Paneer paratha
Hello peeps. It’s funny how this recipe was actually made close to new year’s and I am ending up posting it around Eid :). Talk about new levels of procrastinations/ laziness. I don’t know why but I could somehow never bring myself to completing this post. Do not for one second think it’s because the recipe is not up to the mark. This recipe is my sil’s and trust me, it’s easily one of the best parathas I have ever tasted. When my sil and co were here in January, I made it a point to learn and document a few recipes. Adyant loves her parathas so much that he shameless tells he loves Priyanka maami (aunty) because she makes awesome parathas and because she taught me how to make her style parathas :D. Anyways, I am glad I did not give up on the documentation and pushed myself through it.
My sil is also kickass at knitting. She could knit with her eyes closed. But she chooses to keep them open and netflix while knitting :D. It will literally look like magic when she’s working on her knitting. It also oddly feels therapeutic to watch her knit :). Since this paratha was completely done by her, I wanted something in the final picture that will remind me of her other than the parathas ofcourse :D. Couldn’t think of a better fit than placing the yarn with which she was knitting something.
After learning the tips and tricks of her parathas, I make it a point to make parathas atleast once in 2 weeks and it doesn’t take that long at all.
And oh, I am currently at a clinic with D & mil. I am on driver duty so I could’ve gone back home and then come back in time to pick D & mil. However, Adyant was very particular I stay back with D & mil because if I did go home, I would ‘disturp’ him :). Basically, the guy knows he can parade around his thatha (grandad) to the fullest extent when I am not around :).
- 6 cups atta/ whole wheat flour
- 2.75 cups water
- 750 gms paneer
- a thumb ginger
- a handful fresh coriander leaves
- 2 nos green chillies
- 4 tsp chaat masala
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
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In a wide big bowl, add 6c chapathi atta/ whole wheat flour.
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Add 2c room temperature water and start kneading.
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Add more water if required. We required 2.75c water totally.
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Knead into a smooth pliable dough (not a wet dough).
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Coat the outer surface of the dough with water (oil would work too) and cover the vessel with a wet cloth.
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Set the dough aside to rest for 20-30 minutes (proceed to prep paneer stuffing meanwhile).
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Prep work – Clean & Wash green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves. Either do this ahead so the veggies dry or pat dry with a kitchen towel.
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Chop the green chillies and coriander leaves finely. Grate the ginger.
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Crumble/ grate paneer. Add the crumbled/ grated paneer into a medium sized bowl.
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To this add 4t chaat masala, 2t garam masala, 1t chilli powder, 1t turmeric powder, grated ginger, green chillies and coriander leaves.
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Mix everything together.
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Pinch out some dough (roughly a clementine/ plum size) and make it into a ball.
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Take the dough ball and gently make a cup shape using your fingers. Keep the edges thin and the center slightly thick.
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Now place a good amount of stuffing (roughly 2-3T) of the filling and sprinkle some salt.
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Fold the dough ball by making small pleats.
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Keep folding/ pleating (in the process pushing the stuffing in with your thumb if it threatens to ooze out) and finally seal the stuffing.
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Dust the stuffed dough with some dry atta/ wheat flour.
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Roll out the paratha (don't make it very thin).
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Place the paratha on a hot tawa/ skillet/ flat pan (hot pan is key to getting a nice puffed up paratha as well).
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Flip after 15-20 seconds. Smear some ghee.
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Flip the other side and smear some more ghee. Once both sides are well cooked/ you see enough golden spots, take it off the pan.
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Serve hot hot parathas topped with some extra butter with whatever else on the side as you please. Adya loves this paratha and actually any form of parathas :).
- My friend Divya had a trick up her sleeve where she dusts the paratha in all purpose flour/ maida so as to not have the paratha tear while rolling it out. In case if any of you are having trouble while rolling the paratha out, you could try that.
- Priyanka doesn’t salt the dough but the subsequent times that I have been making these parathas, I have been salting the dough as well.
- You can obviously make the parathas spicier or less spicy based on your taste buds. When I am making the parathas just for me and Adya, I totally skip the red chilli powder as well as the green chillies.
- While you can obviously play around with the seasoning, trust me – this is the best combo I have come across so far :).
- Work with fresh paneer preferrably. If not, make sure you have soft block of paneer on hand (thaw/ put the block in hot water if the paneer is not fresh). Preferrably don’t use the frozen cubes for this.
- The pleating technique gets better as you practise. Don’t bother too much with it.
- You can make the dough the previous night and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container.
- The pleating technique gets better as you practise. Don’t bother too much with it.
Stepwise pictures
Paratha/ Chapathi dough
In a wide big bowl, add 6c chapathi atta/ whole wheat flour. 
Add 2c room temperature water and start kneading. Add more water if required. We required 2.75c water totally. Knead into a smooth pliable dough (not a wet dough). 
Coat the outer surface of the dough with water (oil would work too) and cover the vessel with a wet cloth. Set the dough aside to rest for 20-30 minutes (proceed to prep paneer stuffing meanwhile).
Paneer stuffing/ filling
Prep work – Clean & Wash green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves. Either do this ahead so the veggies dry or pat dry with a kitchen towel. Chop the green chillies and coriander leaves finely. Grate the ginger. Crumble/ grate paneer. Add the crumbled/ grated paneer into a medium sized bowl. 
To this add 4t chaat masala, 2t garam masala, 1t chilli powder, 1t turmeric powder, grated ginger, green chillies and coriander leaves. 
Mix everything together.
Paratha making
Pinch out some dough (roughly a clementine/ plum size) and make it into a ball. 
Take the dough ball and gently make a cup shape using your fingers. Keep the edges thin and the center slightly thick. 
Now place a good amount of stuffing (roughly 2-3T) of the filling and sprinkle some salt. 
Fold the dough ball by making small pleats. 
Keep folding/ pleating (in the process pushing the stuffing in with your thumb if it threatens to ooze out) and finally seal the stuffing. 
Dust the stuffed dough with some dry atta/ wheat flour. Roll out the paratha (don’t make it very thin). 
Place the paratha on a hot tawa/ skillet/ flat pan (hot pan is key to getting a nice puffed up paratha as well). 
Flip after 15-20 seconds. Smear some ghee. 
Flip the other side and smear some more ghee. 
Once both sides are well cooked/ you see enough golden spots, take it off the pan. 
Check out how well this is puffing up. Serve hot hot parathas topped with some extra butter with whatever else on the side as you please. Adya loves this paratha and actually any form of parathas :).
