Stuffed Parantha

It was in Delhi that I learned to savour stuffed paranthas. Aloo parantha, paneer parantha, keema parantha, daal ke parantha, the list was endless. A Sunday brunch of aloo parantha, curd, and pickle is a staple in many North Indian households. This has a strange soporific quality - three of these paranthas and you can go back to sleep for hours again.

Ingredients
For the stuffing:
Potatoes - 250 gm
Cooking oil
Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped or grated
Green chillies - 2-3 finely chopped
Ginger - half inch piece very finely grated
Coriander leaves - a bunch, finely chopped
Chilli powder - Quarter table spoon
Coriander powder
Garam masala powder - Half teaspoon
Salt to taste

For the dough:
Wheat flour - half a kg
Ghee/butter - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Ajwain or Carom seeds - Half tsp

Instructions
For the stuffing:
Boil potatoes in their skin until tender. Peel and mash them. To this, add the onions, ginger, and green chillies, the spices, coriander leaves, and salt. Mix well. Ensure that the mix is dry. Keep aside.

For the paranthas:
Mix flour, salt, ajwain and the ghee/butter and add enough water to make a firm dough. Leave to stand for 10 minutes or so. Knead briefly again.

Take each portion of the dough and press in the center and fill with the potato mixture. Cover the filling entirely, seal well and flatten a little. Roll into a round pancake ensuring not to press too hard.

Smear a shallow (preferably non-stick) pan with cooking oil and fry the paranthas, turning over a few times and spreading ghee on each side till golden brown and crisp on both sides.

Rub the paranthas with a dollop of butter before serving hot with pickle and/or curd.