Malabar parotta

Step 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour (maida), 1 tbsp sugar and 1 ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Add ½ cup whole milk, then ¾ cup water little by little, and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is very soft, smooth and slightly sticky. Work in 1 tbsp of 1 tbsp sunflower oil and knead 2 minutes more.

Step 2: Coat the dough with the rest of the 3 tbsp sunflower oil, cover and rest for 2 hours at room temperature. Common mistake: cutting the rest short. Tight dough won't stretch thin and tears into holes.

Step 3: Divide into 8 balls, coat each with oil, cover and rest for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Oil the counter generously with ¼ cup sunflower oil. Press a ball flat, then roll or stretch it with oiled hands as thin as you can, until you can almost see the counter through it, about 40 cm across. Small tears are fine.

Step 5: Gather the sheet into pleats like a paper fan, or cut it into strips. Pull the pleated strip gently to lengthen it, then coil it into a tight snail and tuck the end underneath. Repeat with the rest and rest the coils for 15 minutes.

Step 6: Press each coil with oiled fingers into a 15 cm round about 5 mm thick; don't roll hard or the layers seal together.

Step 7: Heat a tava or heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Cook each parotta for 2 minutes until the underside has golden-brown spots, flip, brush with 4 tbsp ghee and cook 2 minutes more, flipping and brushing again, until both sides are crisp and blistered.

Step 8: While still hot, stack 2–3 parottas and clap them firmly between your palms from both sides, or crush them gently inwards, so the layers open into flaky strands. Serve straight away.