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Indian cooking / Dishes / Malabari Paratha
Malabari Paratha (Paratha from Malabar)

Malabari Paratha

Paratha from Malabar
Non-vegetarianOrigin KeralaPrep 30 minutes, plus standing timeCook 30 minutesMakes 8

Flaky, multi-layered flatbreads with a rich, buttery crumb and crisp, golden exterior.

Ingredients

01
Plain flour · Maidaplus extra for dusting
500 g
flour
02
Baking powder
~0.3 g1 pinch
other
03
Salt · Namak
~0.3 g1 pinch
salt
04
Egg · Anda
50 g1 egg
egg
05
Milk · Doodh
129 g125 ml
dairy
06
Granulated sugar · Cheeni
6 g1½ teaspoons
sweetener
07
Butter · Makhanmelted, plus extra for brushing
150 g
dairy

Method

  1. Sift 500 g flour, 0.3 g baking powder and 0.3 g salt together into a large bowl.
  2. Whisk 1 egg in a separate container, then stir in 129 g milk, 6.3 g granulated sugar and 150 g melted butter.
  3. Create a well in the flour mixture, pour in the liquid ingredients, and incorporate them into a pliable dough, splashing in a little water if needed. Work the dough on a lightly floured counter for 5 minutes.
  4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, drape with a damp cloth, and let it stand in a warm environment for 1 hour.
  5. Portion the rested dough into 8 equal pieces, shape each into a ball, and coat them with a thin layer of melted butter. Rest for 30 minutes.
  6. Working on a floured surface, stretch and roll each ball until paper-thin. Fold the dough into accordion-style pleats, roll the pleated strip into a tight coil from one end, and let it relax for 10 minutes.
  7. Roll each spiral flat into a disk approximately 1 mm thick.
  8. Warm a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the parathas individually for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, basting with butter throughout, until crisp and speckled with light golden patches.

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Plain flour
  • Whole wheat flour

    Use the same weight, add 10–15% more water and rest the dough for 20 minutes; the result is heavier and nuttier.

  • Rice flour

    Use the same weight for crisp coatings; for doughs use no more than half rice flour with wheat flour, or it will be crumbly.

  • Cornflour

    For thickening use half the weight, mixed with cold water; it is not suitable for bread or chapati dough.

Baking powder
  • Baking soda

    Use 25% of the baking powder's weight (e.g. 1 g for 4 g) and add 2 g cream of tartar or 1 tsp lime juice per 100 g flour. Mix quickly and bake at once.

  • Bicarbonate of soda

    Same as baking soda: use 25% of the weight with an acid such as cream of tartar, lemon juice or yogurt. Expect a slightly soapy taste if overused.

  • Self-raising flour

    Replace the plain flour plus baking powder with the same weight of self-raising flour; omit added baking powder and reduce salt slightly.

Egg
  • Chickpea flour

    For binding, use about 10 g chickpea flour mixed with 20 ml water per egg and rest for 10 minutes. Denser and nuttier; not suitable for baking or coating in the same way.

  • Full-fat natural yoghurt

    Use about 30 g per egg for moisture and binding in koftas or fillings. Adds tang and softness; will not set or glaze like egg.

  • Tofu

    Use the same weight, mashed, for egg-like bulk in curries. Soft and bland; add extra spices and do not expect it to bind.

Milk
  • Whole milk

    Use equal weight; provides the standard rich dairy fat and body expected in creamy Indian bases.

  • Single cream

    Dilute 3 parts cream with 1 part water to match the weight; yields a richer, glossier gravy that resists curdling.

  • Plain yogurt

    Whisk thoroughly and use equal weight; adds extra body and a mild pleasant acidity, best added off the heat.

Granulated sugar
  • Jaggery

    Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Butter
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 100% of the weight. If the original recipe relies on salted table butter, add a pinch of salt to balance.

  • Ghee

    Use 80% to 85% of the weight. Ghee is pure butterfat with moisture removed; it yields a deeper, nuttier flavour and handles high heat better.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 80% of the weight for frying or tempering. The dish loses sweet dairy richness but remains glossy and light.

Similar dishes

Kerala Paratha
Kerala Paratha tastes nuttier and slightly sweeter due to the ghee, peanut oil, and higher sugar content, whereas this dish has a straightforward buttery flavor.
  • Same: Both are layered, flaky flatbreads prepared with milk, sugar, salt, and butter.
  • Different: Kerala Paratha incorporates ghee, peanut oil, and eggs alongside butter, rather than relying strictly on butter as the sole fat.
Rogani Kulcha
Rich Kulcha
Rogani Kulcha tastes spicy from the chilli powder and less intensely buttery than this dish.
  • Same: Rogani Kulcha shares an enriched dough base prepared with milk, sugar, and salt.
  • Different: Rogani Kulcha is leavened, uses vegetable oil instead of butter, and is finished with an egg-and-chilli glaze rather than layered into flaky folds.
Ulte Tawe ka Paratha
Paratha Cooked on the Griddle
Ulte Tawe ka Paratha tastes significantly sweeter, nuttier, and more floral than this dish, which has a straightforward buttery profile.
  • Same: Like this dish, Ulte Tawe ka Paratha is a layered, flaky flatbread prepared with milk, sugar, and salt.
  • Different: Ulte Tawe ka Paratha incorporates cashew paste and khus essence, uses ghee instead of butter, and is cooked on an inverted griddle.
Taftan
Flaky Bread
Taftan tastes mildly sweet and soft with a savoury nigella-seed bite, while this dish tastes rich, buttery, crisp, and flaky.
  • Same: Taftan and this dish both use plain flour, egg, milk, salt, and sugar to make an enriched flatbread. Both are fat-rich breads with a soft or flaky crumb rather than a lean dough.
  • Different: Taftan is yeast-leavened with fast-action dried yeast and yogurt, while this dish uses baking powder and no yeast or yogurt. Taftan includes nigella seeds and uses ghee plus vegetable oil, while this dish uses butter and has no nigella; Taftan is baked and pillowy, while this dish is layered and buttery.