Lachha paratha is a multi-layered Indian flatbread prepared with whole wheat flour, salt and ghee or oil. The recipe is available with stepwise pictures and a video.
Like so many other parathas, laccha paratha is also a popular paratta variety in North India. Since there are no complicated ingredients it is simple to prepare and easy to pack. Paratha means multiple layered flatbread, shallow cooked with ghee or oil and this is the only difference between wheat flour chapati and this lacha paratha. The process of making layers is not a difficult one when you follow certain methods and tips.
Laccha paratha is healthy compared to maida(all-purpose flour) paratha as it is made of whole wheat flour. Few make this lachha paratta with half wheat and half all-purpose flour combination. But I recommend making this using wheat flour alone.
Unlike Malabar paratha, this lachha paratta doesn’t require much oil to cook hence healthy in that way. The elasticity of wheat flour is less than all-purpose flour and because of that we can not follow the standard Malabar paratha process of flailing(swing into the air) and folding.
So many different methods followed for making a variety of parathas and for this laccha paratha usually repeated folding and pressing method is followed.
Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
Water to knead approx. 1 cup
¼ cup oil to knead & roast
Method* Take two cups of whole wheat flour in a mixing bowl.
* Add salt and sugar.
* Pour water gradually from a cup and start mixing.
* Knead the dough well and add some oil.
* Mix well, knead the dough for ten minutes and make a firm soft dough.
* Scoop the dough small tennis ball size portions.
* Keep the laccha paratha dough balls covered with a wet cotton cloth for 15 to 20 minutes aside.
* After the resting time, dust the working space with flour and roll the dough.
* Roll the dough as thin as possible and apply ghee or oil and spread fully.
* Make small pleats using your fingers by holding the corners of one side of the pressed dough.
* Do folding and gathering like shown in the below picture.
* Now rotate the gathered pleats and make the spiral forms.
* You can make all these ahead of time until this step and keep tightly covered inside the fridge overnight to make during busy mornings.
* Apply oil or ghee in the workspace and gently press/roll the dough.
* Press into a thick six-inch sized paratha.
* Place the paratha in a hot tawa and cook in high for two to three minutes.
* Cook one side until small bubbles appear.
* Flip the paratha and cook the other side.
* Apply ghee or oil on the cooked side and cook the bottom side in the same manner.
* Again drizzle few drops of oil/ghee to roast both the sides.
* When both sides cook properly with brown spots and bubbles remove the laccha paratha from the tawa and do the same for the rest of the dough.
* Serve hot with creamy gravies or simple raita or pickle.