Parotha: a prime example of the art of Indian baking

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One of the main ingredients is wheat flour (atta/maida). Consumers in northern regions on the other hand, prefer the str
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Parotha: a prime example of the art of Indian baking By Martina Mollenhauer and Waykar Uttam, Mühlenchemie

Parothas are in a class of their own. From the simplest ingredients, Indian artisan bakers conjure up delicious products that look and taste like a mixture of flatbread, pancakes and puff pastry. Parothas are a regular feature of everyday meals in South & North India and find their way onto the table from early in the morning until late evening. Although there are different methods of preparation, recipes and alternative spellings of

parotha (paratha, parotta, parontay, porotta, parathe) in each of the 29 Indian states, all the variants have one thing in common: the production process is always elaborate and takes a large measure of skill and patience.

(atta) parothas. By far the largest percentage of the atta flour is stone-ground instead of being produced in roller mills. The capacity of these stone mills ranges from a few hundred kilograms to over a hundred tonnes a day.

Simple ingredients, complex preparation One of the main ingredients is wheat flour (atta/maida). Consumers in northern regions on the other hand, prefer the stronger taste of wholemeal

Another important raw material besides flour is fat – not only as an ingredient of the recipe but as an aid to preparation of the dough. It is the constant moistening of the dough with ghee, butter or oil that leads

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Leader in flour applications. to the formation of separate layers that do not stick together. The correct dosing of the fat requires instinct, for the aim is to make parothas that are neither too dry nor too heavy, and with tender layers that melt in the mouth. Besides unfilled parothas, Indian bakeries offer numerous variants and augment the basic recipe, for example with a spicy potato mash (aloo parotha) or with spinach (palak parotha) or peas (green pea parotha). The filling is either kneaded directly into the dough, or the dough is laid round the filling like an envelope. Layer by layer to a unique product The secret of the parotha lies in the layering of the dough. Parothas are made from extremely extensible dough that is rolled, worked and folded until thin strips consisting of several layers form; these are then twisted round into a spiral shape. In a final step the spiral balls are pressed flat, rolled with a rolling pin and then shallow fried.

Typical recipe and preparation method for malabar parothas (south Indian style)

Very often the equipment used is extremely basic. The owners of the street stalls sometimes use neither a mechanical mixer nor a rolling pin. The mark of a perfect parotha is an irregularly browned surface on both sides in which the spiral layers are visible.

Malabar parothas “Malabar” parothas are typical south Indian parothas, equally popular, dipped in a cup of tea for breakfast, as an accompaniment to spicy chicken curry, with vegetarian potato korma or to go with peppery lentil dal. Crisp on the outside, pleasantly soft inside

Wheat flour

1.000 g

Salt

10 g

Sugar

10 g

Water

600 g

Oil (dough preparation)

150 g

Oil (additional requirement during dough preparation and baking, approximately)

350 g

Optional ingredients

sugar, eggs, milk etc.

– and best of all, fresh and still warm; for Indians, that is the ideal way to eat their traditional bakery product. Countless roadside stalls and restaurants make sure there is an endless round-the-clock supply. Industrial production plays only a very minor role in this segment.

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Ideal properties for parotha flour Protein: 10-12 % Dry gluten: 10-11% Ash: 0.48-0.50 % Damaged starch: 8-9% Falling number: 300-400 s Sedimentation value: 26-30 ml Water absorption: 61-64% Farinograph stability: 6-8 min Extensograph resistance: 500-550 BU Extensograph extensibility: 150-180 mm

Procedure for parothas 1. Mix flour and salt with water.



2. Knead well to make a smooth dough.

9. Curl the strip spirally towards the centre.

3. Cover with wet muslin cloth and set aside for 1 hour.

10. Flatten the ball by hand to join all the curves and allow to rest for 5 min (in this way the parotha will become a single round shape with several spiral layers in it).

4. Then take up the dough, add a little more oil and knead well once again (the gluten will develop, and the dough will expand like elastic when you draw it out). 5. Make 70 g balls from the dough and allow to rest for 5 min. 6. Roll out each ball into a very thin, flat round shape using a rolling pin and allow to rest for 5 min. 7. Stretch the sheeted dough from all sides to form a very thin layer. Cut the sheet into two halves. 8. Hold the sheet at one end and

roll from one end to the other to make a long strip.

to contend with difficulties and unsatisfactory results in the products. In order to meet consumers’ high expectations of parothas day in, day out, it is especially important to ensure suitable flour quality. One of the main problems is fluctuating flour properties, but these can be compensated for with suitable flour improvers.

11. Place the parotha in a hot pan and cook with a little oil until both Of course it is essential to adhere to sides are golden brown. each country’s specifications. In India, 12. Apply plenty of oil on both sides these are the strict regulations of the during the process. FSSAI (Food Safety Standard Act of 13. Pat the parotha to separate India); in neighbouring countries the layers. such as Pakistan and Nepal, where multi-layered flatbreads are also very popular, other regulations are Fluctuating flour qualities make in force. production difficult Because of the elaborate production process, bakeries constantly have

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Leader in flour applications. A brief overview of common problems with products and possible solutions From the point of view of baking technology, the following agents are most suitable for dealing with the problems occurring in parotha production: Problem

Cause

Solution

Dough too tight

Strong flour with low extensibility; flour with added oxidizing agent or the enzyme glucose oxidase.

The flour can be corrected by adding a reducing agent, proteolytic enzymes, a gluten improving agent, a combination of all the above, or an emulsifier.

Slack dough (loose dough)

Flour with excessive starch damage; weak gluten properties.

Blend flours to achieve optimum starch damage. Add vitamin C or glucose oxidase.

Parothas dry after baking

Parothas over-baked; weak flour.

Use a gluten improving agent; control the baking temperature; add a hydrocolloid such as guar gum.

Poor separation of parotha layers / insufficient flakiness

Flour with weak gluten; flour with added oxidizing agent.

Use flour of suitable quality; add softening agents, protease or hemicellulase.

Effects of different ingredients on parotha quality No. Ingredients

Action

Effects

1

Oxidizing agent and glucose oxidase

Increase resistance and reduces extensibility.

Hard dough, thick layers, difficult to bite, poor spread ratio.

2

Reducing agents

Dough softening, reduce resistance, increase extensibility.

Improved spread ratio.

3

Enzymes – protease, hemicellulase

Improve elasticity and extensibility.

4

Hydrocolloids - guar gum

Increase water absorption, increase dough strength.

Increased strength and elasticity of the dough; prevent dryness of the finished paratha.

5

Emulsifiers

Improve dough quality by the combined effect of starch-lipid-protein.

Improved softness and quality of the parotha.

Mühlenchemie GmbH & Co. KG Kurt-Fischer-Straße 55, 22926 Ahrensburg, Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 41 02 / 202001, Fax: +49 (0) 41 02 / 202010 [email protected], www.muehlenchemie.com

Improved spread ratio; better parotha score.

If you have any questions, please approach Martina Mollenhauer, product manager at Mühlenchemie. She can be contacted at: [email protected] © Mühlenchemie GmbH & Co. KG

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