Would you like some bread? Try Indian ones sometime

Breads, there are thousands of them from all over the world, be it Africa, Europe, Middle Eastern, America or Australia. Today, let’s explore the ones from Indian subcontinent. Though few of them could be found in neighboring countries too, but India eats them a lot. This country is a food heaven and filled up with varieties for almost anything. This is true in the case of breads as well. Varieties of them are staple for all Indian families.


Indian breads are commonly flatbreads and mostly unleavened unlike other popular form of breads. There is diversity in these also depending upon the food habits of people in different regions, but they do form an integral part of the Indian cuisine.

Indian cuisine comprises of lots of curried dishes which is either served with rice or different kind of suitable breads. Flour which is used to prepare these also differ like wheat is the most common one, other varieties are all purpose flour, "jowar"(Sorghum), "Ragi"(finger millet),"Bajra"( pearl millet).


So let’s explore 10 different varieties of Indian breads:
  • Roti / Chapatti / Fulka - These are the most common flatbreads popular in everyday meal of Indian cuisine. All of the three are similar and have only slight variation to the taste and texture. All of the three are rolled into a flatbread and baked on a tava or girdle. The difference is that Roti is prepared solely on girdle without oil; Chapattis have a use of oil in it while fulka is half baked on girdle and half on open flame till it fluff-ens.
Image of Indian Roti bread
source : werecipes

  • Paratha - These flatbreads are usually thick then Roti bread and could be of different shapes and textured like triangle shaped or multilayered like laccha or Kerala parota. Use of ghee or butter is prominent in them. Parathas are stuffed too other than the plain ones. They could be stuffed with Potato, Cottage cheese, Cauliflower, Radish, Peas etc. These are also baked on girdle and popularly served with curd, pickle or any curry if not stuffed.
Image of Paratha
source : bawarchi

  • Naan bread - These are most popular Punjabi bread available in most of corners of the world. It is eminent that some of you have tried it with butter chicken dish. These are leavened flatbreads baked in "tandoor" (An oven facility made of clay which takes heat from charcoal or wood fire).These are brushed with butter or ghee and goes very well with meat dishes. Plain naan is the common one whereas other varieties are available too like garlic naan, cheese naan or stuffed naan.
Image of Naan bread
source: naanbiryani
  • Poori bread - These are round little unleavened fluffy bread which are deep fried and served mostly with bhaji or any vegetarian curry. Mostly with potato curry and jointly known as "poori bhaji". People have it in breakfast along with vegetable curries or pickles. It is also offered as "Prasadam" at many Indian temples or at any ceremonial functions.
Image of Poori bread
source: foodista
  • Roomali Roti - To make this delicacy is an art. The dough is really stretchy and the maker glides it up in the air to make it as thin as handkerchief. "Roomali" means as thin as Handkerchief. It is also folded like one after preparation. This one is baked on an inverted Indian wok or "Kadhai" and again goes well with Indian meat dishes.
Image of Roomali Roti
source: youtube
  • Bhatura - This is also deep fried leavened bread. Looks like a bigger version of "poori" bread but trust me it’s not. It has little sour taste and fluffed inside, usually thick. Goes well with chickpea curry and jointly known as "chole bhature". Till now no new combinations have been tried before.
Image of Bhatura bread

  • Kulcha - Most famous delicacy of Amritsar, Punjab. This is made up of all-purpose flour and leavened. Slightly different from naan these are plain as well as stuffed. Goes well with chickpea curry again. Stuffed ones are self-sufficient and have accompaniments of chutneys and pickles.
Image of Kulcha bread
source : youtube

  • Thepla - This is flatbread popular in Gujarat. It is made up of Wheat flour, Gram flour Ghee and spices. Sometimes fenugreek is also added for additional taste. It is served with "Chundo" the traditional Gujarati pickle. Maharastrian "Thalipeeth" is also close to it but ingredients and thickness are slightly different.
Image of Thepla
source:rakskitchen

  • Bhakri - These are made of millets or sorghum. Served with "Pithala" (dish made with gram flour and water) in Maharashtra, this is a staple. Closer to these are "Rotla" served in Gujarat and Rajasthan but thicker when compared to these
Image of Bhakri bread
source: jainrasoi
  • Sheermal - This is a Royal and rare delicacy from Lucknow, Hyderabad and Bhopal regions of India. It forms a part of Awadhi cuisine and served with meat dishes. It is just like naan but sweet in taste and also use of milk, saffron and cardamom is eminent. It’s a must try.
Image of Sheermal
source : vahrevah

So these were the few popular ones. India could be referred to as the "Treasury of flat-breads" and indulging in all of these is a must. So why wait Grab them with one of your favorite Indian curries.

Namaste.