Lachcha Parathas

Chappathis and parathas, paired with some nice curry make a winning combination for dinner time.
Most regularly, I might make the normal phulkas or rotis and a simple dhal tadka, vegetable kurma or if craving for something rich malai kofta or such gravy dishes.
Naan and few other parathas are not regularly enjoyed but when I am in the mood for something out of the ordinary, I tend to cook any of those.
Lachcha parathas fall under one such list. For the reason that it needs a bit more patience than my usual, I try them rarely. Moreover, they can be very filling and mostly during night we tend to eat light. But if you really want to have a hearty meal you could try them. There is a fair amount of cooking process, but the result will surely please you.
I have adapted methods from two cookbooks, one of Tarla Dalal and the other from S.Meenakshi Ammal and combined the processes to make my recipe.

Ingredients: (makes 10 to 13 parathas)
2 cups (500ml) whole wheat flour
Salt to taste
Few spoons cooking oil

For spreading between the layers:
2 tablespoons clarified butter
3 tablespoons -1/4 cup very fine rice flour (pounded rice flour sieved through a muslin cloth)

Other ingredients:
Flour for dusting
Few spoons of cooking oil

Method:
Combine flour, salt and the cooking oil well. Add enough water and mix in a soft dough. Knead repeatedly to form a very pliable and elastic dough.
Smear few drops of oil on the surface and cover with a damp cloth.
Take the ghee in a fairly large plate. Rub the same with the inner palm providing heat through the process. The ghee will become creamy. Add the very fine rice flour, little at a time and bring them together in a very light cream-like paste.
Pinch out medium size balls off the dough.
Roll one of those balls as thin and as large as possible, dusting with flour very lightly.
Cut thus rolled dough in strips of an inch and a half in width.
On the surface generously spread the prepared ghee rice flour paste.
Arrange the strips one on top of the other with the paste spread face facing top.


Finally roll this in a tight ball. Keep aside.
Repeat this procedure with the rest of the dough.
Once the entire dough has been rolled, Take each at a time and keeping the layers at a slight angle, roll the ball in a medium circular disc, not pressing on the dough heavily.
Place the pan on the stove and when the optimum heat has been reached, transfer the rolled paratha on to the pan.
Cook this well smearing oil until well cooked on both sides.




Repeat the same for all the rolled balls.
Serve hot with any gravy of your choice.