Masala Paratha (Spicy Indian Flatbread)

Masala Paratha is a spicy variation of the plain paratha where a spice mix is added to the recipe. Serve it with a cup of masala chai for a hearty breakfast or evening snack (vegetarian).

Here are some more paratha recipes that you may like – Palak Paratha, Methi Paratha, Pudina Paratha, Ajwain Paratha, Aloo Paratha, Broccoli Paratha, and Gobi Paratha.

Jump to:

• About Masala Paratha
• Ingredients
• How To Make Masala Paratha
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Suggestions
• You Might Also Like
• Recipe Card

About Masala Paratha

Masala Paratha (Spicy Indian Flatbread) is nothing but the regular Tawa Paratha flavored with a few basic Indian spice powders.

It is super quick and easy to prepare and makes for a hearty breakfast or evening snack.

Masaledar paratha has spicy tangy flavors with a flaky crispy texture, which tastes great with a hot cup of masala chai.

This paratha can be rolled in the shape of a triangle, square, or like laccha paratha with multiple layers.

My masala paratha recipe makes 6 parathas but you can easily double or triple the recipe if making it for a crowd.

Do check out my Indian Bread Recipe category to learn more about Indian bread.

Ingredients

Flour – This paratha is made using whole wheat flour just like tawa paratha. You can add a little all-purpose flour to the dough to make it crispier.

You can also add some millet flours or chickpea flour (gram flour, besan) to the dough to make these Indian flat bread healthier.

Spice Powders – To give the paratha a spicy tangy flavor, a few Indian spice powders are added to it. You will need red chilli powder, amchur (dry mango powder), saunf powder (fennel powder), and garam masala powder.

Ajwain Seeds (Carom Seeds) add a unique flavor and also make digestion easy.

Ghee – Adding desi ghee to the flour while making the dough makes the paratha flaky and crispy. You can replace ghee with oil if you want to make it vegan.

You can also add a little turmeric powder, coriander powder, red pepper flakes, chat masala, nigella seeds (onion seeds, kalonji), cumin seeds, fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), chopped cilantro 9fresh coriander leaves), or black pepper powder to the spice mix.

How To Make Masala Paratha

Make The Dough

Add 2 cups of whole wheat flour and 2 teaspoon melted ghee to a large mixing bowl or a parat (a large Indian utensil to knead dough).

Tip – You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer or a food processor.

Mix well using your fingers.

Add water (approx ½ cup) little by little and knead to make a soft dough. 

Cover the dough with a dish towel and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

Make The Spice Mixture

Mix together

• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon amchoor (dry mango powder)
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon saunf powder (fennel powder)
• 2 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)

in a small mixing bowl.

Roll The Paratha

Knead the dough once again for 30-40 seconds.

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll the portions to make smooth balls.

Take one ball and keep the remaining covered with the cloth.

Slightly press the ball in between your palms and keep it on the rolling surface.

Gently dust with some dry flour and roll using a rolling pin to make a 4-inch circle.

Brush oil or ghee on the circle and sprinkle approximately ½ teaspoon of spice mix on the circle.

Fold the sides of the circle to bring them to the center.

Brush oil once again and then fold the dough to ⅓ rd and then again till the end.

Dust with dry flour and roll again to make a 5-inch square. The edges of the square should be thinner than the center.

Note – Instead of rolling like a square, you can also roll the paratha in the shape of a triangle like this Tawa Paratha or make layered masala paratha like this Lachha Paratha.

Cook The Paratha

Heat a griddle over medium-high heat.

Transfer the rolled paratha to the hot griddle.  

Cook until golden brown spots appear on the bottom of the paratha.

Flip using a spatula and apply 1 teaspoon of ghee or oil. Flip again and apply 1 teaspoon of ghee on the other side as well.

Cook until the paratha is nicely browned and crispy. Keep pressing using a flat spatula while cooking.

Serve hot!

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

Masala paratha tastes great on its own with a hot cup of Masala Chai or Filter Coffee.

You can also serve it with a bowl of yogurt (dahi), pickle, chutney, or any Raita of your choice.

This spicy paratha is great to serve for breakfast or evening snacks or pack for school or office lunch boxes.

I personally love this paratha with Boondi Raita, and Aloo Gutke.

It also tastes great with curries such as Kadai Paneer, Egg Bhurji, Paneer Lababdar, Palak Paneer Bhurji, Amritsari Chole, or Paneer Butter Masala.

Storage Suggestions

Masala Paratha tastes the best when served right out of the pan, crispy, hot, and flaky. If kept for longer, it becomes soft and loses its crispiness.

Leftover paratha can be covered in foil and kept at room temperature in a covered container for about a day. Reheat on the tawa until crispy again.

They are also freezer friendly! Cook partially and let them cool completely. Freeze in a ziplock bag by placing parchment paper in between each paratha to avoid sticking. Take out, place directly on the tawa and cook completely using ghee/oil.

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