What can you do with whole wheat flour, water, and salt? You can make Paratha — the simple (and simply delicious!) Indian flatbread. The bread is firm enough for spreading with hummus or Tzatziki, and flexible enough for folding around grilled veggies or meats. Here’s the recipe in both video and printable formats:
Although the video above explains the recipe in detail (plus you get to see me walking Avery Ophelia Elizabeth), here’s the same in words and pictures:
Pour 2 cups whole wheat flour into a large mixing bowl…
Add 1/2 teaspoon (or more, to taste) kosher salt…
And 4 tablespoons vegetable oil.
Use your impeccably clean fingers to blend the flour and oil together until the mixture resembles the coarse crumbs, as above. This will take all of 30 seconds.
Then add just enough water to make a firm dough. In summer, when the humidity is high, my paratha dough requires about 2/3 cup of water. In winter, when my haunted, 188-year-old house is bone-dry, the dough begs for 3/4 cup of water.
Mix the squishy dough with your hands, just until it comes together.
And then roll up your sleeves, turn the dough onto your work surface, and knead it for 3 minutes.
As you can see, I did not roll up my sleeves. But you should.
Return the dough to the mixing bowl, and coat it with a little vegetable oil.
Then cover the bowl with a blue and white kitchen towel, and it rest for at least 15 minutes (or up to 30 minutes).
After the dough has finished its nap, knead it for 30 seconds.
Tear off an egg-size clump of dough, and then roll it, between your palms, into a ball.
Flatten the ball to make a disk…
And lightly coat both sides of the disk in whole wheat flour.
Roll the disk into a 6-inch diameter circle.
Repeat the previous 4 steps for the remaining segments of dough.
Brush the circle with a little oil…
And top it with the seasonings of your choice. I seasoned mine with black pepper and ground cumin — one small pinch of each.
Drop the disk, oiled-side-down, onto a hot (not greased!) cast-iron skillet.
Within seconds, the bread will bubble and puff like nobody’s business. Brush the top with a little oil…
And then flip the bread over. Cook this side until spotty brown — 30 seconds or less.
Keep the breads warm in a kitchen towel. Serve with the dips/spreads/veggies I mentioned in the above video, and more.
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One of the oldest and most delicious flat breads in the world. Enjoy it with curried veggies, meats, and all kinds of dips and spreads.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (plus more for dusting)
- A generous 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons neutral-tasting vegetable oil (plus more for brushing the bread)
- 3/4 cups water
- Optional for dusting: spices, such as cumin and/or black pepper, or herbs, including fresh or dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Put the flour, salt, and oil in a mixing bowl. Use your fingers to blend the oil into the flour — it should resemble coarse crumbs.Then add just enough water to produce a firm but workable dough -- usually 3/4 cup. Roughly mix the dough with your hands, and then pour it onto your work surface. Knead for 3 minutes. Return the dough to the mixing bowl, coat it with a little vegetable oil, and then cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, or for up to 30 minutes.
- After the dough has rested, knead it for 30 seconds. Then tear off an egg-size piece of dough, and roll it between your palms to form a ball. Then flatten the ball into a disk. Gently press the disk into a plate of whole wheat flour, and then flip it over to coat the other side. Using a rolling pin, roll each disk into a 6-inch-diameter circle.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium heat until hot. Brush one side of the paratha with a little oil. Season, if you wish, with the herbs or seasonings of your choice. Place the paratha oiled-side-down on the hot skillet. When the bread starts to puff here and there — after about 5 seconds — brush the top with a little oil, and then flip the bread over. Let cook for about 30 seconds, or until spotty-brown. Transfer the finished bread to the tea towel, folding the towel over to keep the bread warm.
- Oil, season, and cook the remaining disks of dough, transferring each to the tea towel when finished. Enjoy while the bread is warm.
Jerry Miller says
These look delicious and very simple to make! I have some whole wheat flour in my pantry; I will make this later today for dinner.
I noticed that the video was titled episode 40. Have you really made forty videos? Congratulations!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jerry – Yes, 40 videos! If you try this Paratha, I hope you’ll send a review.
Meghan Girroir says
Hi Keven,
may we have the recipe for the tzatziki sauce and the chicken?
It looked divine and I cannot wait to make the recipe. Avery Elizabeth Ophelia is gorgeous!
Thanks,
Meg
kjs says
Hi Kevin: Avery Ophelia Elizabeth is beautiful! I don’t usually bake bread, but this is simple enough to give it a try. I would love to do a chicken salad wrap.
Also, You’re hair looks very good!
Kyle
John says
Looks delicious, Kevin. I’m going to copy the recipe and tuck it into your cookbook.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi kjs – Thanks so much!
Hi John – If you make this Paratha, let me know how it turns out for you!
kath moriarty says
Whaddya think about using half all purpose white flour?
Debby S. says
Wow, you must have ESP! I’ve been on a flatbread making kick for a week. I want to try your whole wheat version.
Carol Ballard says
Can’t wait to try. Is it considered “low cal.”?
Marie says
Hi Kevin
I have a question for you, When you use kosher salt what brand do you use? I ask this because there is a real difference between Morton and Diamond Kosher salts. Could you clarify this for me?
