In this Simple Malabar Paratha Recipe you will see, How to make Malabar Paratha at home, with the minimal ingredients, in the easiest method.
Malabar Paratha, also known as Kerala Porotta, is a deliciously flaky, layered flatbread originating from South India. Unlike many other paratha recipes that require extensive kneading and long resting times, this recipe is designed to be quick, easy, and achievable for anyone, even first-time cooks.
The magic of this recipe lies in its simplicity, using only a few ingredients and smart techniques to create an authentic and delicious Malabar Paratha.
Why You Will Love This Malabar Paratha Recipe
- Minimal Ingredients: You only need four basic ingredients—flour, water, salt, and oil.
- No Long Kneading: This dough comes together quickly with just a few minutes of kneading.
- No Long Resting Time: A short rest is enough to make the dough elastic and easy to work with.
- No Special Equipment or Skills Required: You don’t need any special tools or advanced cooking skills to make these layered flatbreads successfully.
- Simple Yet Smart Techniques: The layering technique ensures perfect flakiness, making this recipe foolproof for beginners.
Ingredients Needed
- Flour: 390g (or 3 cups loosely packed)
- Water: 240ml (or 1 cup at room temperature)
- Salt: 7g (or 1 teaspoon)
- Oil: 60-75ml (or 4-5 tablespoons, preferably flavorless oil like sunflower oil)
How to Make Malabar Paratha at Home (South Indian Layered Flatbread)
1: Preparing the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, pour in 1 cup of water at room temperature.
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir until it dissolves.
- Gradually add the flour and mix everything together until a rough dough forms.
- Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface.
- Knead for about 3-4 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky. You don’t need to knead until it passes the “windowpane test,” just ensure there are no lumps or dry spots.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
First Rest
- After 10 minutes, the dough will be more elastic and stretchable.
- Use the “slap and fold” method a few times to make the dough smooth and non-sticky.
- The dough is now ready for dividing.
2: Divide the Dough
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
- Shape each portion into a small round ball by tucking the edges towards the center.
- Cover the dough balls with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.
3: Resting the Dough discs in Oil
- Take a small, deep bowl and pour in 4-5 tablespoons of oil (preferably sunflower oil).
- Lightly oil your hands.
- Take the first dough ball we shaped.
- Flatten each dough ball into a small disc (approximately 8 cm in diameter).
- Place each flattened disc into the oil bowl, ensuring they are coated with oil.
- Cover the bowl and let them rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.This resting time, coated with oil will help the dough to stretch out easily without tearing.
4: Shape the “Rose” for making Malabar Porotta
- Lightly grease the work surface with oil to prevent sticking.
- Take one dough disc and roll it out with the heel of your palm or a rolling pin.
- Then gently pull and stretch the dough from the center to the edges, creating a thin sheet. At this point we don’t need to make them ultra thin; but make sure it is evenly thin . There are chances that the edges may not be as thin as in the center; so take care to even out the edges as well.
- Apply about 1-1.5 teaspoons of oil over the surface. I used a silicon brush to spread it all over. We may get tempted to reduce the amount of oil here but we should not do that. The oil will help to form the layers as it will prevent the dough sticking and glueing together.
- Create pleats by folding the dough from one side to the other(as in the video)
- Roll the pleated dough into a spiral shape (like a rose).
- Repeat for all dough discs.
5: Final Shaping
- Take the first shaped “rose roll” and gently flatten it into a disc (approximately 12-14 cm in diameter).
- Repeat the same for all portions.
6: Cooking the Parathas
- Heat a skillet or tawa over medium high heat.
- Place one paratha on the hot skillet and cook until the bottom side is golden brown.
- Flip and cook the other side.
- Flip a couple more times until both sides are evenly golden brown.
- We don’t need to add oil at this point as it already contain oil in it. If in case you feel the dough is not having enough oil in it , you can add a little oil on top. If it does not have enough oil, it will not be crispy and tasty and also it will turn dark brown and not golden brown.
7: Creating the Flaky Layers
- Once the paratha is cooked, remove it from the skillet and place it on a wooden board.
- While still warm but cool enough to handle, scrunch the paratha between your palms to separate the layers.
- This step enhances the flakiness.You will see those beautiful layers forming and the inside of your parathas will be super soft and moist at the same time the outer layer will be crispy and flaky.
Pro Tips for Perfect Malabar Paratha
- Resting Time is Key: The short resting periods allow gluten to relax, making it easier to stretch and shape the dough.
- Generous Use of Oil: Oil helps in layering, so don’t skimp on it. In this recipe we use 4-5 tablespoons of oil which is very less; compared to what we use in making croissants or other pastries(which require almost 40 % fat).
