One of my fondest memories growing up, and one I’m sure I share with many other South Asians, is waking up as a child the day after being dropped off at my Grandmother’s house for the weekend to the smell of crispy, buttery, flaky parathas being cooked. I’d walk downstairs with still-sleepy eyes and see her hands working in swift motions, pinching off pieces of prepared dough and dipping them in the special “atta” flour before rolling them out with a rolling pin that was almost definitely older than I was. Once she had formed a perfect, evenly flat circle on the countertop, she would take a hefty pat of butter and carefully spread it across the surface of the dough (sometimes adding a sprinkle of sugar for a “mitha (sweet) paratha”, roll the now glistening circle into a log, spiral the log into a round, and roll that out into another perfect circle. Both of my Grandmothers had this paratha cooking process down to a precise science; by the time they had finished cooking one paratha, the next was prepared on the countertop waiting to hit the hot tava. I would stand by the counter, sneaking pieces of the cooked parathas from the basket where they lay under a tea towel to stay warm, watching in awe at how they maneuvered the rolling pin to create a circle so perfect you would think they had used a compass to create them.
I myself never got the hang of making parathas at home, despite watching them being made countless times. I always end up with a crumbling, crunchy mess that snaps in half at the slightest bend, more cracker-like than paratha-like. Thankfully, there are plenty of brands that have taken it upon themselves to create those perfectly flaky layers in frozen form, no assembly required. These wraps are excellent for a quick lunch or on-the-go snack, and I guarantee there is a combination out there for any craving, whether you’re wanting something packed with veggies or you’re wanting something more sweet and smooth. People tend to put parathas in a box, only pulling them out at breakfast to eat alongside eggs and achar or as a vessel for curries and daals, but when I have found myself at home with a near-empty fridge and a pack of my favourite brand of frozen parathas on hand, they have served as a great base for whatever mishmash of spreads and produce I have managed to muster up. Simply pop out of the package and onto a hot pan, and in a matter of minutes you have a perfectly prepared base for these delicious, savory-or-sweet wrap combos.
Speaking of savory-or-sweet wrap combos, the world is truly your oyster here. There is an infinite number of ways you can customize your wraps, and I highly encourage throwing rules out the window when you experiment – you might just end up with a new weirdly good combo you never would have otherwise thought of! That’s the great thing about the paratha: their taste is mild enough to go with absolutely anything, and their crunchy yet tender texture is a perfect accompaniment to whatever you can think to pair with them. Have leftover salad slowly wilting in the fridge? Throw it in a paratha! Jam jar running on empty? Spread and roll, and you’re ready to go! Threw a party and now all your leftover charcuterie bits are overwhelming you? Chop them up and you guessed it – wrap them up in the warm flaky goodness of a paratha and enjoy!
Creamy Cucumber Dill
Ingredients:
1 frozen paratha
1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt (any percent)
1/2 cup of shaved cucumber
Thinly sliced red onion (to taste)
1/4 cup crumbled feta (or to taste)
1 tsp salt
Crack of black pepper
1-2 tsp of olive oil (or to taste)
Fresh chopped dill to taste
Method:
- Heat a pan (big enough to cook your paratha on) on medium-high heat until hot. Once the pan is heated through, lower the temperature to medium and add the frozen paratha, making sure the whole surface of the paratha is making contact with the pan. DO NOT press or stretch the dough.
- While the first side of the paratha is cooking, shave off some long slices of cucumber, lay them on a paper towel and lightly salt them.
- After 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, flip the paratha so the other side can cook. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when the top side of the paratha has developed small bubbles and has slightly puffed. Cook for another 30 seconds – 1 minute until there are no remaining translucent spots and some deep brown spots have developed on both sides.
- Transfer the paratha to a plate and let cool for at least a minute. Once cooled, spread a thick layer of yogurt all over, leaving some space around the edges. Top with the sliced salted cucumbers, red onion, and crumbled feta, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh dill, and crack of black pepper.
- Enjoy!
Crunchy Carrot and Hummus
Ingredients:
1 frozen paratha
1/4 cup of hummus
1/2 cup of shaved carrot
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar, honey, or sweetener of choice
Crack of black pepper
2-3 walnuts, lightly chopped
Fresh chopped parsley to taste
Method:
- Heat a pan (big enough to cook your paratha on) on medium-high heat until hot. Once the pan is heated through, lower the temperature to medium and add the frozen paratha, making sure the whole surface of the paratha is making contact with the pan. DO NOT press or stretch the dough.
- While the first side of the paratha is cooking, shave 1 -2 carrots (depending on their size) and place in a bowl. Add the oil, vinegar, salt, sweetener, pepper, and some parsley. Toss well to coat the carrots.
- After 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, flip the paratha so the other side can cook. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when the top side of the paratha has developed small bubbles and has slightly puffed. Cook for another 30 seconds – 1 minute until there are no remaining translucent spots and some deep brown spots have developed on both sides.
- Transfer the paratha to a plate and let cool for at least a minute. Once cooled, spread a thick layer of hummus all over, leaving some space around the edges. Top with the carrot salad, chopped walnuts, and some more parsley if desired.
- Enjoy!
Cherry Cheesecake
Ingredients:
1 frozen paratha
1/4 cup of softened or whipped cream cheese
1/4 cup cherry compote
2 tbsp biscuit crumbs (from graham crackers, regular crackers, any crunchy cookie)
Method:
- Heat a pan (big enough to cook your paratha on) on medium-high heat until hot. Once heated through, lower the temperature to medium and add the frozen paratha, making sure the whole surface of the paratha is making contact with the pan. DO NOT press or stretch the dough.
- After 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, flip the paratha so the other side can cook. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when the top side of the paratha has developed small bubbles and has slightly puffed. Cook for another 30 seconds – 1 minute until there are no remaining translucent spots and some deep brown spots have developed on both sides.
- Transfer the paratha to a plate and let cool for at least a minute. Once cooled, spread a thick layer of cream cheese all over, leaving some space around the edges. Top with the cherry compote and biscuit crumbs.
- Enjoy!
Notes:
- By salting veggies before adding them to the paratha, you’ll avoid adding too much liquid to the final dish.
- The toppings for these wraps are truly endless; you could do a lox-inspired wrap with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and capers, or go a more nostalgic route with peanut butter, bananas, and honey. Shop your kitchen and see what combos you come up with!
- If your paratha is sticking to the pan, it was not hot enough when you put it down. Use a fish spatula or other tool with a thin edge to try and peel it off without tearing it too much.
- Dry herbs can be substituted for fresh – I would use about half the amount if using dry herbs in place of fresh.
xx,
girl who cooks
