Parotta Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Parotta

Alternative names	Porotta, Parotta, Malabar porotta
Type	Flatbread , crispy multi layered bread
Place of origin	India
Main ingredients	Maida or Atta, ghee or oil

Parotta or Porotta is a Subcontinental layered Indian flatbread made from Maida or Atta, alternatively known as flaky ribbon pancake. It is very common in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and widely available in other states like Karnataka and Maharashtra and countries like Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka.

Porottas are often available as street food and in restaurants. At some places it is also served at weddings, religious festivals and feasts. It is prepared by kneading maida/wheat flour, egg (in some recipes), oil or ghee and water. The dough is beaten into thin layers and later forming a round spiralled into a ball using these thin layers. The ball is rolled flat and pan fried. It is often served with a meat curry, such as chicken, goat, beef, or lamb.

History

Derived from the Turkic Börek , Parotta originated in the Tamil-populated Jaffna area of Sri Lanka, and the migrant workers from there introduced it as "Veechu Porotta" or "Ceylon Porotta" in coastal Tamil Nadu region of India. It became popular all over Kerala during the late 1970s or the early 1980s. During the 1990s, street hawkers (thattukadas) of Kerala further strengthened its status as a local food, and it came to be known as "Malabar Parotta" after the Malabar region of Kerala.