Lachha Parathas
Parathas are my favorite food. I’ve been making them for well over a decade, and kneading their dough for over two. Store-bought parathas, though convenient, can never measure up to homemade ones. (I’ve tried and failed to trick my kids into thinking there’s no difference.) Plus, being able to make and feed my family Parathas is a truly satisfying experience. Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week! It’s taken me embarrassingly long to share these, because for me sharing a Paratha recipe is something like translating body memory to instructional text. (My friend Maryam generously shared an early iteration of my Laccha Paratha recipe on her blog Pakistan Eats, and prior to that I shared a now-dated Mooli Paratha Recipe.)
Beyond the Recipe
Paratha 101
Parathas are flatbreads made from whole wheat atta flour. The dough is rolled out, brushed with ghee, butter, or oil, folded into layers, and then rolled out again before being cooked on a hot griddle or tawa. This post, with its step-by-step detailed images, video, and troubleshooting tips, attempts to recreate that process. Not only does this recipe share the perfect atta to water ratio for repeatable success, but it addresses common pitfalls and equips you with all the techniques you’d need to never need a recipe again. Lastly, should you have any trouble, I invite you to share a photo/video with me in the comments or email and I’ll do my best to help explain what could have gone wrong. And of course, I’d love to see your finished paratha images in the comments too! Let’s do this! In the context of breadmaking, parathas are not at all difficult to make. There’s no yeast, minimal kneading and rest time, and no special equipment. (Though if you’ll be making parathas often, I recommend investing in a stand mixer if you don’t already have one.) Paratha-making is all about technique, which you refine over time, until it’s no longer something you think about. There are some fundamentals, but you’ll likely make it differently from me, just like I make it differently from my family. The key is to learn why you do things a certain way, which is what I attempt to explain in this post. P.S. Don’t want to read the entire post? I got you! Search text for ‘essential tips’ because you don’t want to miss them!
What are Laccha Parathas and how are they different than regular parathas?
The word ‘laccha’ refers to the ‘rings’ or ‘loops’ formed in this style of paratha-making. While regular (square or triangle) parathas have 2 or three layers inside, Laccha Parathas have a characteristic spiral shape with visible intertwined coils, which gives them their extra flaky, layered texture. (I use this same method in my Keema Naan recipe as well!)
Lachha Paratha Ingredients
What Atta to Use
How to Make Lachha Paratha
The instructions are written in the recipe card, but here’s an overview with pictures and some can’t-miss essential tips on why I do things a certain way. Throughout the years, I’ve used many brands and have spoken to grocery store owners about the best ones:
Popular Brands for 100% Whole Wheat Atta
Best Flour Blends/Not 100% Whole Wheat
Note: Please look for these at Indo-Pak grocery stores, as they’re much cheaper and probably more fresh than ones online. I like to keep a close eye on expiration dates.
1 – Make Paratha Dough
Combine the atta flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment or a large bowl if kneading by hand. Gradually add water. Adding water too quickly will make it difficult to control the distribution of water, and this uneven hydration may cause sticky or wet dough. Essential tip: To keep the dough soft, you must add enough water and that too early on in the kneading process. Adding too little water early on may make the dough tough.
Tips to make the dough extra soft: Over the years, I’ve explored various techniques for an extra soft dough. Though these aren’t a part of my routine paratha-making, they’re worth trying: -Add 1 tbsp of ghee into the dough, which makes them slightly crispy yet soft.-Use warm/hot water to knead. Using boiling water makes them almost break-apart soft.-According to my recipe tester, adding 1 tablespoon of yogurt makes soft yet still crispy parathas.
Knead the dough. If using a stand mixer, increase the speed to medium (4) and continue to knead on until a smooth and supple ball forms. Be patient here and let it go for as long as it needs to start wrapping itself around the dough attachment.
2 – Rest the dough
Allowing the dough to rest for at least 10-15 minutes is ideal. If you use a stand mixer, the dough requires less resting time compared to hand-kneading.
3 – Form Peda (dough ball)
A peda is the ball of dough you make before rolling it into a paratha. Everyone forms it differently but see video to see how I form mine. Beginner tip: If you’re making all the parathas at once, prepare all the dough balls (pedas) before you start. This allows you to roll them out while you cook the previous paratha. If you’re not finished rolling out the paratha and the pan is empty, reduce the heat to prevent it from getting too hot and smoking.
