The flaky layers, soft yet crisp edges- be it a vegetable curry or meaty gravy, relishing it with a heavenly Malabar paratha is a game changer. Unlike regular chapati, Malabar Parathas (or parottas) are made by kneading refined flour with milk and rolling it with a substantial quantity of fat to achieve the layers. And yes, it requires technique.
However, if this sounds like a task, we always have RTE options to look forward to. Thanks to the numerous options available, we reviewed six brands- iD, Sumeru, Buffet, DesiChef, Goeld, and Aashirvaad, so you can choose the best. In addition to taste and texture, we rated the contenders on their list of ingredients and convenience too.
After two rounds of tastings, we chose iD’s Malabar Paratha as our Top Pick. Details down below.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison of Frozen Malabar paratha Brands
Our Review Factors
How did we find the best frozen malabar paratha? What were the factors we considered?
A brief exposee of our review-forming parameters explained in the following section.
1. Texture
Malabar paratha is relished for the variation of textures it offers in a single bite. From a soft center to a crispy edge, malabar parathas are essentially a stack of several flaky layers.
Which brand did this the best?
2. Taste
It is often the simplest recipes that are easy to mess up.
Primarily, we were looking for fresh-tasting parathas with an appropriate level of salt. It should be such that they pair well with masala-loaded gravies and dals.
There should be no rancid taste of oil or the fat source.
3. Other Parameters
Other parameters that influence the purchase decision like the price, packaging, ingredients, and shelf life were also noted.
Frozen Malabar Paratha – Detailed Review
Our tasting and testing process, detailed experience with each contender, brand-provided product information, have been shared in the following section.
Before we begin the review, it must be noted that NO contender had an off-putting taste or inedible. All six malabar parathas we tried had a fresh taste with a balanced salt level. The key difference was their textures. While some were too flaky, others nailed the crisp-soft balance. Hence, it was the texture that majorly helped us choose our Top Pick.
We chose the brands that offered frozen malabar parathas made with refined wheat flour. We did not choose brands made with atta.
1. iD Fresho Malabar Parota – Mishry Top Pick
Our Experience
Flaky. Crispy. Soft.
Also the largest.
iD Fresho Malabar Parota checked all boxes that make a malabar paratha a good one. With a soft bite at the center, the edges were crisp and flaky. These were large-sized thin parathas. This size also contributed to the crispness. Making this even better, the salt was really well-balanced and fresh to taste.
These would pair beautifully with spice-rich gravies and curries.
Product Details
This is made with refined wheat flour (60%), RO purified water, edible vegetable oil (rice bran oil), edible hydrogenated vegetable fat (palm and til), iodised salt.
The nutrition values per 100 grams are 305.6 Kcal, 9.6 grams of protein, 34.7 grams of carbohydrates, 14.22 grams of fat.
One pack with 5 pieces is priced at Rs 90/- with a net weight of 400 grams.
- Ideal softness
- Crisp edges
- Well salted
- Clean ingredients
- Flaky layers
Unannounced guests? Rice or bread not making the cut? We recommend iD Malabar Parota.
2. Sumeru Malabar Paratha – Also Recommended
Our Experience
Taste was no issue with Sumeru Malabar Paratha. It was fresh, aptly-salted, and would satiate your taste buds when paired with pickles or curries. The sole reason this is our Also Recommended contender is the flakiness. It showcased a fairly nice balance between soft and crisp bites but in a comparative view, the flakiness was relatively lower than our Top Pick.
Product Details
A 300-gram pack is priced at Rs 129/- with an eighteen month shelf life. Refined wheat flour, edible vegetable fat, refined sunflower oil, sugar, milk solids, iodised salt, raising agent (INS 500 (II)) are the ingredients that go into the making. Per 100 grams of this paratha, you get 328 Kcal, 8.5 grams of protein, 49.7 grams of carbohydrates, and 10.6 grams of fat.
- Nice balance between crisp and soft bites
- Decent calories
- Aptly seasoned
- Flakiness could be better
Sumeru Paratha would also work well across curries and gravies.
3. Buffet Malabar Paratha
Our Experience
Similar to the above contender, the taste was spot-on, no complaints here. Good balance of salt, fresh flavor, absence of rancid oil tastes- so far, so good.
