Aloo Paratha ( Version II )

   After moving myself from Beginner to Intermediate level, I felt there is still room for perfecting my cooking. Some of the recipes I picked and gained comfort in cooking over time turned out monotonous in taste and flavor. One such a recipe was Aloo Paratha. I got so comfortable making it the usual my own way and now I got the hunch that there should be a different way to make it, which can break the monotony as well boost the taste and flavor of it. After digging my mentor "The internet" for a different version, I bumped on an interesting recipe which I tried and it turned out very well. So here goes the recipe for the Aloo Paratha Version 2.

Recipe:

 Cooking Level: Intermediate
 Serving : 7 to 8 Parathas

  For Chapathi Dough:

                Wheat flour  - Start with 1 Cup or go for more if you need more parathas
                 Salt - As required
                 Oil - 1 tbsp or even lesser

Stuffing:

     Four medium sized potatoes boiled and peeled, and then mashed with hand thoroughly

        Spices:
                 Turmeric Powder
                  Red Chilli Powder ( 0.25 spoon)
                  Jeera Powder ( 0.5 spoon)
                  Chat masala ( 0.5 spoon)
                  Two medium sized onions very finely minced   
                  Two green chillies finely minced
                  Finely minced coriander leaves      
                  Three spoons of refined oil
                  Fresh lemon juice ( 2 spoonful) - Optional  
                  one inch ginger finely crushed
                  two to three garlic pods finely crushed
                  Salt as required

      Other items you will need:

             Dosa pan or non stick pan
             Dosa Spatula
             Rolling pin and wooden chakla
            

Way to go:
                 
Making the dough:

•       Mix the wheat flour with water with a little salt. Knead them to a soft dough. Dough should not be thick nor too loose/soft. Should be of consistency that is easy to roll using a rolling pin. 
•    Adding a spoon or little more of oil, to the above mixture before kneading, helps in getting a soft dough that also doesn't stick the bowl in which you are kneading the mixture. 

 Note:  If you have food processor, then it is much easier to make a soft dough.

•     Divide the dough into equal portions of balls. Let the balls be little bigger than a lemon.
•     Flatten the balls slightly with your hand a bit and keep them ready for the stuffing to go inside it. When you flatten make sure center portion is thicker than the edges.

Note: Dust the dough with wheat flour as you roll to prevent it from sticking to the wooden board or rolling pin.  

Stuffing:

• Heat oil in a kadai and when Oil is hot, reduce to medium low flame and add the ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds. 
•  Then add the green chillies minced and saute for few more seconds
• Once green chillies are saute, add the minced onions and saute till transparent.
• Now add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, Jeera powder, Chat masala, minced coriander leaves and mix and saute in low flame for a minute. Now also add salt to your taste and mix well.
• Now add the mashed potatoes to this mixture and mix, and toss well so they combine well with the spices.
• Mix well and good in low flame until they blend well and all moisture is absorbed. If there is moisture you will not be able to roll the parathas properly. 
• Once done, remove them from flame, and let them cool.
• Divide the stuffing and roll the mixture into balls smaller than the dough balls you have made earlier.

Make the paratha:

•            Place the stuffing in the middle of the flattened dough.
•            Seal the edges of the dough by pulling it to the centre and ensure the stuffing is seated properly inside the dough.
•            Carefully press it with the rolling pin and roll to nice round shape. Unless there is some moisture in your stuffing, you should be able to easily do this step.
•            Sometimes even if you mess this step and stuffing leaks out, manage to get it to a thin circle, you can still toast your paratha to eat it. The taste will not be compromised :)
•            Once you roll it into thin circle, heat a dosa pan, and toast the paratha on both sides drizzling it with oil or ghee.  Cook till it gets golden spots and cook on both sides. 
•   Serve it on a plate with Raitha or pickle as per your taste or that of your audience's taste.