4 – Roll out the peda
First, you roll it out just like you would a roti. Essential tip: At this stage, it doesn’t matter how your rolled out paratha looks. The only important thing is that it is even and thin. The larger and thinner you roll this out, the longer your coil will be, and the longer your coil will be, the more thin layers you’ll get.
5 – Apply butter
Essential tip: If you add too much butter, it’ll make the dough harder to work with. To make it easier to work with, sprinkle flour over the butter at this stage. This also helps make more pronounced layers.
6 – Roll down
Starting from the top, roll down Swiss-roll-style until a log forms. Focus on making it tight and even, especially from the middle where it tends to get bulky. Essential tip: This step influences how your rings or ‘lachas’ will turn out. The longer you roll it out, the more layers/coils you’ll have.
7 – Form coil
8 – Prep coil to roll out again
Here you want to make sure the paratha is not too dense in the middle. Essential tip for dusting with dry atta: To keep parathas soft, use a minimal amount of atta when rolling them out. You want to use just enough to prevent the paratha from sticking to the rolling pin.
9 – Roll out once again
Essential tip: Try not to use too much force or pressure while rolling out the paratha. This can create uneven thickness. Move the rolling pin freely from top to bottom, dusting the paratha as needed.
10 – Flip and even out
Essential tip: Once your paratha has rolled out and has an even middle, focus on the outer edges. Thin out any thick parts with your rolling pin and slightly pull at the edges to round it out.
11- Clap between hands (Optional)
This step isn’t essential, but it helps get a feel for thicker or uneven parts. Once you notice an uneven area, gently pull at it to even it out or place the paratha back on your work surface and thin it out slightly with your rolling pin. It also helps you notice if your middle is still thick, in which case you can take the time to thin it out again.
12 – Place paratha on Tawa for 10-15 Seconds
Essential tip: The tawa should be preheated/very hot but not smoking. Once the paratha is on the tawa but not yet set, take the opportunity to gently adjust and round it out. I don’t like to add butter before placing paratha dough on the pan, because the butter will start to brown before the bottom of the paratha has had a chance to cook. Essential tip: As soon as the bottom starts to set (this will take 10-15 seconds), immediately flip the paratha using a large spatula or a pancake turner. Do not allow it to completely set and cook as that toughens up the paratha.
Using an electric or induction cooker: As I learned while filming this recipe, an induction or electric stove top requires a different technique than using gas stovetop. A key tip is to use a thinner, lightweight tawa, not a thick cast iron pan. This helps give better distribution and control of the heat.
13 – Flip Paratha
Essential tip: Gently press on the paratha to fully and evenly cook the inside and enhance the crispy texture.
14 – Take off tawa
Browning on both sides, no raw spots, and a toasted smell are all signs that the paratha is ready to take off the stove. Essential tip: Keep adjusting the temperature so that it’s about medium or medium-high heat. Do not allow the paratha to cook for too long, or at low temperature. This will toughen up the paratha and it will not be as pliable.
What to Serve with Parathas
I’m not exaggerating when I say that almost every main dish on this blog will be enhanced when served with a Paratha. Here are a few recipes that are truly best served with parathas over Roti and Naan:
What Goes with Paratha
Non-curry items that go well with parathas:
Yogurt Achaar Garlic (Lahsun) Chutney Jam/Jelly Sugar Honey Nutella
How to Store and Reheat Cooked Paratha
I find it’s best to freeze rather than refrigerate cooked Parathas. Store in an airtight bag, then microwave until half thawed. Ideally, reheat remaining on a warmed up tawa to liven up the crisp. Once thawed, I’ve tried toasting for great results and even air-frying at 350 F until heated through.
How to Freeze Raw Rolled Out Paratha
When preparing the dough, add a bit of oil or ghee to help them stay soft after freezing. Roll them out as you normally would, then place each uncooked paratha between parchment paper and freeze in an airtight container. When ready to cook, heat a pan over high heat and place the frozen paratha on the pan. Lower the heat to medium and cook, buttering and flipping as necessary. Note: There is also a ‘half-cooked (kacha pakka)’ method of freezing, in which you partly cook the paratha and freeze. I have yet to try this one but would love to hear if you try it! Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! You can also take a quick picture and upload it directly into the comments. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
