Ingredients:

1 ½ tbsp ghee or butter or margarine

2 tbsp fresh curd

2 tsp fresh or dry yeast

1 ½ tsp sugar

3 cups plain flour + extra for rolling

1 tsp salt

Butter, to serve

 

Directions:

1. Sieve the flour well. Keep aside. 
2. Mix the yeast and sugar in a cup of warm water and stir until the yeast dissolves. Cover and wait for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is full of froth.
3. Add this mixture along with salt, ghee and curd to the flour. Make a soft dough by adding a little warm water.
4. Knead the dough for at least 6-7 minutes and keep it under a wet cloth for 30 minutes.
5. Knead again for a minute.
6. Divide the dough into 20 small balls and roll into oblong shape or any other shape of your choice using plain flour.
7. Lightly grease a pressure cooker with oil. Remove the lid from the pressure cooker and heat the cooker upside down. 
8. Take each Naan, apply a little water on one side and stick the wet side around the inside of pressure cooker. 
9. Cook the Naans until brown spots appear on the surface. You can apply 3-4 Naans at a time inside the walls of a pressure cooker.
10. Remove and apply butter. Serve hot. 

 

Thepla

A delicacy from Gujarat that’s a versatile paratha made with masalas, curd and whole wheat forming the base dough. Throw in chopped fenugreek or grated doodhi to make different varieties of Theplas. Tastes amazing with a serving of sweet Gujarati pickle by the side.

 

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Makes: 12 theplas

 

 

Ingredients:

Salt, to taste

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 ½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 cup fresh curd

2 cups whole wheat flour + extra for rolling

Oil for cooking

Sweet pickle, to serve

 

Directions:

1. Mix all the required ingredients together and knead into a soft dough using water only if required. 
2. Knead the dough until smooth before dividing into 12 equal portions.
3. Roll out each portion into 5” diameter rounds using whole wheat flour for dusting.
4. Cook each round on both sides on a griddle, smearing a little oil on both sides until brown spots appear on the surface. Serve hot with sweet pickle. 

 

Tip: Left-ver rice can also be added to the dough in which case, the seasoning needs to be adjusted to taste.

 

Variations:

Methi Thepla

Add ½ cup chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves at steep 1 and proceed as per the recipe. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

 

Doodhi Thepla

Add ¾ cup grated white pumpkin (lauki) at step 1 and proceed as per the recipe. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

 

Phulkas

Nothing can cheer you up more than a nicely puffed phulka, fresh off the stove. Mix up some dough, flatten it, puff up the phulkas directly on the flame using tongs. Serve hot with ghee or butter and a nice steamy curry.

 

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Makes: 6 phulkas

 

 

Ingredients:

1 tsp oil

1 cup whole wheat flour + extra for rolling

½ tsp salt

Ghee, for serving

 

Directions:

1. Combine the salt and flour and knead into a soft smooth dough using enough water.
2. Add the oil before kneading again till it’s smooth.
3. Cover and set aside for 12-15 minutes.
4. Divide this dough into 6 equal parts. 
5. Roll out each one into 6” diameter circles using wheat flour for rolling.
6. Dust of all the excess dry flour before placing the phulka on the hot griddle. 
7. Turn over in a few seconds. Cook the side until small blisters appear and on the surface and the edges begin to curl a little. 
8. Cook the other side for a few more seconds.
9. Lift it using a pair of tongs. Roast on each side on an open flame till the phulka puffs up. 
10. Keep it on a plate, flatten the phulka before applying some ghee on top. Repeat to make the remaining phulkas. Serve hot.