LACHHA PARANTHA

            Lachha parantha is a punjabi multi layered crispy flatbread which is famous among the Indians. Kerala parotta or the road side parotta is its southern cousin.. It is a unleavening bread often had with a dollop of butter over the top portion.

They are usually made with maida/ white flour. But i prefer whole wheat flour over the bleached ones. The dough is prepared with flour, oil, water and salt. It is then rolled like regular rotis and the rotis are then folded to pleats like it is done for a saree and then, a disc is made moving the pleated dough in a circular manner keeping one end intact ( like a spiral). It is again rolled into rotis with a rolling pin and then fried on a pan to get these gorgeous paranthas. Tastes great with mutter - paneer or even plain bhindi or broccoli sabzi will do.

INGREDIENTS

Whole wheat flour or plain flour - a cup

Water - for kneading

Salt - as required

Oil/ Ghee - as required

For garnishing

Butter - as required :)

Coriander leaves (optional)

METHOD

1. Prepare a dough using flour, a tablespoon of oil/ ghee, salt and water. Cover it with a wet cloth for atleast half an hour so that the flour imbibes all the water properly.

2. Divide the dough into equal sized portions. Take a portion of it over a flour-dusted rolling board. Roll with a rolling pin to make a disc. Brush a teaspoon of oil evenly over the top and dust some dry flour over the disc.

3. Hold  one end of the disc with your first two fingers and thumb of both hands and continuously fold them forward and backward like saree pleats.

4. Having done this, you would be left with a vertical pleated dough. Now, roll them like a spiral (like swiss roll) keeping one end at the center and one end in motion. When completed, stick the other end of the roll to the immediate surface of the roll.

5. Dust some more flour over the top of the it and roll again to make the layered discs. Don't apply too much pressure as this would spoil the layers.

6. Heat a pan and cook with generous amounts of oil on both sides. Serve hot with butter over the top and sidedish of your choice.

TIPS

1. Try keeping the paranthas thin to keep them crisp.

2. Always allow the dough to stand for at least half an hour and keep it covered with a wet cloth.