A pudina paratha is a savory and minty Indian flatbread to scoop up dals and curries with.
Treat yourself to this north Indian style pudina paratha or mint paratha! It is made by stuffing mint and a few aromatic spices into the folds of a flaky, crispy whole wheat flatbread. Summer, when mint grows plentiful and offers cooling relief from the heat, is a great time to cook up this delicious paratha. And if you love Indian flatbreads like roti, naan and aloo paratha this is one you will definitely want to try!
If you’ve eaten at an Indian restaurant, chances are you have ordered a mint paratha or pudina paratha– a flaky, mint-stuffed flatbread. It is especially wonderful for scooping up spicy gravies and curries, with the mint providing an exquisite, cooling complement.
There are many ways you can make a mint paratha recipe, with the simplest being just mixing chopped, fresh mint into the dough before rolling out the dough, as one would do with spinach in this spinach paratha recipe. But today we’ll be making this mint paratha in the style of a lachha paratha or khasta paratha, a flatbread made using a special technique of folding the dough to create multiple, flaky layers.
That may sound complicated but in reality the process is quite easily mastered (see step by step photos below) and the results are incredibly good. What you will have at the end of it all is a top quality, restaurant style mint paratha you will be proud to eat and serve to family and friends.
Why you will love this pudina paratha recipe
- Mint is a wonderful summer herb and you will reap all of its delicious benefits in this pudina paratha. Mint is not only a great mouth freshener, it has been found in studies to improve digestive health and brain health. It is easily available in markets and if you have a vegetable garden chances are you already have some spearmint or peppermint growing in it (either works in this recipe!). Mint is, in fact, a gardener’s delight–it grows easily and plentifully, sometimes too plentifully. I learned my lesson a few years back when my spearmint took over my vegetable bed. I’ve since started keeping the mint confined to a pot.
- These pudina parathas are delicious and versatile enough to go with any curry. Or keep things simple and serve it just with an Indian pickle or raita.
- The parathas are healthy. They are made with whole wheat and the mint and a few simple spices add more healthy deliciousness. You can also serve them for any meal: they work great for lunch or dinner, of course, but you can also serve them for breakfast or as a snack. At our home this is one of our favorite breakfast recipes!
- You will need just six ingredients and they are actually quite simple to make. The process of folding and rolling the dough is quite easy once you’ve got the hang of it, and it won’t take long before you’ve mastered the recipe.
- Everyone in the family will love them, including kids. These pudina parathas in fact make a great breakfast or snack for kids. They will polish them off and ask for more, guaranteed!
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour. You can use all purpose flour for a flakier paratha, or use a mix of 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour.
- ½ cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves (called pudina in Hindi). Spearmint or peppermint are both fine, so use what you can find.
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
For the mint stuffing:
- ¾ cup tightly packed mint leaves
- 2 green chili peppers. Jalapeno or serrano or any spicy green pepper will work. If you are sensitive to heat use less and deseed the peppers.
- Juice of 1 lemon. About 2 tablespoons. This helps add flavor and also keeps the mint from darkening. You can use a teaspoon of chaat masala powder instead of the lemon.
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
How to make pudina paratha
Make the dough:
- Place all the dough ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. If you are new to this you might want to do this by hand the first few times so you get a better feel for the dough and the correct texture.
- Rub the flour into the oil using your fingertips so you get a grainy texture. This will help make the flatbread flakier.
- Now slowly trickle the water into the flour and knead until a stiff but smooth and pliable dough forms. If using a stand mixer knead for 2-3 minutes on medium speed once the dough comes together. Take care not to overmoisten the dough because a soft dough will be difficult to roll out. I usually need about a cup to a cup and a half water depending on the weather.
- Place the dough in an airtight container and set aside while you make the mint stuffing.
Make the stuffing:
- Place all the ingredients for the stuffing in a blender bowl and blitz until a coarse, pesto-like paste forms. Set aside.
Cook the paratha:
- Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball. Cover with a cloth towel.
- Take one ball of dough and dust it with flour. Roll it into a large round, about 10 inches in diameter.
- Using a brush or spoon, scoop out about a teaspoon of the mint stuffing and brush it all over the surface of the rolled out paratha.
- Now lift one edge of the paratha and fold it over itself, the way you would if you were making a pleated paper fan. Continue doing this until you have a long, fluted strip of dough. Pinch the edges to seal them.
- Beginning at one end, coil the strip into a tight circle. Tuck the other end underneath the circle and pinch to seal. If you don’t have a tight seal the paratha could unravel as you roll it.
