Serves: 10
Total Calories: 86

25 to 30 , raw almonds, , shelled
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, stemmed
3 tablespoons , black poppy seeds
2 teaspoons ground dried fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
about 3/4 cup water

1. Soak the almonds in water to cover overnight. Then, with clean hands, peel the softened brown skin off the almonds. In a food processor, add all the ingredients except the water and process until everything is smooth. Then, with the motor running, add the water in a slow, steady stream until the dough gathers into a smooth ball and cleans the sides of the work bowl. (Add more flour if the dough seems sticky and more water it seems too dry.)

2. Lightly oil your hands and transfer the dough to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or the lid of the bowl and let it rest for 1 to 4 hours. (This allows the gluten to develop.) If keeping for a longer period, refrigerate the dough.

3. Preheat the tava or griddle over medium-high heat until a sprinkling of the flour immediately turns dark brown. Wipe off the flour and proceed. While the tava is heating, with lightly oiled hands divide the dough into 10 to 12 round balls (depending on the size of the parantha you like.) Cover with foil to prevent drying.

4. Working with each ball of dough separately, place in bowl with the dry flour, flatten it with your fingertips, and coat well with the dry flour. Transfer to a cutting board or any other clean flat surface and, with a rolling pin, roll into a 6- to 7-inch circle of uniform thickness. (If the dough sticks to the rolling surface, dust with more flour.) Baste the top of the dough with ghee and fold into a triangle, square, or circle, as per the directions, Shaping Paranthas: To Make a Layered Triangle (see INFORMATION AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES).

5. Place the rolled parantha on the hot tava or griddle. Turn over when it is slightly cooked and dotted with tiny golden spots on the bottom, about 1 minute. When the other side is covered with larger brown dots, turn it over, and brush lightly with oil. Flip it over again and fry the oiled side about 30 seconds. Similarly, baste and fry the other side another 30 seconds. There should be a total of 4 turns.

6. Remove from the griddle and serve.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 10
Total Calories: 86
Calories from Fat: 24

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Breads and Crepes
Baked Semolina Breads
Basic Deep-Fried Puffed Breads
Basic Griddle-Fried Breads
Basic Oven-Grilled Leavened Breads
Basic Rajasthani Rolls
Basic South Indian Rice and Bean Crepes
Basic Stuffed Griddle-Fried Breads
Basic Whole-Wheat Dough
Cauliflower Parantha Stuffing
Crispy Chickpea Flour Crepes
Daikon Radish Parantha Stuffing
Deep-Fried Bengali-Style Flour Breads
Deep-Fried Leavened Flour Breads
Deep-Fried Puffed Breads with Ajwain Seeds
Deep-Fried Puffed Breads with Fresh Spinach
Deep-Fried Puffed Breads with Mint (or Fenugreek)
Deep-Fried Stuffed Puffed Breads
Deep-Fried Sweet Saffron Puffed Breads
Flavored Deep-Fried Puffed Breads
Griddle-Cooked Flour and Potato Bread for Spicy Wraps
Griddle-Fried Chickpea Flour Breads
Griddle-Fried Flaky Onion Breads
Griddle-Fried Gujarati Fenugreek Breads
Griddle-Fried Layered Green Chile Pepper Breads
Griddle-Fried Layered Mint, Ajwain, and Black Pepper Breads
Griddle-Fried Leavened Breads
Griddle-Fried Legume Breads
Griddle-Fried Millet Breads
Griddle-Fried Mughlai Breads with Almonds and Poppy Seeds
Griddle-Fried Oat Breads with Ajwain Seeds
Griddle-Fried Opo Squash Breads
Griddle-Fried Sorghum Breads with Onions
Griddle-Fried Spinach and Red Bell Pepper Breads
Ground Lamb Parantha Stuffing
Multi-Flour Griddle Breads
My Healthy Griddle-Fried Mashed Potato Breads
Oven-Grilled Breads with Dried Herbs and Spices
Oven-Grilled Garlic and Turmeric Breads
Oven-Grilled Tofu Breads
Paneer Cheese Parantha Stuffing
Potato Parantha Stuffing
Potato Stuffed Baati Rolls
Pressed Rice Flakes with Peas and Potatoes
Punjabi Griddle-Fried White Corn Breads
Rama's Sweet Crepes
Rice Flour Pancakes with Carrots
Rolls with Oat Bran and Fresh Mint
Semolina Crepes
Semolina Pancakes with Tomatoes and Bell Peppers
Spicy Oven-Grilled Breads with Kalonji or Sesame Seeds
Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Red Chard Pilaf
Stuffed Mung Bean Pancake Rolls
Stuffed Pepper Jack Cheese Oven-Grilled Breads
Stuffed South Indian Crepes
Sweet Jaggery-Stuffed Paranthas
Traditional Lentil Pancackes
Whole-Wheat Griddle Breads
Yellow Mung Bean Pancakes