There are lots of Asian food recipes that one can contribute to this article but as the title mentions the word 'creative' one particular recipe comes to mind. This is called a paratha and is similar to the Indian chapatti but is made with oil or ghee to make it extra crunchy and tasty.

Ingredients

1 Cup Chapatti Flour

1 Tbsp Water

Salt to taste

Butter/Margarine/Vegetable Oil

Method - Add some salt to the chapatti flour and knead with water until the dough is quite pliable in the hands and neither too soft nor too hard. Leave this dough for about an hour to settle. Now take a small portion of the dough and make into a small round ball. The above quantity of dough should make about 6 small chapattis. It is easier to use some dry chapatti flour when making the balls to avoid the stickiness. Using a rolling pin roll this ball gently until it flattens in the shape of a round circle. On this circle add some butter, make sure the butter stays in the middle or it will be difficult to roll it out as the butter might spill out of the edges. Now roll the circle of dough until it forms a long tube. Fold this tube tightly into a circle again, press with your hands to flatten it and using dry flour gently roll it back into the shape of a round chapatti.

The main aim of this rolling method is to keep the butter as a filling in the paratha. Add a bit of butter to the frying pan and when quite warm add the paratha to the pan. On top of the paratha add some more butter with the back of a spoon. Spread it out evenly as this will ensure even cooking of the paratha. Once the base of the paratha is done turn it over with a spatula to cook the other side. Keep turning the paratha until it cooks evenly and looks golden brown. This is when the paratha is done. There are many variations to the paratha as you can add different fillings to it rather than just butter.

Some people add mince as a filling to the paratha and some add mashed potatoes, in both cases seasoning with spices, herbs and onions is added to enhance the flavour of the filling. The method of making these is slightly different as the filling is added inside two small parathas, their edges pressed together to keep the filling in and then rolled gently into the round shape of a paratha before frying it.You can also add sugar to the butter and again using the same method as above, you can have the tastiest sweet paratha which you can enjoy with plain yogurt or even with a cup of tea!

Hope you enjoy making this recipe and eating it even more!

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