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    Home » Side dishes

    Published: Jun 29, 2022 · Modified: Jul 19, 2022 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    30 Best Indian side dishes for Paratha bread

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    The 30 best Indian side dishes for Paratha bread, from pickles to curries and drinks for a filling and delicious meal.

    Butter chicken being scooped out of a white bowl.
    Jump to:
    • What is paratha?
    • Tips
    • FAQ
    • Snacks
    • Vegetables
    • Dipping sauces
    • Dahi (Curds)
    • Soups
    • Curries
    • Drinks

    What is paratha?

    Paratha, not to be confused with parotta, chapathi or roti, is 1 of the most popular types of Indian bread (there are about 30 different Indian breads.) This unleavened flatbread is crisp yet still flaky and chewy, with many layers created by slapping the whole wheat dough many times. The way it's made is a little similar to how a French croissant is made- but you're folding ghee (and not butter) in the layers, after which the paratha is baked in a tava then shallow-fried.

    If you're wondering what to eat with paratha, here are some of the best Indian side dishes that go very well with this Asian bread! (Note: whilst naan, biryani, chapatti etc are all very popular Indian sides, I've not included them in this list of sides as I think it'll make the meal too carb-heavy. )

    Fillings

    1. If making your own paratha, you can vary them by stuffing them with different fillings, such as:
      • spiced mash potatoes (aloo ka parantha- the most common type of stuffed paratha)
      • other vegetables such as beetroot, cauliflower, carrots, spinach and green peas
      • mung bean dal
      • paneer cheese
      • chicken keema

    Tips

    1. Whilst ghee is traditional, you can also substitute with vegetable oil to be healthier.
    2. If you can buy frozen parathas, you can use them to substitute for puff pastry in a pinch, or even as the base for a pizza!
    3. Food is sometimes eaten with the hands in India- always remember to use the right hand as the left is considered unclean!
    4. Frozen parathas are quite high quality these days, and taste almost as good as homemade ones made from scratch.


    FAQ

    Is paratha good for weight loss?

    The typical paratha is made with lots of ghee (animal fat) so, unfortunately not very good for you. You can tweak the recipe to make it healthier but it's best to eat in moderation.

    Snacks

    A plate of Indian Chicken Pakoras with sauce

    Pakora (Fritters)

    Indian Chicken Pakora
    These small morsels of chicken bites laced with quintessential Indian spices and fresh herbs are the best Indian side dish you can serve. This chicken pakora recipe is just like the street style snack we all know and love! 
    Click here for the delicious chicken recipe.
    A plate of Indian Chicken Pakoras with sauce

    Papadum (Lentil chips)

    Also known as appalam (Tamil Nadu), apadam (Andhra Pradesh), happala (Karnataka) and papad, these Indian snacks are served on the side at many Indian restaurants. You can get them already fried in the grocery store but I highly recommend frying your own- we do this very often in my house and all our guests love them!

    They are sold uncooked as a packet of flat discs- the name actually means flattened disc- which you can then deep-fry or air fry. (If you live outside of Asia, you'll need go to an Indian super market to get them.)

    Tip: there is no need to salt the pappadum as the pre-cooked versions are already spiced.

    Bhaji (fritters)

    A close-up of a fork inserted into onion bhaji.
    Onion Bhaji
    Bring this popular Indian street food into your kitchen and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to make. This onion bhaji recipe is aromatic, crispy and perfectly fried—a delicious addition to any meal.
    Click here for a delicious way to cook onions!
    A fork picking up an onion bhaji

    Curry puffs

    A golden fried vegan curry puff snack on a vintage plate.
    What's your favourite curry puff filling? I like potatoes in mine!
    Vegetarian Potato Curry Puff Recipe
    An easy, vegan curry puff recipe- one of the most popular snacks in Singapore which I grew up eating- that tastes good both hot and at room temperature. There are actually Chinese, Indian and Malay versions of this Singaporean dish- it all comes down to what you put in the filling!
    Click here for the vegan curry puff recipe.
    Vegan potato curry puff fried to a crisp golden brown on a plate.

    Bhalla (Lentil balls)

    Dahi Bhalla
    This Dahi Bhalla Recipe yields soft, fluffy, and perfect Bhalla (fried lentil balls) every time. It's an absolutely delicious and addictive Indian side dish or appetizer, also known as Dahi Vada, that is super easy to make at home.
    Click here for the Dahi Bhalla recipe.
    Side view of dahi bhalla chaat.

    Samosas

    8 golden samosas on a tray.
    Air-fried samosas
    Samosas are a great Indian snack but too much fried food isn't good for you- this recipe shows you how to air-fry them till nice and golden, even if they're frozen!
    Click here for air fried samosas.
    8 golden samosas on a tray.

    Vegetables

    Roasted veggies

    Close-up of gochujang butternut squash baked fries.

    You can even make Indian-inspired roast vegetables, such as this curry roasted broccolini or this spiced butternut squash.


    Salad

    A green salad makes for a refreshing and easy side dish- try this Indian cucumber salad (katchumber) or this chana salad (chickpeas.)

