Aloo Paratha/ Flat Bread Stuffed with Potatoes

It is true, 'A way to man's heart is his stomach'. And, it could not be easier than this! Today, on the day of our Wedding Anniversary, I made Snehanshu's favorite Aloo Paratha, flat bread stuffed with spiced potato and served with chilled yogurt and lime pickle. What a surprise it was when he came home for lunch!

I have been planning on putting this recipe on my blog since quite some time. But, it was perfect today since my new Roll-n-cut mat was delivered this morning! This would show you a clear and comparative size and shape of the paratha in every picture. Save your Michael's and Jo-Ann coupons and buy this mat at a cheaper rate. A must in every kitchen. Easy to roll and clean the surface.

Ingredients to make 12-15 parathas:

For the stuffing:

6 medium sized boiled potatoes

1 tbsp. ginger & green chllly paste

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

juice of fresh lime

1 tsp. cumin seeds

Salt to taste

For the dough:

3 cups whole wheat flour

3 tsp. salt

3 tbsps. oil

Water

Few drops of oil to knead the dough

For paratha:

Dry flour to roll paratha

Oil or ghee for frying paratha

To make the stuffing:

• Peel and mash potatoes well. Sprinkle salt immediately while they are still warm. It is difficult to incorporate salt in cold potatoes.
• Add ginger & green chilly paste, chopped cilantro, cumin seeds and freshly squeezed lime. You could add garlic too! The smaller the green chilly, hotter it is going to be. Adjust the spice level as per your taste. But, remember this spicy mashed potato is a stuffing in plain wheat flat bread which is going to reduce the spice level.
•  Get messy, mix well and give a taste test. Remember, the taste will mild down with outer dough layer. The stuffing should be lemony and spicy to taste.

To make the dough:

• Take 3 cups of wheat flour in a wide mixing bowl.
• Add 3 tsps. of salt and 3 tbsps. of oil.
• Add 1/2 cup water and start mixing the flour quickly.
• Add another 1/2 cup and continue till the dough binds.
• Total of 1 1/2 cup of water is needed to form a soft malleable dough. At first the dough may look and feel sticky. That's okay!
• Add few drops or 1/8 tsp. of oil and knead the dough well.
• Let the dough rest for few minutes before rolling it.

To make paratha:

• Take a golf ball size dough and press lightly between your palms.
• Dip in dry flour and roll it to 6 inch diameter circle.
• Add an ice-cream scoop full of potato filling.
• Gather the sides to form a pull string bag.
• Gently press the dough and filling to flatten it.
• Dip in dry flour again and start rolling it lightly.
• Roll it gently to form 8 inch diameter circle.
• Roll out more parathas before frying on the griddle.
• Gently put paratha on hot griddle.
• Flip in a minute and brush some oil.
• Flip and fry for a minute, and brush some oil on second side too.
• Fry on both sides and serve hot. Or keep them warm in a hot pot.
• Serve with yogurt and lime pickle.

Here is step- by-step pictorial recipe:

Boil/ pressure cook potatoes.

Peel and mash them well. Sprinkle salt immediately while they are still warm. It is difficult to incorporate salt in cold potatoes.

 Basic spices: ginger, green chillies, cilantro, cumin seeds and freshly squeezed lime. You could add garlic too! The smaller the green chilly is, hotter it is going to be. Adjust the spice level as per your taste. But, remember this spicy mashed potato is a stuffing in plain wheat flat bread which is going to reduce the spice level.

 Grate ginger using fine spice grater.

Finely chop green chillies. I like my mini rolling chopper. I just add some green chillies to it and roll it on my counter. The wheels are attached to the gear and to the blade which minces green chillies easily. Use this for ginger and garlic too.

 Or I use a spice mill to manually turn the handle and mince ginger and green chillies.

Add minced ginger and green chillies.

 Add 1 tsp. cumin seeds,  freshly chopped cilantro and freshly squeezed lime juice.

 Get messy, mix well and give a taste test. Remember, the taste will mild down with outer dough layer. The stuffing should be lemony and spicy to taste.

 Prepare a Basic Paratha Dough, potato filling and and get some dry flour before you start rolling the parathas.

 Take a golf ball size dough and press lightly between your palms.

 Dip in dry flour and roll it to 6 inch diameter circle.

 Add an ice-cream scoop full of potato filling.

 Gather the sides to form a pull string bag.

 Press the dough and filling to flatten it.

 Dip in dry flour again and start rolling it lightly.

 Roll it gently to form 8 inch diameter circle.

 Roll out more parathas before frying on the griddle.

 Gently put the paratha on hot griddle.

 Flip in a minute and brush some oil.

 Flip and fry for a minute, and brush some oil on second side too.

 Fry on both sides and serve hot. Or keep them warm in a hot pot.

Enjoy Hot Aloo Paratha!!

Great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner :)