Omam or ajwain is very commonly used in Indian recipes. This paratha is flavored exclusively with carom seeds and tastes great when served with some yogurt on the side. I add omam or ajwain when making spinach poori. Poori is deep fried and the addition of omam makes it easier for digestion. Oma Podi or sev is a very popular savory snack that we make for diwali and is exclusively flavored with ajwain water. Paratha is a common breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipe. I usually make parathas for dinner. When making the dough for the paratha, I make extra and it is convenient to make fresh parathas in the morning to pack for lunch box. My boys love taking any kind of paratha in their lunch boxes. Now that my older son is in college, every time I make paratha, I make extra and freeze for him. Ajwain Paratha is a great choice to make extra and freeze. This way it is convenient for us to reheat it at any time.
Why make Ajwain Paratha?
Flavorful - Ajwain paratha is delicious and very flavorful and is a great change from the regular plain paratha. Great for lunch box - Ajwain paratha is very flavorful by itself and does not need a big side. So it is a great choice for a lunch box with some pickles on the side or smeared on it. Quick and easy - Making ajwain paratha is very easy and is a great weekday dinner choice. Few ingredients - Carom seeds flatbread just needs a few basic pantry ingredients. Make extra and freeze for later - I love making extra paratha to freeze and use later. This comes in very handy on a busy weeknight. For moms with kids in college, this is a great choice of paratha to make and freeze for them.
Kneading the dough for paratha
The best texture and ease of rolling the flatbread depends on the consistency of the dough. I make all my flatbread dough with warm water. The amount of water needed depends on the flour we use. I can roughly give an amount of water, but never dump the entire water at once to knead the dough. Always sprinkle a little water at a time and knead. I knead by hand if making just enough dough for 4 of us. If I am making more, then I use my stand mixer to help ease the process. Just like the dough for Phulka/pulka or sweet paratha, we will be using whole wheat flour to make this ajwain paratha. There are a few different ways people make the ajwain paratha. Some add the carom seeds directly into the flour when kneading the dough. I make the dough plain and then sprinkle the carom seeds when rolling and shaping.
Ingredients needed
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes. Whole wheat flour - I use whole wheat flour from the Indian store to make any roti or paratha. Warm water - to knead the dough. Ajwain/carom seeds - This is the main flavor in the paratha. I buy this from the Indian stores in the spice aisle. Salt - I add salt to the dough. There are a few recipes where they sprinkle salt along with carom seeds when rolling out the dough. Ghee and oil - I add oil when kneading the dough and use ghee to spread in the layers of the paratha and to cook the ajwain paratha. If making the paratha vegan, we can skip the ghee and use oil entirely.
Step-by-step process
Knead the dough
Start by kneading the dough for the ajwain paratha. This dough is similar to any other paratha or flatbread dough.
Add the whole wheat flour and salt in a wide bowl (1). Start adding warm water and mix. Bring the flour together and start forming dough. Sprinkle water as needed and make a soft dough.
Tip - Do you make your own paneer at home? Use the whey that we strain out from the paneer to knead the dough. Whey contains a lot of nutrients and is one of the healthiest by-products that we can use in our everyday cooking. I made paneer bhurji on the side using my homemade paneer and used the whey to knead the dough.
I add about 1 to 1 ¼ cups of water for 3 cups of whole wheat flour. The amount of water depends on the kind of flour and the humidity in the kitchen. Don’t dump the entire water. Add ½ a cup and then sprinkle water after that as needed.
Add about 2 teaspoons of oil and finish kneading the dough (2).
Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. The dough can rest longer as well. I usually knead the dough in the evening to make paratha for dinner.
Roll the ajwain paratha
Divide the dough into lemon-sized balls (3).
Dust the dough balls with a little flour and roll them into a thin circle about 5 to 6 inches wide.
Brush the circle with melted ghee (4)(use oil if making it vegan). Sprinkle ajwain evenly over the rolled paratha (5). Now fold the paratha into half brush again with ghee and sprinkle ajwain (6).
Now fold the paratha into half again to form a triangle.
Dust the triangle with a little flour and roll again to form a thin paratha (7).
Cook the ajwain paratha
Heat a tawa/griddle and once it is hot, place the rolled paratha (8).
Let it cook on one side for about 30 seconds or until tiny bubbles form. Then flip the paratha to the other side.
Brush the paratha with ghee (or oil) (9) and do the same on the other side.
Let the paratha cook on both sides until golden brown and then remove it.
Repeat the same with the rest of the dough.
Keep the carom seeds flatbread warm until ready to serve. I served the ajwain paratha with paneer bhurji and yogurt.
Variations of Ajwain Paratha
I have sprinkled just carom seeds when rolling the paratha dough. We can also sprinkle a little salt along with the ajwain. To make the paratha a little spicy, sprinkle some red chili powder along with the ajwain. Instead of sprinkling the ajwain when rolling the paratha, we could also make the dough with the ajwain added to it. Then we can just make them as a regular circle roti. Instead of rolling the paratha in a triangle shape, we can also make them as a square paratha.
How to store ajwain paratha
As with any paratha/flatbread, ajwain paratha tastes great hot right after they are cooked. The leftover paratha can be stored at room temperature for a day wrapped in a kitchen cloth and stored in an airtight box. For storing longer than a day, the parathas can be frozen. Place the cooked parathas in between parchment paper and then place them inside a freezer bag. To reheat the parathas, place them individually on a plate and then heat it until warm.
Expert tips
The dough consistency is very important in being able to roll the parathas. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Use warm water or whey when kneading the dough. We could also use a little milk to knead, but that reduces the shelf life of the paratha. Sprinkle the carom seeds when rolling the flatbread or mix the ajwain in the dough. Both work well. Cooking the paratha in ghee makes it very flavorful. We could use butter as well or use oil if making it vegan. Store the ajwain paratha in a container lined with kitchen cloth. This helps absorb the moisture and keep the parathas from becoming soggy.
Frequently asked questions
More Paratha recipes
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