This flaky paratha or Lachha paratha is a delicious Indian flatbread made with just a few ingredients, served on its own, or with your favorite Indian curries or kababs!
If you’re familiar with Indian or Pakistani food, you’ll know that there are different types of flatbreads.
There are lots of regional varieties of flatbreads.
One of our favorites is Paratha. It is a layered flatbread, made with a rich, unleavened dough, that is crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.
Looking for more Indian Flatbread recipes?
- Homemade Naan / Tandoori Roti: Easy, Fluffy Flatbread
- Masala Roti: Easy Soft & Spicy Flatbread
- Puri – Puffy Deep-Fried Bread
- Aloo Paratha: Potato Stuffed Flatbread
What is Lachha Paratha?
Lachha Paratha is a layered flatbread. It is an unleavened bread made with a simple enriched dough of flour, milk, and oil.
While the dough itself is only a few ingredients, the magic of paratha is in laminating the dough to create those layers, before frying the paratha!
The texture of paratha is typically crispy layers on the outside, while it is soft and pliable on the inside.
There are many variations of paratha, that differ by regions. You might even find flavored parathas, or stuffed parathas, like Aloo Paratha or Sweet Potato Paratha.
Plain Paratha can be enjoyed alone, but it is usually served alongside kababs or indulgent curries. We really enjoy parathas with curries such as Butter Chicken or use as a wrap for Malai Boti Roll or Seekh Kabab Roll!
Flaky Plain Paratha Ingredients
- Flour – typically we will use maida or all-purpose flour for paratha, but you can also use chapatti or roti atta (wheat flour)
- Milk – is used to bind the flour, and results in a rich dough. We typically use 2% for this.
- Salt and Sugar – add a bit of flavor to the parathas
- Butter, Ghee or Oil – traditionally ghee is used for paratha, and if you have it we highly recommend it. However, melted butter or a neutral oil – like vegetable to canola – will also work here.
How to make Lachha Paratha?
The ingredients for this paratha are simple. The magic happens in rolling out and folding the dough.
Prepare the Paratha Dough
- To a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, sugar, salt and butter/ghee/oil. Combine the ingredients until it looks like a crumbly mixture.
- Add milk and mix well. Add a little water at a time and make a soft dough.
- Cover, and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 6-8 portions depending on the size of paratha you prefer.
Roll Out and Fold the Paratha Dough
- Take one portion and roll it out into a 6-inch circle. Apply ghee/oil on it and sprinkle some flour evenly.
- Fold the paratha, in small sections like an accordion or if you are folding a paper fan. Roll it into a log. Next roll each end of the log of dough inward into a circle until they meet in the middle. Layer the two circles on top of each other, and press together. Set it aside, on a plate, covered with a dish towel.
- Repeat with the remaining portions.
Tip: You can store these portions for at least a few hours.
Par Cook the Parathas
- When ready to make the parathas, heat a pan on low heat.
- Take one of the portions and roll it out into a 6-8 inch circle, as evenly as possible.
- Par Cook the Parathas: Transfer to the heated pan, and cook each side for a couple of minutes. Repeat with remaining portions.
Tip: Par-cooked parathas can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. Only fry the parathas when ready to serve.
Fry the Parathas
- Set the stove to medium heat, brush one side of one paratha with oil, and transfer to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes, then flip and brush the second side with oil. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining parathas
Paratha Tips and FAQ
Flaky Parathas are known for their layers – making them crisp on the outside, while soft and pliable enough to fold.
Good quality butter or ghee will result in a richer tasting paratha. Traditionally, parathas are laminated with ghee.
The parathas can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat, pan fry till crispy. You can also par-cook the parathas, and only fry them when ready to serve.
The Parathas can be made ahead of time and stored. You can either par-cook the parathas and store them till ready to fry. Or store cooked parathas in the fridge for 3-5 days.
What to serve with Lachha Paratha?
These parathas are tasty on their own, or with curries and kababs. Here are some of our favorites:
Karahi Kabab: Seekh Kabab Curry
Creamy Butter Chicken Masala
Seekh Kabab – Pakistani Ground Beef Skewers
Chicken Malai Boti Roll
If you give this recipe a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess
Lachha paratha: Flaky Plain Paratha
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour chapatti flour, maida, all purpose, or combination
- Salt as per taste
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 4-6 tablespoons melted butter, Ghee or oil divided
- ½ cup Milk room temperature
Instructions
Paratha Dough
- To a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, sugar, salt and butter/ghee/oil. Combine the ingredients until it looks like a crumbly mixture.
- Add milk and mix well.
- Cover, and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 6-8 portions depending on the size of paratha you prefer.
Roll Out and Fold the Paratha Dough
- Take one portion and roll it out into a 6-inch circle. Apply ghee/oil on it and sprinkle some flour evenly.
- Fold the paratha, in small sections like an accordion or if you are folding a paper fan. Roll it into a log. Next roll each end of the log of dough inward into a circle until they meet in the middle. Layer the two circles on top of each other, and press together. Set it aside, on a plate, covered with a dish towel.
- Repeat with the remaining portions.
Par Cook the Parathas
- When ready to make the parathas, heat a pan on low heat.
- Take one of the portions and roll it out into a 6-8 inch circle, as evenly as possible.
- Par Cook the Parathas: Transfer to the heated pan, and cook each side for a couple of minutes. Repeat with remaining portions.
Fry the Parathas
- Fry the paratha: Set the stove to medium heat, brush one side of one paratha with oil, and transfer to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes, then flip and brush the second side with oil. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining parathas
- Serve fresh.