INDIAN BREADS

ROTI the most basic food of India is a fascinating subject.

The Indian bread is made of basic ingredients as grains , salt
and water, yet they have tremendous individuality. With more
than a thousand years of blending foreign culture with its own
,India has developed a unique range of breads made of whole
wheat flour. ",or "Puri" etc. Indian Breads made of other grains
have descriptive names only, thus we have "Makai ki roti",
"Jowar ki roti "(barley flour roti)", "Bajre ki roti " (bajra These are
called by distinctive names such as "Chapati","Phulka","Paratha
is a grain only grown in India),"chawal-ki-Roti"(roti of rice flour).
These Rotis have regional popularity. Rotis are popular in all
parts of the country except southern and north-eastern states.
In north and central India wheat is the most commonly
used grain and ground whole wheat flour called "aata" is the
basic ingredient in most of the rotis.
The most popular roti in India is called chapati which is
eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Parathas are also made
from aata but are rich and flaky, because they have been
spread with ghee and folded in such a way that they are
somewhat like flaky pastry. They are shallow fried on a
"tava"( griddle) with ghee ( clarified butter), and more melted
ghee is drizzled on top and the sides of them as they cook. Puris
are small and are deep fried so they puff like balloons. They are
all unleavened.
There is a layered roti known as lachhadar paratha. The
dough is first made into a rope, then made into a circle and
rolled out three times, half cooked and rolled again and ghee is
applied in between every layer while rolling. Parathas are often
stuffed with mashed potatoes, minced meat and cauliflower.
There is a type of paratha called birahi which uses a stuffing of
'besan' (gram flour) and has an unusual taste and texture. there
is another paratha called bathuway-ki-roti. Spinach or bathuway
is kneaded together in the flour. It is dark green in colour. Egg
stuffed rotis are called baida roti . Roti made of 'besan' (gram
flour) known as besan ki roti has chopped onions, garlic and
tomatoes added to the dough.
A larger variety of unleavened breads can be seen in
Gujurat and Rajasthan areas. Most popular is Rotlee made of
whole wheat flour like cahapati but much lighter and much
thinner. Same way Dal-Dhokli, Khaman, and Khakhra are served
in place of roti in Gujurat. Dal-Dhokli is a complete meal in itself.

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 Wheat flour dough is thinly rolled and cut into 2" by 2" pieces
and cooked in a spicy lentil gravy. Khakhras are dry crispy rotis
which remain fresh for many days. It is kneaded with milk and
water. Another roti of Gujurat is Bhakri made from bajra flour.
Knead with salt and water and cook on a dry tava( griddle), they
are highly nutritious, every 100gms bajra flour ;contains protein-
11.6gms, fat-5gms, minerals-2.3gms, carbohydrates-67.5gms,
vitamin A-0.33mgs, calorie value is equal to 361.
Traditional unique breads of Rajasthan are baffla. phefre,
tikkar and baati from whole wheat flour. For baati the dough is
shaped into rounds and then dry roasted in an oven( but
traditionally cooked in hot charcoal fire or a fire of dry
cowdung). When cooked they are cleaned, cracked slightly and
put into a bowl filled with ghee. Bafflas are cooked first in lentil
soup then dry roasted. Phefres are round. A thick piece of dough
is lightly flattened, dry roasted first
Tikkars are very popular among the peasants of
Rajasthan. This is a thick roti made of wheat and cornflour,
mixed with a lot of chopped garlic, onions, tomatoes, green
chillies and coriander leaves. Very little oil is used and it is
cooked almost dry in a tava. Dopattri rotis are also very popular
in Malva area. They are soft and thin chapatis like rotis, but
when pulled apart two separate rotis can be seen The secret of
this roti is the technique of rolling the dough. Similarly the
popular roti among the peasants of marwar is batia.
Then there are those breads that do not have leavening
and therefore take longer to make such as naan. The naan is a
Persian word which means bread exactly as does the Indian
word roti. The main differences between the two is in the flour
and cooking method. Names of the breads baked in "tandoor"
provide further evidence of their origin. There are also many
elaborated naans. The first step about the plain naan is the
Roghni naan. The name means red naan, because before baking
the naan is given a brushing of saffron water. Then there is the
Khurmee naan. Originally this naan was coated with a mixture of
khurma( dates) and gur (jaggery) cooked together. Also there is
tomato and garlic naan. Badaami naan, taftan, paneer naan are
the names given to a delicious variety of naans made with milk
eggs and yoghurt. The range of naans available in India are so
varied and so delicious that one could eat them by itself with
curd, chutneys or pickles.
The kulcha is another import from western Asia. It is made
from maida. But it is different from naan in many ways. More
ghee is used than in naans. They are round in shape and may be
stuffed with a variety of fillings like paranthas and puris.
Another mouthwatering roti called Sheer-maal also has Persian

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 influence. Sheer in Persian means milk. Then comes Baquakhani
is a naan which is an elaborate variation of the sheer-maal
except that it is fried on a griddle rather than baked in a
tandoor.
Another delicious roti made in the tandoor is Khasta roti
which is crisp because it is enriched with butter and then baked
in a tandoor. It tastes like a pie crust. The naan on the other
hand is much softer.
Makai ki Roti ( whole corn meal) is served plain with saag
or dahi. The Pakwan (Ajwain), roomali roti come from the Middle
East.

The most popular and distinctive bread of Bombay is pao

or double roti which is similar in taste to the sandwich bread.
The Yehudi roti or Jewish bread came to India with the Jews of
Baghdad. It is made of maida mixed with khameer and
kneaded with water.

