Aloo Paratha

How:
Making the potatoes:
- Cut and boil 2 medium size potatoes. Add some salt to the boiling water.
- When it is fork tender (poke with ends of knife/ fork and see if it goes through easy), mash it with masher or fork. It's easier to mash them when they are still hot.
- Add coriander powder, cumin seeds, garam masala, cilantro, jalapenos, onion to mashed potatoes. Stir and mix thoroughly. Taste if it's enough salt and such.
- Let it cool while making the paratha dough. I personally like to make balls out of the mashed potatoes, less messy when rolling the paratha. But time to time, I just let it as is, and just spoon it in as filling, while rolling the paratha.


Making the dough:
- Mix the atta flour and salt in mixing bowl.
- Add some water to the flour, just a little bit at the time. Knead the dough, until it holds together and on stiffer side. Keep kneading until the dough becomes smooth.

In my experience, it takes some get used to it, in knowing when the dough is at its 'right' consistency. It shouldn't be too doughy, neither too hard. I just watched my mother in law and keep poking the dough as she kneads it to get the feel of the dough. It takes around 10 minutes of kneading. Then, leave it covered with damp towel for about an hour. But er..there are times that I just use it right away. :)

Pinch some of the dough, to make a ball size of a golf ball.

Flatten it to disk, roll it with rolling pin. Center the potato balls to the disk. Wrap the dough around potato balls, pinch where the dough gather to seal it. Then gently roll it again with rolling pin.

Heat pan with some ghee on it, slide one paratha to the hot pan. Flip paratha to other side and cook until golden brown.

Vik likes it with yogurt and chili sauce. Some like it with just dollop of butter or more ghee. Or even ketchup!

Quick note:
Most people add some ghee while kneading the dough. Or, add it while rolling the dough: spread thin ghee to flatten disk, fold the disk, roll, spread another layer of ghee, roll; before stuffing it with potatoes. This is to make the paratha flakier and 'better' tasting. But, Vik doesn't like much of ghee/butter/oil on anything, so either I use it very sparingly, or not at all. Or, just very thin spread when rolling the disk.

It sounds a bit complicated, yes? But it's really not. I believe that it's one of those things we need to watch to learn in person than reading the 'how-to' in words. As far as rolling perfect round circle, heh, mine rarely come out to perfect circle.

In good days when I can swing it to perfect circle each and every one of them, they still won't come out all in same sizes when I stack them together.