Kerala Parotta Recipe

Activate yeast

Combine warm water (about 105–115°F / 40–46°C), sugar, and active dry yeast in a small bowl. Stir and let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam, yeast may be inactive; use fresh yeast.

Mix dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt until evenly combined.

Make dough

Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the foamy yeast mixture, warm milk, 2 tablespoons ghee, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Mix with a spoon until shaggy, then knead by hand or with a stand mixer (dough hook) for 8–10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and slightly elastic. The dough should be pliable and not sticky; add tiny dustings of flour only if very sticky.

First rest

Lightly oil a bowl with a little vegetable oil, place the dough inside, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rest in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until nearly doubled in size.

Prepare for stretching

Punch down the dough gently to release excess air. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions (about 60–70 g / golf-ball sized). Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Coat each ball lightly with the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee or oil to prevent drying.

Rest the balls

Place the oiled dough balls on a tray, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and rest for 20–30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes them easier to stretch very thin.

Stretch and laminate (parotta method)

Lightly grease a large clean work surface and keep semolina/extra flour nearby for dusting. Take one dough ball, flatten it slightly, and using fingertips, begin to stretch from the center outward until you can get a very thin sheet (ideally paper-thin). Alternatively, roll to a thin disc with a rolling pin, then lift and stretch with both hands. Dust with semolina as needed to prevent sticking. Brush the thin sheet lightly with ghee/oil, then fold/pleat in a fan or make concentric circular pleats to form a coil (for layered parotta) or roll tightly into a cylinder and coil into a spiral. Tuck the end underneath to form a round patty. Repeat for all pieces.

Final rest before cooking

Press each coiled patty gently flat with the palm to form a disc about 6–7 inches (15–18 cm) across. Cover and rest for 10 minutes to let layers settle.

Cook the parottas

Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or nonstick tawa over medium heat until hot. Brush a little ghee/oil on the pan. Place one parotta disc on the hot surface and cook 1–2 minutes until the bottom develops golden brown spots. Flip and brush the cooked side with ghee/oil, pressing gently with a spatula to encourage even contact and puffing. Cook the second side 1–2 minutes until golden and cooked through. Flip again if needed and apply a little more ghee to crisp outer layers. Total cook time per parotta: about 3–4 minutes.

Finish and keep warm

As you cook, stack finished parottas and keep them covered in a clean cloth or foil to retain softness and steam for 5–10 minutes. For extra crisp edges, finish briefly over medium-high heat on each side, brushing with a little more ghee.

Serve

Gently pull apart the parotta layers with hands or fork to showcase flaky layers. Serve hot with Kerala-style curry (such as beef, chicken, or vegetable kurma) or ketchup/chutney as desired.