Those who live in Calcutta will be familiar with the kathi

rolls which make an excellent short meal. It is a feather soft
stuffed roti. After the roti is cooked the stuffing is put and the
roti is rolled . Kathi rolls, dhakai parathas, Radha bollobhi Luchi
are the pride of Calcutta.
In the south the staple food is rice wheat consymption is
much lesser. The malabari paratha from the malabar region of
Kerala though is a paratha that is relished.

A FEW VARIETIES OF INDIAN BREADS:

Phulkas or Chapati: Flat, circular, unleavened, griddled,

whole wheat flour Indian bread.

Paratha: Layered, griddled, refined flour Indian bread

cooked in fat.

Makkai ki roti: Roti made using whole corn meal.

Besan ki roti: (Punjab & U P ) Gram flour , chopped onions,

green chillies and corriander leaves are used.

Tandoori roti: Roti baked in the tandoor. It may be

leavened .

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 Khasta roti: A roti made using wheat flour, eggs, cumin
seeds, baking powder and milk.

Shahi roti: (UP) Maida, ghee, almond paste and warm

water are used.

Bermi roti: (Jodhpuri) Wheat flour split, moong dal soaked

overnight, spring onions, chilli powder, cumin seeds, asafoetida
and water. It is cooked on a griddle and then on a direct fire on
a wired mesh.

Mughlai roti: wheat flour, yeast, aniseed, milk, sugar, ghee

and water are used. It is leavened , rolled flat into circular
shapes and roasted on a hot griddle.

Lachha paratha: Flat unleavened , circular, layered bread.

It is shallow fried.

Khakhra: (Gujarat) Wheat flour, garam masala, fenugreek,

ghee. Rolled into very thin chapatis and roasted on a very hot
griddle till crisp . Served with ghee and pickles.

Phefre: (Rajasthan) It is a Rajasthani farmer's bread.

Coarse wheat flour or jowar (barley flour) , cumin seeds and
ghee.

Malwi roti or 'Dopatri' : (Madhya Pradesh) Stuffed bread

made using gram flour, stuffed with bean sprouts, tomatoes and
spices. served with 'nariyal ki chutney'.

Dhakai paratha: (Bengal) Shallow fried flaky bread. It is

rolled flat and round cut through the centre, rolled into a cone
flattened and rolled out again.

Bathuway ki roti : (Bihar) Bathuway or spinach is mixed in

the dough. Rolled into triangles and cooked over low heat on a
griddle.

Methi ni bhakhri: (Gujarat) A traditional Gujarathi roti

made with bajra flour, fenugreek leaves, green chillies, turmeric
powder and cooked on a hot griddle. It is served for dinner with
chutney.

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 Kashmiri roti (Taktaki) : Wheat flour, pepper, cumin seeds,
asafoetida, ajwain. It is kneaded into a stiff dough and rolled
into thick discs. It is cooked on low heat.

Roghni naan: It is a leavened bread left overnight and

baked in a tandoor or an oven . Flour, milk, curd, yeast, poppy
seeds, sesame seeds, egg and saffron is used.

Khameera naan:
Khameer - It is a leavening agent made using maida,
sugar, yoghurt and salt which is mixed together into a thin
batter and kept in a warm place to ferment.
Mix khameer, warm milk, flour and make a dough, rest for
half an hour and flatten into a pancake by tossing it from one
hand to the other. Pull one side to form a triangle. Bake in a
tandoor.

Taftan: Leavened bread with milk, yoghurt and egg from

UP . It is made perfectly under hot grills.

Sheer - mal : (Northern India) Eggs, raisins, khoa, double

cream, ghee, yeast and flour are used to make a dough.
Essence may be added. it is left to rise for eight hours . It is
sprinkled with saffron solution and baked in a tandoor.

Baqarkhani : (Hyderabad) Flour, double cream, yeast,

cardamom powder, sugar , salt, eggs, milk ,ghee, khoa , poppy
seeds, kewra essence or rose water are used. The dough is left
to rise overnight, it is rolled into a flat disc folded into half and
rolled and again flattened. Sprinkle poppy seeds . Cook on a
griddle with ghee. it is also made using a 'dum'. Baqarkhani is a
richer version of Sheer - mal.

Roomali roti: A soft dough is made using flour, salt, oil and
water. It should be very smooth and elastic. Roll into a round
disc and place on the back of the palms move your wrist slowly
in a circular motion to make a thin and large roti. Place on a hot
inverted kadai . When cooked, fold it like a kerchief.

Batia: Wheat flour and gram flour are used to make a soft
dough . Roll out into a thick disc , sprinkle corriander, cumin
seeds and black pepper and roll , form into a circle and flatten.
Cook on a hot griddle with ghee.

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 Puran poli: Lentil stuffed sweet roti from Maharashtra.

Phulko luchi: Puffy, deep fried bread from Bengal.

Pakwan: This bread is leavened using soda bi carb. Make

a stiff dough , roll out into round discs and fry.

Sada Kulcha: (Punjab) Plain flour, yoghurt, ghee, sugar,

milk, yeast and poppy seeds. The dough is left to rest for six
hours , it is baked and shallow fried in a hot griddle. Variations
may be made using garlic, mint, saffron, paneer .

Tikkar: It is the peasant's bread of Malwa. It is made using

whole corn meal. It is cooked on a griddle.

Thepla: (Gujarat) Gram flour, methi leaves, chilli powder,

corriander powder, turmeric .

Puri: These are plain deep fried puffy bread.

Koki: (A Sindhi speciality)

It is made using flour, pepper, ghee, salt and water. It is
rolled thick and fried on a griddle.

Dhohdha: (Sind) Barley flour, chopped onions,corriander ,

lime juice and water is used. A soft dough is made and kept to
rest. It is flattened using the palms and cooked on a griddle.

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