Note: A few of you have mentioned that the correct spelling for Prata should be PARATHA, as the wrappers in the photo below are spelled. Yes, that should be the correct spelling. But from where OCT and I come from, people usually just refer to it as Prata. Hence the title I've given this dog and my entry. If anyone know how the A and H got omitted from Singapore's version, please let me know.
Yesterday's Martha Stewart Show was all about hot dog , I couldn't help developed a sudden hankering for hot dog after watching the show. While the Ditch Dog sounds intriguingly delicious, it wasn't something I want to make just for myself on an uneventful weeknight. Just then, I remember the unique "dog" I've seen on my friend- Happy Home Baking's blog not long ago.
Insteads of using the traditional hot dog bun, the sausage is wrapped inside a prata (or roti Paratha), making it a Prata Dog (or Paratha Dog). For the uninitiated, Prata is a kind of flatbread enjoyed throughout Singapore and Malaysia. Conventionally, it is served along with curry sauce, although I like to just simply pan fry and snack on it when I am too lazy to make lunch/dinner. Eating a piece of prata is like eating a chewy piece of puff pastry. I wish I could give you a succinct description on the unique texture of prata, on how flakiness and chewiness coexist in a simple piece of flatbread; unfortunately it's beyond my realm now. However, I strongly encourage you to grab a pack of frozen prata the next time you visit the Asian grocery store. They are located at the freezer section, alongside the frozen chinese buns. They make a great snack anytime of the day and would be a great vehicle for hearty curry sauce. I think prata will be perfect served with this too.
Moving on to the prata dogs. The process couldn't be more simpler. First, have your sausage cooked, whichever way you like. Let it cool for a few minutes. Next, take out the frozen prata from the freezer, and cook according to the instruction at the back of the package. Which basically means, heat a skillet to medium heat, and drop the frozen prata onto the hot skillet and let cook for 1.5 minutes per side. No thawing required. And no oil needed too. Isn't that neat?
Once the prata is cooked, just wrap a sausage inside ,cut a few slits on top (which is optional) and bake for 5 minutes @ 350F. Serve with ketchup, mustard, hot sauce or even BBQ sauce and enjoy. Or better still, squirt in the sauce on the sausage before rolling up on the prata skin. I need to try this next time.
Mine didn't turn out as puffy as Happy Home Baking's, but they were just as delicious. :)
