Indian bread

Dosa, a popular crepe from southern India.

Indian breads refers to a wide variety of flatbreads and crêpes which are an integral part of Indian cuisine and Cuisine of Pakistan and their variation reflects the diversity of Indian culture and Culture of Pakistan and their food habits.

While most of these breads originated in India, the origins of some, notably naan, trace to Central Asia.

Ingredients

Most flatbreads from northern India are made primarily from milled flour, usually atta or maida, and water. Some flatbreads, especially paratha, may be stuffed with vegetables and layered with either ghee or butter.

In southern India, most flatbreads are basically crêpe made from black lentils and rice. Popular varieties include dosa and uttapam.

Most Indian breads make use of the yeast spores in the atmosphere for fermentation, others use added yeast or curds, a few use baking soda, and still others are made without fermentation.

Preparation

In northern India, a dough of the main ingredient is prepared and flattened by rolling. Most Indian breads, such as roti and chapati, are baked on tava, a griddle made from cast iron, steel or aluminum. Others such as puri and bhatura are deep-fried.

In southern India, a batter of rice and black lentils is prepared and ladled in small amounts onto a hot greased tava, where it is spread out into a thin circle and fried with oil or ghee until golden brown.

Indian breads of Central Asian origin, such as naan and tandoori roti, are baked in a tandoor. Naan is usually leavened with yeast.

Varieties

Different varieties of Indian bread include: Chapati, Phulka, Puri, Roti, Paratha, Naan, Kulcha, Bhatoora, Baqar Khani, Appam, Dosa, Luchi, Puran Poli, Pathiri, and many more. Some of these, like Paratha and Roti have many varieties. Some varieties depend on the kind of grain used to prepare them, and others depend on the fillings they contain.

The Appam is a fermented bread usually prepared with finely powdered rice flour. In Kerala in South India, there are Kallappam, Vattayappam and Palappam (Vellayappam). The kallappam is made on flat iron griddles. The vattayappam is a steamed bread, and palappam is made in small shallow bottomed pans, which are kept covered while the bread cooks. Palappam has a thin crisp lace like strip around it.

Gallery

Naan	Kulcha with chana masala

See also

• List of Indian dishes
• Culture of India
• Indian cuisine
• Tuckahoe

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