Aloo paratha

Name: Aloo paratha
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6 pieces
Cuisine: Pakistani
Ingredients: 400 g Wheat flour, wholemeal chapati flour (atta), plus more for dusting; 250 ml Water, lukewarm; 500 g Potato, floury, boiled in skins, peeled and mashed dry; 2 piece Fresh chilli, green, finely chopped; 0.5 medium Onion, very finely chopped; 1 handful Coriander, chopped; 1 tsp Cumin, seeds, toasted and crushed; 1 tsp Chilli flakes; 0.5 tsp Garam masala; 1 tsp Pomegranate, dried seeds (anardana), crushed, or amchoor; 10 g Ginger, grated; 2 tsp Salt, divided between dough and filling; 6 tbsp Ghee, for frying; 200 g Yoghurt, to serve

آلو پراٹھا

Wholemeal flatbread stuffed with spiced mashed potato and griddled in ghee. Breakfast in most of Punjab.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: آلو پراٹھا.

Start cooking

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 25 min
Rest: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild
Cost: Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price

Know it before you cook it

About

Aloo paratha is a wholemeal dough wrapped around a ball of mashed potato seasoned with green chilli, coriander, cumin, chilli flakes and dried pomegranate or mango powder, then rolled thin and fried on a tawa with ghee until blistered. The trick is a dry filling and a soft dough, so the potato does not burst through. Each one takes about four minutes on the griddle. Serve hot with yoghurt, a knob of butter, and achar. Two is breakfast; three is a statement.

What you'll need

14 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 14 ready

6 servings

Ingredients

Servings

Wheat flour, wholemeal chapati flour (atta), plus more for dusting400 g
Water, lukewarm250 ml
Potato, floury, boiled in skins, peeled and mashed dry500 g
Fresh chilli, green, finely chopped2
Onion, very finely chopped (optional)½ medium
Coriander, chopped1 handful
Cumin, seeds, toasted and crushed4.9 ml
Chilli flakes4.9 ml
Garam masala2½ ml
Pomegranate, dried seeds (anardana), crushed, or amchoor (optional)4.9 ml
Ginger, grated10 g
Salt, divided between dough and filling9.9 ml
Ghee, for frying89 ml
Yoghurt, to serve200 g

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

Step 1
Mix flour with 1 teaspoon of salt. Add water gradually and knead 8 minutes to a soft, smooth dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
10 min
Tip: Softer than bread dough. It should give easily under a thumb.
Step 2
Mix the dry mashed potato with chilli, onion, coriander, cumin, chilli flakes, garam masala, anardana, ginger and the rest of the salt. Taste and adjust. Divide into 6 balls.
8 min
Watch: Any lumps of potato will tear the dough when you roll. Mash it properly.
Step 3
Divide dough into 6. Roll one into a 10 cm disc, thicker at the centre. Set a potato ball in the middle, gather the edges up and pinch closed. Flatten gently, dust, and roll to about 18 cm, turning often.
3 min
Step 4
Heat a dry tawa or heavy frying pan over medium-high. Lay the paratha on, cook 1 minute until spotted underneath, flip. Spread a teaspoon of ghee on top, flip again, ghee the other side. Press the edges with a spatula until both sides are golden and blistered, 3 to 4 minutes.
4 min
Step 5
Keep warm wrapped in a cloth while you make the rest. Serve with yoghurt, butter and pickle.

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories: 453 kcal
Protein: 10.1 g
Carbs: 68.5 g
Fat: 15 g
Saturated fat: 8.9 g
Fibre: 4 g
Sugar: 3.2 g
Sodium: 754 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

Wheat
Milk

Vegetarian

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.

Substitutions

Wholemeal atta → Half plain flour, half wholemeal
Softer, less nutty. All plain flour works but it is not really a paratha.

Tips

Boil the potatoes in their skins and let them steam dry. Waterlogged potato is the main reason parathas burst.
Roll from the centre outwards with light pressure. If the filling shows through, dust and keep going; a small tear seals on the pan.

History & culture

This is a weekend breakfast across Pakistani and Indian Punjab, eaten at home with chai or at dhabas with a glass of lassi. Truck stops on the Grand Trunk Road sell them all day. In Lahore it is as likely to be eaten at a late-night paratha shop as in the morning.

Stuffed parathas come from the Punjab wheat belt, where the daily bread was always wholemeal and the potato arrived with the Portuguese and spread in the 18th century. The combination is probably no older than the 19th century, and it is now standard on both sides of the border.

Traditional

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Aloo paratha take?

1 hr 25 min all in — 30 min prep, 25 min cook, 30 min rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 6 pieces. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Medium.

How spicy is it?

Mild.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian.

7 more questions

What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Frying pan, Rolling pin, Mixing bowl.

How much salt do I put in?

The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp (divided between dough and filling).

What can I use instead?

Wholemeal atta → Half plain flour, half wholemeal. Softer, less nutty. All plain flour works but it is not really a paratha.

What should I watch for?

Any lumps of potato will tear the dough when you roll. Mash it properly.

Any tips from this recipe?

Boil the potatoes in their skins and let them steam dry. Waterlogged potato is the main reason parathas burst. Roll from the centre outwards with light pressure. If the filling shows through, dust and keep going; a small tear seals on the pan.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.