Indian Food: Different Types Of Bread Made Across India

If you thought that Indian bread is all about flat and round chapatis, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Like everything else in India, bread speaks of the diversity of the nation. The recipe and techniques of baking differ from region to region. Depending on the recipe, the results can be similar, like paratha and parotta or completely different like naan and litti. These pieces of bread are either the main dish or used to complement the main dish. This variety might make things difficult when ordering from an Indian food delivery & takeout in NYC. To make sure you get your order right, here are some popular types of Indian bread:

Chapati

This is the flatbread you probably associate with Indian food. Unlike the regular bread, chapati is not made using yeast or any leavening agent. The wheat flour is thoroughly kneaded into a pasty even dough. Then the cook rolls the dough with a roller and cooks it on a flat skillet. Some people use milk or yogurt when kneading the dough to get a smooth texture. The Punjabi variation of chapati called roti is baked in an oven giving it a subtle smoky flavor.

Naan

You might have come across this flatbread when ordering from an Indian food delivery & takeout in NYC. Traditionally, a cook would bake it in a clay oven called tandoor but you can try making this in your oven if you want. Once the naan is cooked, it is brushed with ghee or butter to add to its flavor. If you are cholesterol conscious, you can eat it plain as well. This soft bread has a burnt texture that goes well with kebabs and other meat dishes.

Paratha

Another popular unleavened bread that is popular among North Indians. With some veggies and yogurt on the side, it is the perfect breakfast to start your day. The dough is layered one above another giving it a flaky texture. Depending on how you cook it, it can be crispy or soft. It can be served plain or with vegetables like potato, cauliflower, radish, etc. stuffed in the dough. If you want some proteins, you can stuff minced meat inside. In South India, cooks prepare an identical bread called parotta. The only difference between paratha and parotta is that the former is made with atta and the latter with maida. 

Puri

Also spelled poori, it is fried in hot oil that causes it to fluff into a round and crispy gold bread stuffed with hot air that’s just waiting to be pressed. The dough is prepared with wheat flour, salt, sugar, and oil. People usually eat poori with some pickles and chickpeas. You can eat it with other vegetables as well. Cooks also serve poori with sweet dishes like kheer and halwa. If you want a larger version, try bhatura instead. It’s prepared with the same ingredients, but the result is a larger and rounder puri. Bhatura is served with chickpeas exclusively.

Dosa

This list would be incomplete without everyone’s favorite South Indian dish. The cook prepares the batter with some fermented rice and gram flour. Then he/she pours the batter over a flat skillet and heats it. The result is a thin, flat and crispy flatbread that looks like a pancake. It’s usually eaten with chutney and sambar. A variation of appam looks more like a crepe with thin edges and a thicker center.

Thalipeeth

Thalipeeth is a pancake made with a multigrain flour. The dish is popular in the western parts of India, particularly Gujarat and Maharashtra. The flour is prepared using wheat, rice, roasted tapioca, cumin seeds, and amaranth. Cooks may add chopped onions, chilies and vegetables for flavor. This dish is wholesome enough to fill your belly.

Sheermal

This bread is equal parts sweet and snack. The recipe includes wheat flour, milk, sugar, salt, saffron, and ghee. The result after cooking is around and thick soft brown bread with a light sweet taste. It can be eaten as it is or served with nihari.

These are just some popular types of bread prepared across India.