Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Achari Paratha


Achari Paratha makes most flavorful, colorful, delightful, 2-in 1 picnic food, which can be served in the form of rolls stuffed with dry aloo sabji. Instead of eating achar (pickle) with paratha, you eat achar in paratha.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
  • ¼ cup gram flour (Besan)
  • Pickle masala (Only masala from the readymade pickles, homemade or branded which are available in Indian Grocery Stores e.g. Priya Mango Pickle)
  • Cooking oil to pan-fry parathas

Method:

  • Mix the wheat flour and besan.
  • Knead the flours into smooth, firm dough; keep aside for ½ hour.
  • Divide the dough into equal sized 6-8 balls.
  • Flour a clean surface and roll each ball out into a circle about 5” in diameter.


  • Spread achari masala evenly on the flattened surface.


  • Roll it now into a cylinder shaped structure.


  • Coil this cylinder into a spiral.


  • Flour the rolling surface lightly and very gently roll out the spiral into a flat circle about 5-6” in diameter.


  • Heat a griddle and put a paratha over it. Flip the paratha when you see tiny bubbles rising on the surface of the paratha. Drizzle a bit of oil on the top and spread well over the surface of the paratha. Flip again and drizzle some more oil on this surface too. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.


  • Serve with Aloo sabji and/or any other side dish.


Do You Know?

Indian pickles come in a wide variety of flavors due to differences in spices and process.

Homemade pickles are prepared in the summer and kept in the sun during daytime to speed fermentation before use. They are stored in porcelain or glass jars with airtight lids. The acidic nature of the marinade retards bacterial growth, and oil acts as a preservative.

Many commercially produced pickles use preservatives like citric acid and and sodium benzoate.


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