How to Make and Freeze Whole Wheat Lachha Paratha (4 Ways)
Lachha paratha also known as lachedar paratha is a popular buttery, crispy and flaky layered flatbread. It is the ultimate breakfast pairing with different kinds of eggs, curries and chai in most desi (Pakistani/Indian) households.
Lachha parathas are most often made with all purpose flour, but I prefer making them healthier using whole wheat flour or chakki atta for fulfilling and nutritious breakfast, sehri, lunch or dinner.
Making sehri in Ramadan can be a difficult job especially with young kids. I got many requests to share the method for making the layered parathas, so sharing the detailed procedure with 4 different methods for making and storing the lachha parathas beforehand. You can easily freeze them for up to a month.
It is always better to feed your family home cooked food, instead of store bought highly processed food. Make your batch and thank me later. I hope it will make your sehri preps easier.
Do try this recipe and let me know how it turned out.
The ingredients you’ll need to make these lachha parathas:
- Whole Wheat Flour: Use whole wheat flour or chakki atta to make these lachha parathas. You can also mix all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour if you like. Reserve some dry flour for dusting the parathas later.
- Wheat Bran: It’s totally optional, I use it for extra fiber.
- Flax Seeds: Addition of crushed flax seeds is also optional. I add them to the dough because of their health benefits. Consuming flaxseeds is like eating salmon. They are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Salt: I prefer using Himalayan Pink Salt because of its health benefits.
- Brown Sugar or Shakkar: The brown sugar added in the dough, gives a nice caramelization and a lovely color to the paratha. You can skip it if you don’t like.
- Fresh Milk: It gives that milky taste to the parathas. For best results use lukewarm milk. You can totally skip it to make the parathas vegan.
- Ghee: Ghee is used for layering and cooking the parathas. It gives very rich taste to the parathas. You can also use some ghee in the dough while kneading to make your parathas flakier. To make the parathas vegan, you can use oil.
- Water: Use lukewarm water for kneading the dough as it keeps the dough soft and elastic. The quantity of water depends on the temperature where you are located.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve the Whole Wheat Lachha Paratha hot with omelete, achaar, plain curd, curries, sabzi, kabab karahi, lobia, lassi or chai.
Storage Suggestions:
These parathas keep very well in freezer up to 1 month. I freeze them using 2 methods, either raw or half cooked. Both methods work fine.
- Freeze Raw: Simply roll the parathas (according to the instructions below) and keep them stacked one above the other with a layer of cling film or butter paper in between them to prevent sticking. Put them in a zip lock bag, label with name and date and store in freezer. Make sure the bag is closed properly.
- Freeze Half Cooked: Heat the tawa or pan and cook the parathas for 30 seconds on each side. Let them cool separately. As soon as they reach room temperature, stack them one above the other with a layer of cling film or butter paper in between them to prevent sticking. Put them in a zip lock bag, label with name and date and store in freezer. Make sure the bag is closed properly.
For Cooking: You don’t need to thaw them. Take out your parathas from freezer one by one and put directly on tawa or pan and cook on medium heat. Drizzle little ghee on top and cook as regular until golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Storing Dough: Refrigerate the leftover dough in an airtight container and use within 2 days.
Recipe Notes:
- The sugar added in the dough gives a nice caramelization and a lovely color to the paratha while milk gives it that milky taste. You can totally skip them both.
- You can use multigrain flour instead of wheat flour.
- Use lukewarm water as it keeps the dough soft and elastic.
- Start adding water Slowly. The quantity of water depends on the temperature where you are located.
- Use dry flour if the dough becomes sticky.
- Parathas are thicker than chapatis when rolled out, so make sure to cook the middle portion of the parathas properly by gently pressing with spatula.
- To make parathas flakier, you can use some ghee in the dough while kneading.
For the perfect layers:
- Don’t apply much pressure while rolling the paratha otherwise the layers will not be seen.
- Transfer the paratha from tawa to plate and slightly press it from both sides using your palms to open the layers for better presentation.
- The key to get the perfect and beautiful layers is folding the dough the right way (follow the step by step instructions below) .
Variations:
You can always add dried fenugreek leaves, dried mint, garlic powder or carom seeds (ajwain) to the dough to make flavored lachha parathas.
Video Instructions:
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Ingredients
- 1 kg whole wheat flour (atta)
- ¼ cup wheat bran (optional, for extra fiber)
- ¼ cup crushed flax seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Himalayan salt (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or jaggery)
- 1 cup fresh milk (lukewarm)
- ½ cup melted ghee (for layering and cooking parathas)
- 2 cups lukewarm water (or as required)
Instructions
- In a wide bowl, take the flour (reserve some for dusting), and add the bran, flax seeds, salt, brown sugar, and milk. Mix until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Gradually add water and knead into a smooth, medium-stiff dough. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 10 to 12 equal portions and roll each into a ball.
- Take one dough ball and roll it out into a thin disc on a floured surface (preferably wooden) using a rolling pin.
- Spread some ghee on the rolled-out disc and dust with dry flour. This helps create flaky, visible layers in the paratha.
Layering Methods:
Method 1
- Fold the dusted disk like a paper fan (in pleats). Stack all the pleats, then stretch the strip gently by swinging both ends. Roll it into a spiral (like a Swiss roll), tuck the end underneath, cover, and set aside.
Method 2
- Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the disc into thin strips. Gather the strips gently, brush with ghee, dust with flour, and roll into a pinwheel. Tuck the end underneath, cover, and set aside.
Method 3
- Make a slit from the center of the disc to the edge and roll it into a layered cone. Gently open the top layers and press lightly into a flat circle. Cover and set aside.
Method 4
- Roll the disk into a tube, stretch gently from both ends, then spiral it inward. Tuck the end at the bottom and cover.
Cooking:
- When ready to cook, flatten the layered roll slightly with your hands, dust with flour, and gently roll it out into a paratha.
- Heat a tawa over medium heat. Place the paratha on it, drizzle with a little ghee, and cook on both sides until golden brown and crispy.
- Once cooked, transfer the paratha to a plate and gently press from both sides with your palms to open the layers for a better presentation (optional).
- Repeat the process for all dough balls.
Notes
- Lukewarm water helps keep the dough soft and elastic.
- Add water slowly; the amount needed depends on your local climate.
- Parathas are thicker than chapatis, so cook the center thoroughly by pressing gently with a spatula.
- Don’t press too hard while rolling or the layers won’t be visible.