The crisp and flakiness were intact too. However, achieving this texture required us to cook this paratha for slightly longer, which reduced the convenience, as time needed was much longer.
Product Details
The ingredients are refined wheat flour (64%), water, milk, hydrogenated vegetable oil, refined sunflower oil, sugar, salt, raising agent (INS 500).
A 1-kg pack is priced at Rs 305/- with a shelf life of one year.
Caloric values per 100 grams are 318 Kcal, 8.3 grams of protein, 8.9 grams of fat, 51.1 grams of carbohydrates.
- Fresh tasting
- Balanced salt level
- Crisp and flaky
- Took significantly longer to cook, bringing down the convenience slightly.
If you’re looking for fresh, crisp parathas for meals at home, we would recommend Buffet Malabar Paratha.
4. Aashirvaad Malabar Paratha
Our Experience
Aashirvaad Malabar Parathas were separated by sheets of butter paper. These were fairly glossy as they had a substantial amount of oil. As a result, we did not add any oil while cooking.
Malabar parathas are renowned for the flaky layers that were completely missing here. This was a dense, single-layered paratha. It had doughy bites and tasted undercooked, despite being heated and cooked for the mentioned time frame.
Product Details
Aashirvaad paratha is made using refined wheat flour, milk solids, water, refined corn oil, sugar, iodised salt, baking powder (INS 500 (II)), acidulant (INS 450 (I))
A 400-gram pack is priced at Rs 150/- with a two-year shelf life.
The nutritional values are as follows- 338 Kcal, 6.9 grams of protein, 48 grams of carbohydrates, 13.2 grams of fat.
5. DesiChef Malabar Paratha
Our Experience
A decent tasting paratha with less than average textures.
To elaborate, these were salted well, not too much, not too little. The overall flavor was fresh and fairly appetizing. It was the texture that didn’t work for us. DesiChef parathas were not flaky at all. First, they took too long to crisp up. Then, these turned quite hard and lacked the soft bite malabar parathas must have.
Product Details
The ingredients used are Refined wheat flour (52%), water (20%), palmolein oil, sunflower oil, milk, salt, raising agent (sodium bicarbonate INS 500 (ii))
The nutrition values are (per 100 grams) 328.2 Kcal- 49.7 grams of carbohydrates, 8.5 grams of protein, 10.6 grams of fat.
One pack priced at Rs 120/- has five pieces, totaling at 400 grams. It has a shelf life of five months.
6. GOELD Premium Malabar Paratha
Our Experience
The balanced addition of salt was the only upside to GOELD malabar parathas.
Texture-wise, this was a big flop. Malabar parathas are supposed to be crisp yet soft with flaky layers.
These parathas lacked all these aspects and were just hard parathas.
Product Details
The ingredients used are refined wheat flour (50%), water, milk (7%), hydrogenated vegetable fat, refined sunflower oil, sugar, salt, baking powder (INS 500)
The caloric values per 100 grams are 320 Kcal, 6.6 grams of protein, 51.16 grams of carbohydrates, 9.98 grams of fat.
A 335-gram pack is priced at Rs 159/- with a shelf life of 18 months.
- Too hard
- No flaky layers
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some interesting FAQs on ready to eat malabar paratha.
1. Is frozen malabar paratha high in cholesterol?
No, but if you add too much oil/ghee/butter, the values can change.
2. Are ready-to-eat malabar parathas suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
Yes, these are suitable for vegetarians but not vegans.
3. Can ready-to-eat malabar parathas be served with any side dishes?
Yes, these can be served with multiple side dishes like Chettinad curries, kormas, stews and more.
4. Can I customize the spice level of ready-to-eat malabar parathas?
No, you cannot alter the spice level in these parathas. But these aren’t supposed to be spicy and should ideally be paired with spicy, masala-rich curries.
5. How long do ready-to-eat malabar parathas take to cook?
These are ready in under five minutes.
So, Which Is The Best?
That’s a wrap on our review of RTE Malabar Parathas. iD was our Top Pick, while Sumeru was the brand we also recommend. The flavors, balanced seasoning, pleasing textures made them stand out from the other contenders.
From spiced curries to rich gravies, these would enhance the meal to another level.
Convenience is the best aspect they offer, what do you think?
Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.