Kerala Parotta or Malabar Parotta is a layered Indian flatbread that goes great with curries. Here is how to make it in a traditional way from scratch.

Serve it with Kerala Egg Curry or Veg Stew for a hearty meal.

There is something about South Indian food that is so comforting and satisfying, that you crave for the simplest of the simple meal very often.

It happens with me all the time!

There are days when I crave for a crispy plain dosa with delicious coconut chutney, and then there are other days when I just crave for a simple meal of sambar, thoran and rice.

But there is one South Indian bread, that I crave the most, it is KERALA PAROTTA.

Flaky and crispy, Malabar Parota is something that I make again and again, and not only with South Indian curries but also with my rich and creamy North Indian curries.

There is a different joy in making these parathas, as the outcome of so many layers in one single paratha is so satisfying.

My family just loves to relish these parathas for our weekend lunches and sometimes, I also make it for our get-togethers.

Learn how to make Kerala Parotta recipe, which is also called Malabar Parotta and is not only popular in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but also in Sri Lanka. 

About This Recipe

Many of us have eaten this delicious Kerala Parotta or Malabar Parotta in restaurants mostly, but you can also make it at home.

It’s a flaky layered bread which is made on a griddle over the stovetop.

Ingredients

You will need very basic ingredients to make its recipe

All-Purpose Flour – Parotta is traditionally made with all-purpose flour or maida. You can make it using whole wheat flour as well but the texture will be very different.

Egg – Egg gives softness to the parotta and most restaurants and roadside eateries add it. But if you are a vegetarian, you can skip adding it. Add 2 tablespoon yogurt for each egg and you will be good.

Salt & Sugar – Add a little salt for flavor and sugar gives a nice color to the paratha. Do not skip adding it for a nice caramelized crust.

Oil – Adding some oil in teh dough keeps it moist. You can any unflavored oil to make the dough.

Milk – Kneading teh dough with some milk makes these parathas very flaky.

Baking Powder – Some people add a pinch of baking powder in the dough. They say it makes the parota even softer. You can try it oo.

Process

Making it is an easy process!

The dough for this paratha is made with all-purpose flour, egg, sugar, salt, oil, and milk.

Egg and Milk ARE added to the dough, as they make the paratha soft.

You can skip adding the egg and add some yogurt if you are a vegetarian.

The dough is then divided into equal parts and rolled out in a small roti.

Once the round roti is made, the circle is cut into thin strips using a knife.

The stripes are gathered together and roll to make a ball.

This ball is again rolled and cooked on a griddle or tawa using oil or ghee.

Once it is cooked properly, it is pressed from both sides, so that the layers get separated from each other.

Pulling The Dough Method

You can also make the parotta by pulling the dough.

Make the dough as mentioned above. Divide the dough onto equal size balls. Now roll each ball into 6-inch disk.

Stack the disks on top of each other. Apply oil over each dish before stacking. Let this stack rest for 20 minutes.

Now pull the topmost dough disk from one side and stretch until it forms a long rope kind of shape.

Now make a spiral from it and roll the paratha.

Serving Suggestions

Malabar Parotta is traditionally served with Beef Roast, Mutta Curry, or Vegetable Kurma for breakfast, but you can serve it along with any rich and cream South Indian or North Indian curry.

They taste delicious with a traditional South Indian chicken curry or salna too.

Parotta vs Paratha

Parotta, is also called as Paratha, but they are very different from each other.

While Paratha is a North India dish, Parotta is made in South India.

Parotta is a flatbread made with all-purpose flour/maida and has layers, whereas Plain Tawa Paratha is mostly made with whole wheat flour, either plain or stuffed with a delicious filling.

Kerala Parotta is a little similar to Lachha Paratha, as both have layers, but the technique to make each of them is different.

Pro Tips by Neha

I have used all-purpose flour to make this recipe as traditionally done. But you can use 1:1 all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour.

You can use butter or ghee to make the parotta instead of oil. In restaurants and roadside eateries, they generally use dalda, but since it is not good for health, I do not recommend using it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make it with Whole Wheat Flour?

You can make it with whole wheat flour but the texture will be very different. It will be more like lachha paratha.

How to make this parotta Vegan?

To make it vegan, skip adding egg and milk. Use water for kneading the dough.

Can you freeze it?

These parottas can be easily frozen. Roll them and cook from both sides until light brown spots appear.

Now remove the pan and let them cool. Keep a layer of parchment over each parotta and stack them over each other.

Keep the stack in a ziplock and freeze the parotta for 3-4 months.

When ready to use, keep it on a hot griddle.

Apply ghee and cook until nicely browned and flaky.

Calories

This parota is rich in calories. Each piece has around 200 Kal.

Step by Step Recipe

Mix flour, sugar, salt, egg, and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl. Add milk and mix well.

Make a soft dough using warm water. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes until it becomes soft.

Cover and keep the dough aside for 20 minutes.

Knead it again for 3-4 minutes.

Cover and keep aside for another 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8-10 pieces. Make small balls from each piece.

Roll the ball to make a 6-7 inch circle.

Apply oil generously over the rolled dough. Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into thin stripes.

Gather the strips together and roll to make a spiral.

Dust and roll the paratha to make a 7-8 inch disc.

Heat a griddle. Keep the paratha on the hot griddle. Cook till brown spots appear.

Flip the paratha.

Apply oil on both the sides and cook till brown spots darken. Apply little pressure while cooking using the back of a ladle.

Remove the paratha from the griddle. Press from both the sides to open the layers Serve hot with any curry based dish.