- Dust the circle of dough with flour and gently roll it into a paratha no more than 5 inches in diameter. The paratha should be fairly thick. If you make it too thin you won’t get the flaky layers.
- Roast the paratha on a hot cast iron griddle or non-stick griddle until golden brown spots appear on both sides. Brush with a little oil or cooking spray.
- Stack the cooked parathas as soon as they come off the griddle on a plate, wrapped in a cloth towel or napkin. Keep them wrapped until ready to serve. Ideally most Indian flatbreads, including pudina paratha, should be eaten right after you make them, but you can store leftovers effectively. See storage instructions below.
Frequently asked questions
If you want to make a plain paratha instead of a pudina lachha paratha, just add a whole cup of chopped mint to the dough as well as minced chilies (mince them really fine) along with the carom seeds and lemon juice. Knead the dough and rest for 30 minutes before rolling out the parathas about seven inches in diameter. Roast on a hot griddle.
These parathas are made with whole wheat flour and have the goodness of mint and other simple spices in them. You can control how much oil you brush on when you roast them (brushing on oil will make them crispier). So yes, they are very healthy and packed with things good for you.
Fresh mint is preferable but you can certainly make these parathas with dried mint. Replace the mint in the dough with 1 tablespoon dried mint and use another tablespoon in the stuffing.
Make ahead and storage instructions
- Make-ahead: You can make the dough for the mint parathas and the stuffing in advance. Store them in the refrigerator for up to three days and put the parathas together before eating.
- Refrigerate: The parathas will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Wrap them in a cloth towel and keep in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Stack the parathas and store them in a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag for up to three months.
- Reheat: Reheat the parathas on a griddle until warmed through.
More paratha recipes you might like
Pudina Paratha (Mint Paratha)
This north Indian style pudina paratha or mint paratha is made by stuffing mint and a few aromatic spices into the folds of a flaky, crispy whole wheat flatbread.
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Servings: 12 pudina parathas
Calories: 145kcal
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Instructions
Make the dough
-
Place all the dough ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. If you are new to this you might want to do this by hand the first few times so you get a better feel for the dough and the correct texture.
-
Rub the flour into the oil using your fingertips so you get a grainy texture. This will help make the flatbread flakier. Now slowly trickle the water into the flour and knead until a stiff but smooth and pliable dough forms. If using a stand mixer knead for 2-3 minutes on medium speed once the dough comes together. Take care not to overmoisten the dough because a soft dough will be difficult to roll out. I usually need about a cup to a cup and a half water depending on the weather.
-
Place the dough in an airtight container and set aside while you make the mint stuffing.
Cook the parathas
-
Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball. Cover with a cloth towel.
-
Take one ball of dough and dust it with flour. Roll it into a large round, about 10 inches in diameter.
-
Using a brush or spoon, scoop out about a teaspoon of the mint stuffing and brush it all over the surface of the rolled out paratha.
-
Now lift one edge of the paratha and fold it over itself, the way you would if you were making a pleated paper fan. Continue doing this until you’ve got a long strip. Pinch the edges to seal them.
-
Beginning at one end, coil the strip into a tight circle. Tuck the other end under the circle and pinch to seal.
-
Dust the circle of dough with flour and gently roll it into a paratha no more than 5 inches in diameter. The paratha should be fairly thick. If you make it too thin you won’t get the flaky layers.
-
Roast the paratha on a hot cast iron griddle or non-stick griddle until golden-brown spots appear on both sides. Brush with oil or cooking spray.
-
Stack the cooked parathas as soon as they come off the griddle on a plate, wrapped in a cloth towel or napkin. Keep them wrapped until ready to serve. Ideally most Indian flatbreads, including pudina paratha, should be eaten right after you make them, but you can store leftovers effectively. See storage instructions below.
Recipe notes
- Mint parathas are delicious with spicy Indian curries. Or serve them with just vegan yogurt and a hot Indian pickle for a simple but delicious Indian meal.
- If you want to skip the fluting and folding, just add a whole cup of chopped mint to the dough as well as minced chilies (mince them really fine) along with the carom seeds and lemon juice. Knead the dough and rest for 30 minutes before rolling out the parathas about seven inches in diameter. Roast on a hot griddle.
Make ahead and storage instructions- Make-ahead: You can make the dough for the mint parathas and the stuffing in advance. Store them in the refrigerator for up to three days and put the parathas together before eating.
- Refrigerate: The parathas will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Wrap them in a cloth towel and keep in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Stack the parathas and store them in a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag for up to three months.
- Reheat: Reheat the parathas on a griddle until warmed through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pudina paratha | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 199IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
