Flaky Saffron Paratha Indian Breads Video

Learn how to make the flakiest paratha with my simple step-by-step recipe video for making this diamond of an Indian flatbread. The secret to the flakiest paratha is revealed in this post and video.

These Flaky Saffron Paratha..

Have restaurant level layers and perfect flakinessAre easy to makeFreeze wellAre perfect for eating with curry or daal

My recipe calls for a beautiful saffron-infused dough but you can easily leave it out for plain paratha.

What are Paratha?

Paratha are a type of unleavened flatbread from the Indian subcontinent, but popular across all of Asia and in some parts of the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean. With so many different methods of preparation, paratha go by a number of names, depending on local language. Some of these names include: Parotta, Roti Canai, Chapati or simply, roti.

Main ingredients in Paratha

You’ll need wholewheat flour, gram flour, oil, milk, salt, sugar and ghee. The saffron is optional but I love the flavour and it adds. Paratha are very simple to make, but do require some time for kneading and resting, so be sure to give yourself a few hours to get everything ready.

How to serve paratha

Paratha pair well with any curry or daal. You can also use them as wraps for rolls such as Kathi Rolls, Frankies and Shawarmas. These North Indian-inspired Saffron Paratha are delicious with dishes like Shahi Paneer Tikka, Malai Kofta, Dahi ke Kebab, Shahi Daal, Tandoori Paneer Tikka and Rajma.

How to make and roll Paratha (recipe card below)

1. Make the dough and allow to rest

Combine all the ingredients for the dough and knead for at least 10 minutes, until smooth, stretchy and elastic. If you’re using a stand mixer, you can knead with the dough hook attachment for 5 minutes. This long kneading time will help to develop the gluten for a dough that can be stretched thinly to create many layers. Cover the dough and rest it for 1 hour. Don’t skip the resting, it is a crucial step.

2. Create the layers and allow to rest (how to make paratha layers)

We will use the Jalebi Paratha method. Roll the dough out into the thinnest circle possible. Spread with a small amount of softened ghee (or oil) and sprinkle with flour). Next, make a cut from the centre, to the outer edge. Roll into a spiral cone shape before standing it up and pressing down with your palm. Cover and rest the dough once more, this time in the fridge for 30 minutes. This is the way my Nanabapu (maternal grandfather) used to make them for his clients as a chef in Nairobi, and then in the UK.

3. Roll the paratha

Dust the dough balls with flour and roll out until they’re around 2mm thick.

4. Cook the flaky saffron paratha

Cook both sides of the paratha on a pre-heated pan. I tend to opt for non-stick frying pans due to the amount of ghee in the paratha. As much as I love my aluminium tawa, it gets far too smoky for this. Once one side is lightly toasted, brush with a small amount of ghee to encourage the layers to separate, then turn and repeat. The side you brushed will ghee will toast up beautifully. Wrap in a clean tea towel and stack the cooked parathas on top of each other. Before serving, clap the parathas in the tea towel between your hands to separate the layers for maximum flakiness.

Flaky Saffron Paratha recipe card

How to make vegan Paratha

To make vegan laccha paratha (parotta), simply swap the ghee and milk in this recipe with oil and water. You could also use your favourite plant-based butter and milk if you prefer.

If you like Flaky Saffron Paratha, you may also enjoy these other Indian bread recipes…

Aloo Paratha recipeCheese Naan recipeSuper Soft Roti RecipePaneer Kulcha recipeGarlic and Coriander Naan recipeQuick Buttermilk Naan recipePeshwari Naan recipeSoft Spinach Roti (Chapati) recipeMasala Poori recipePull-Apart Samosa Bread