Julie R says
I enjoyed the Paratha bread video. I first tried Paratha bread as a young girl, when my dad took my family out to eat to a Indian restaurant. I have been hooked on Indian food and Paratha bread, ever since.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Kath – I’ve tried this recipe using equal parts whole wheat and all-purpose flour. Works out fine!
Hi Marie – I used Morton’s coarse kosher salt.
Marie says
Hi Kevin,
Thank yo so very much!!
Leslie George says
Thank you for the Paratha recipe Kevin. I had tried another recipe from a different source last year and it did not come out the way it was supposed to. I am going to try your recipe and method which I have faith in. I have a feeling that your keen observation about humidity and the water added to this bread is spot on. 🙂
Samantha Gray says
I have never made flat bread, although I make loaf breads – plain sandwich types, savory and tea breads – all the time. Now I must try this! I have a wonderful cheddar cheese loaf bread I make frequently by family request (they devour it promptly). But if you have an interesting cheese bread recipe, please do share it sometime! As always, I love your videos. Thank you so much for them.
Meredith Hill says
Thanks Kevin for the great video. This looks fun and easy enough to try. We love Indian food as well and drove 45 minutes into town yesterday to our favorite Indian restaurant.
wyva says
hi Kevin, when i lived in India, i made paratha dough balls every night with the others in my community. we let the balls sit until 4 a.m. the next morning when we made the discs, and then rolled these out and cooked them on a hot flat griddle. the difference between that and your recipe is that we did not brush them with oil before and during cooking on the griddle. without the oil, they are called chappatti’s. i’m so glad you are introducing Indian food, and look forward to seeing lots of other Indian recipes – curries, biryani, sweets like gulab jammun…
i really like the way you showcase tasty do-able recipes.
gail says
Hi Kevin! I love your videos and all.
I would like to see your take on blintzes, both meat and cheese, please.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Wyva – So glad you mentioned Gulab Jammun. It’s one of my favorite desserts!
Hi Gail – Thanks for the blintz idea. I’ll put both the meat and cheese types on my video list.
Terry Snyder says
Hi, Kevin,
Made these two nights ago and have been eating them since. They heat up nice wrapped in foil. I’ll finish them off tonight accompanying a nice curried sweet potato and lentil stew. I’ll be making them again. Thanks.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Terry Snyder — I’m so happy the Paratha worked out for you! Curried sweet potato and lentil stew…Mmmm.
Marsha Lockhart says
I love Naan. Can you tell me the difference? How about a Chinese cooking video? You make everything look so easy. Thank you!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Marsha – Naan is a deliciously-airy bread made with yeast. Click here to see my step-by-step recipe.
Candace says
Kevin,
I am a relatively new subscriber, and I am enjoying your cooking tips, as well as your gardening tips, very much!!
My hubby and I love naan, but I have never tried to make it. Sadly, he has recently been diagnosed with kidney problems and can no longer eat whole wheat products. Do you think that I could make this tempting recipe using flour that does not have any whole wheat? I am afraid that the texture might be too tender. If you can suggest any alternative that you think would work, I am going to try this ASAP. I have never attempted any homemade breads, other than cornbread, and I want to take the plunge 🙂
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Candace – Welcome aboard! If you search the bread category on this site (click here), you’ll find lots of loaves (and naan, too) that are made without any whole wheat flour. Some are yeast breads, some are quick breads (no yeast; no rise-time) and all are delicious!
Susan Alli says
Hi Kevin looks yummy and easy, thanks! I’m wondering…didn’t you post a flat bread recipe ( years ago) with garbanzo flour? Can you bring that up again? Bought the flour, never made the bread.
Thanks again and btw your pup looks very happy
Susan
Janet Metzger says
Thank you! I have tried flatbreads in the oven. stovetop looks easier. would tapioca flour work?
Again, thanks for a stove-top recipe! Appreciate it!
anita says
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe and video. (I enjoyed Avery’s cameo too; hope there will be more.)
I made your snowshoe naan, and it turned out great.
I hope you’ll feature more Indian recipes.
My suggestion(s): puri, samosas, and kulfi.
Also, not Indian, but knishes.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Janet – Tapioca flour won’t work for Paratha. Sorry ’bout that!
Hi Anita – Glad you mentioned Knishes. I’ve loved ’em since my NYC days!
Elisabetta says
This way you will speed up the paratha-making process and get to enjoy the entire stack of parathas hot. Serve lauki paratha hot with chutney/pickle, yogurt, curry. Meal below: lauki paratha with pumpkin mangodi curry. Notes: Check other paratha recipes that follow a similar knead-into-dough pattern: beetroot paratha, cabbage paratha, spinach paratha. If you’d rather go the stuffed way, try sattu paratha, onion tomato paratha, minced soya paratha.
JPaul says
Hi Jamil, The major difference with this roti is that it is smaller in size and is not a flaky roti like paratha. I would say it”s even similar to a tortilla when you pull it apart after cooking. It”s thin and light. So although the ingredients are the same the final result is very different because there is no rolling to create air pockets/flakes. Hope this helps :).
Dirk says
Hi Jamil,The major difference with this roti is that it is smaller in size and is not a flaky roti like paratha. I would say it”s even similar to a tortilla when you pull it apart after cooking. It”s thin and light. So although the ingredients are the same the final result is very different because there is no rolling to create air pockets/flakes. Hope this helps :).