Recipe for Malabari Paratha, Barota, Prata

Dear Members,
One of the members asked me for the recipe for the parotta/ the layered paratha/ popularly know in the south as Barota....This is usually made in the south. We do see it in Tamilnadu, We also see it in Kerala where it is known as 'Malabari Paratha' (Parota), a speciality of the Muslims from the malabar region, Kerala. Here they relish their Parota and Chaya(Chai(Tea)) (Iam not sure which other south indian states we see it more commonly in)....
This dish has achieved a whole new status in Singapore. People from all races enjoy the Paratha/Barota and it has received a multi racial status here. There are Chinese stalls who serve Prata and curry. In Singapore it is known as Prata or Roti Prata. People from other races have learned and mastered the art of making the prata from our Indians and sell this in their stalls. I have seen the cooks sweating it out behind glass panels rolling and stretching the dough to make the pratas here.
Back in India I have seen in the street corner dhaabas, cooks beating a small amount of maida into incredible sizes and then rolling it all to make a small sized parota. The Paratha/Barota must be eaten hot....it should come immediately from the Tava on your plate and it cannot be eaten once cold.
The flaky, crisp, layered Barota is made from Maida (All purpose flour).
We do get frozen Parathas now which can heated on the tava and taste very close to the freshly made ones. But nothing can compare to the freshly made one by the cook slogging over the dough and sweating over a Tava
Here’s the recipe for the South Indian Barota which can be had with Tea but is usually served with Kurma.

South Indian Paratha/Barota/Parotta/Prata
Take "Maida" flour.
Add a pinch of salt. Knead it nicely with oil. Now add water and make a dough similar to that for roti. Keep for an hour. Some may like to add a pinch of baking soda.
The dough should not be sticky. Now take a small ball of it and spread lightly using a rolling-pin. Start stretching it by swinging it, catching it at one end, until it becomes paper thin. Roll it up into a long roll. Now coil the rolled up dough on to a plate, with no gaps between each circle. Lightly press it with a rolling pin. If you are unable to swing pull it on all sides slightly to make it thin, trying to retain the round shape.
Heat "tava" and pour a light layer of oil on it. Fry it on the tava, both sides.

If u want layered Pratas. - Make a thick paste of maida with ghee or dalda ready in hand, coat an even layer using brush or spoon on the round layer, fold the circle into a semi-circle or like a paper fan fold up and down alternatively. Now coil the rolled up dough on to a plate, with no gaps between each circle. Let it lie for half hour. Now roll it into thin circle. Add oil on tava and cook this is on both sides. You can add more layers by repeatedly coating with paste and rolling out. once cooked you will get layers like in a puff.

Tip :- Try to the dough as thin and as big as possible with a rolling pin.
Don’t add ghee or dalda while making the original dough, Use it only to coat the layer otherwise the Paratha/Barota/Prata/Parota will break.

Serve the Paratha/Barota/Prata/Parota hot with Kurma or U can have it just like that with Tea as a snack, but mind you it is quite heavy. Kids can have it with sugar. Try it with milkmaid or Mango pulp. Anyways it is enjoyable.
Singapore even has a Famous Roti Prata stall which sells Prata Icecreams where in they make a puff paratha and serve it with 3 flavours of ice creams .
You can make variations to it. You can make a Cheese Paratha, Banana Paratha , Onion Paratha or just have it simple and Plain.
Hope all you members will enjoy cooking and eating the Paratha/Barota/Prata/Parota. Please do share your experiences.
Happy Eating!!!!!!!