- Proper Stretching: Roll and stretch the dough thin —ensuring even thickness helps in creating beautiful layers.
- Cook at Medium High Heat: Cooking at the right temperature ensures a crispy exterior without burning.
- Layer Activation: The final scrunching step is essential for bringing out the signature flakiness.
How to make Malabar Paratha at home: Step by step Video
Serving Suggestions
Malabar Paratha pairs perfectly with:
- Chicken Curry
- Mutton Curry
- Vegetable Kurma
- Chana Masala
- Egg Roast
Enjoy this homemade Malabar Paratha with your favorite side dish for a truly indulgent meal!
This Malabar Paratha recipe simplifies the traditional method, making it accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cook, these step-by-step instructions ensure success every time. With minimal ingredients and smart techniques, you can enjoy restaurant-style layered parathas at home with ease. Try this recipe today and experience the magic of soft, flaky, and crispy Malabar Parathas!
You might also love other flatbread recipes like whole wheat tortilla, Turkish Village style flatbread, Ramadan Pidesi, Cheese stuffed Pita bread, Soft sourdough flatbread.
How to Make Malabar Paratha Healthier
You can replace 30% of the plain flour with whole wheat flour.
I recommend not to use more than 30% whole wheat flour, as it may require more oil to work with the dough as it contain more bran particles.
Can you use milk instead of water?
Yes, you can substitute milk for water.
How to make Malabar Paratha at Home (Easy Malabar Paratha Recipe)
Easy Malabar Paratha recipe with Video will help you make the best flaky layered flatbread at home with only four ingredients in less than one hour.
Ingredients
- 240 ml Water 1 cup
- 7 g Salt 1 tsp
- 390 g Flour 3 cups (loosely packed)
- 75 ml Oil 5 tbsp(preferably flavorless oil like sunflower oil)
Instructions
Preparing the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, pour in 1 cup of water at room temperature.Add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir until it dissolves.Gradually add the flour and mix everything together until a rough dough forms.Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface.Knead for about 3-4 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly sticky. You don’t need to knead until it passes the “windowpane test,” just ensure there are no lumps or dry spots.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, the dough will be more elastic and stretchable.Use the “slap and fold” method a few times to make the dough smooth and non-sticky.The dough is now ready for dividing.
Divide the Dough
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.Shape each portion into a small round ball by tucking the edges towards the center.Cover the dough balls with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.
Form Dough Discs
- Take a small, deep bowl and pour in 4-5 tablespoons of oil (flavorless oil like sunflower oil).Lightly oil your hands.Take the first dough ball we shaped.Flatten each dough ball into a small disc (approximately 8 cm in diameter).
- Place each flattened disc into the oil bowl, ensuring they are coated with oil.
Resting the Dough discs in Oil
- Cover the bowl and let them rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.This resting time, in oil will help the dough to stretch out easily without tearing while shaping.
Shape the “Rose rolls” for making Malabar Paratha
- Lightly grease the work surface with oil to prevent sticking.
- Take one dough disc and roll it out with the heel of your palm or a rolling pin.Then gently pull and stretch the dough from the center to the edges, creating a thin sheet.
- Apply about 1-1.5 teaspoons of oil over the surface. I used a silicon brush to spread it all over.The oil will help to form the layers as it will prevent the dough sticking and glueing together. Create pleats by folding the dough from one side to the other(as in the video)
- Roll the pleated dough into a spiral shape (like a rose).Repeat for all dough discs.
Final Shaping
- Take the first shaped “rose roll” and gently flatten it into a disc (approximately 12-14 cm in diameter).Repeat the same for all portions.
Cooking the Parathas
- Heat a skillet or tawa over medium high heat.Place one paratha on the hot skillet and cook until the bottom side is golden brown.Flip and cook the other side.Flip a couple more times until both sides are evenly golden brown.We don’t need to add oil at this point as it already contain oil in it. If in case you feel the dough is not having enough oil in it , you can add a little oil on top. If it does not have enough oil, it will not be crispy and tasty and also it will turn dark brown and not golden brown.
Creating the Flaky Layers
- Once the paratha is cooked, remove it from the skillet and place it on a wooden board.While still warm but cool enough to handle, scrunch the paratha between your palms to separate the layers.This step enhances the flakiness.You will see those beautiful layers forming and the inside of your parathas will be super soft and moist at the same time, the outer layer will be crispy and flaky.
Video
Notes
The short resting periods allow gluten to relax, making it easier to stretch and shape the dough.
Oil helps in layering, so don’t skimp on it.
Roll and stretch the dough thin —ensuring even thickness helps in creating beautiful layers.
Cooking at the right temperature (medium high heat) ensures a golden brown and crispy exterior without burning.
The final scrunching step is essential for bringing out the signature flakiness.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!