    Dipping sauces

    I have yet to have an Indian meal that did not come with 1 of these sauces on the side!

    Chutneys

    Try:

    • Coriander chutney
      • Some recipes mix mint in too
    • Date chutney
    • Tomato chutney
      • There are red tomato chutneys and green tomato ones!
    • Mango chutney

    If you have too much chutney, you can use them as spreads for sandwiches- I made too much of a delicious mango chutney the other day and the extra tasted great in a chicken sandwich!

    Raita Yoghurt

    The yogurt helps to cool the spice and is a great side dish for stuffed parathas. To make an easy raita dish, mix full-fat yoghurt (you can use Greek yogurt), diced red onions, garlic, ginger, garam masala and citrus juice (lime or lemon)- garnish with some coriander and mint leaves.

    Achar (pickles)

    You can think of achar as Indian kimchi. Achars differ based on the part of India you're looking at- some use sesame oil in their recipes whilst other parts prefer mustard oil.

    The most popular achar is mango pickle (aam ka achar) but you can also try:

    • garlic achar
    • carrot achar
    • lime achar

    Tip: if you don't have time to ferment homemade achar, you can get ready made ones in the Indian grocery stores.

    Note: in Singapore, we have a pickle that is also called Achar but it's made differently.

    Dahi (Curds)

    Many Indian households make their own curds by fermenting milk with naturally acidic liquids, such as lemon juice, and eat it almost everyday. Click through for. a simple 2-ingredient curd recipe!

    Soups

    Orange lentil dal in a silver bowl.

    Dal/ dahl/ daal

    Dal is 1 of the most ubiquitous Indian side dishes- they're made from lentils which are a great plant-based protein as well as other split pulses such as peas and beans.

    Instant Pot Dal
    This sweet, spicy and tangy lentil soup, made with pigeon peas (tuvar dal), has lots of warming spices, and is delicious as a side dish for breads or rice. (It can be made on the stove or in an Instant Pot!)
    Click here for the Gujarati recipe.
    Orange lentil dal in a silver bowl.

    South Indian soup

    South Indian lentil soup
    Lemon lentil soup is refreshing and tasty on a hot day. It's not hard to make, needing only 10 minutes of prep.
    Click here for the Indian soup recipe.
    A close-up of lentil soup being scooped out of a pot.

    Curries

    Butter chicken being scooped out of a white bowl.

    Meat and vegetable curries provide a delicious sauce for parathas- in Singapore and Malaysia, we love to dip our roti prata (roti canai) in curry sauce (or sugar), even for breakfast!

    Chicken

    Butter chicken

    Keto butter chicken
    Enjoy this recipe for keto butter chicken with all the classic Indian flavors you love. It's made with garam masala and Greek yogurt.
    Click here for the keto chicken recipe.
    Butter chicken being scooped out of a white bowl.

    Seafood

    A close-up of shrimp masala garnished with curry leaves.

    If you cook a lot of Indian food, I highly recommend getting a curry leaf plant as there are many curry leaf recipes in Indian cuisine, such as the following Indian prawn dish and this chutney.

    Shrimp masala

    Shrimp masala
    Made with shrimps cooked in a semi-dry gravy of onions, tomatoes, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and a blend of spices, this home-style Indian shrimp recipe will leave everyone wanting more!
    Click here for the shrimp recipe.
    A close-up of shrimp masala garnished with curry leaves.

    Drinks

    A glass of golden tea with turmeric, ginger and cinnamon behind it.

    Lassi

    Lassi, an Indian yogurt-based dish, comes in both sweet and salty forms. My favourite is mango lassi- it's so good the only time 1 of my friends quarrelled with her husband was over his failure to get her a mango lassi!

    Other popular lassis include:

    • saffron lassi
    • Makkhaniya lassi (lassi with lumps of butter)
    • there is even a cannabis Bhang lassi!

    Turmeric Tea

    Turmeric ginger cinnamon tea
    Easy, healthy, naturally golden and only requires 5 ingredients.
    Click here for the turmeric & ginger tea recipe.
    Close-up of naturally golden turmeric, ginger and cinnamon tea.

    Chai latte

    You can go for regular Masala Chai tea, or try this delicious fusion green tea-chai drink that was popularised by Starbucks!

    Matcha chai latte recipe
    Recreate your Starbucks experience at home with this easy matcha chai latte that only requires 5 ingredients.
    Click here for the easy Starbucks match chai copycat recipe.
    Close-up of matcha chai latte with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

    What are your favourite Indian side dishes for Paratha? Let me know if I've missed something out- if not, I'd be super grateful if you share this post on your social media if you've found it helpful!

    I have other recipes you may like here! :)

    • 24 Best Sides for chicken tenders (Asian dishes)
    • 24 Asian side dishes for Breakfast
    • Easy 5-ingredient gochujang butternut squash
    • Salted Egg Tofu (Fried tofu & salted egg yolk sauce)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maria says

      July 01, 2022 at 1:53 pm

      Love mango chutney sandwiches!

      Reply

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