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Pan-Fried Flatbread

The next most popular flatbread after the roti is paratha. In my repertoire of flatbreads, parathas take the cake. When I was growing up, paratha was made for breakfast and dinner. Things changed over the years, and parathas were served more and more occasionally as the family became increasingly health-conscious.

Most parathas are made with whole wheat flour, rolled into a small circle, lightly oiled, folded and rolled out again. They are then lightly fried on a hot tava. They are layered, flaky, and tender. Most parathas are eaten plain—that is, they have nothing added to them. Even plain parathas make meals more special and taste better and richer with curries. Parathas keep well, and thus are great for lunch boxes, traveling, and picnics.

Parathas can be stuffed with spicy potatoes, grated radishes, and onions. Just when I think I’ve eaten every possible type of paratha, I am surprised with a new stuffing and a new flavor. My kids’ favorite is Potato-Stuffed Flatbread (Aloo Paratha, page 160), and my vote goes to Daikon-Stuffed Flatbread (Mooli Paratha, page 163). Try all the recipes and see which one you like the best. Trust me, making the decision won’t be easy.

Deep-Fried Flatbreads

It seems wrong to call the deep-fried bread known as puri a flatbread, since it puffs up like a balloon in the hot oil, but within seconds it loses its steam and gently falls flat. Puri is a festive bread made on holidays and for special celebrations, weddings, parties, and banquets. Sometimes on weekends, especially if I have company over, I will serve hot puri and potato curry for brunch. It is sure to bring a satisfied smile from the guests as well the family.

Most puris are plain with just a hint of salt, and like rotis, they are used to scoop up flavorful curries. They keep better than parathas and thus are often taken when traveling long distances. They are a standard at Indian picnics. Stuffed or flavored puris are also popular. Kachories are a variation of stuffed puri served at special occasions for breakfast, snacks, or with a meal.

Bhatura originates from the Punjab region. It is made with leavened white flour and is often considered a street food. In Delhi and other large northern Indian cities, you can get amazing chole-bhature (bhatura with spicy chickpeas) at roadside stands.

Tandoor or Oven Flatbreads

Tandoor is a clay oven that originated from the Punjab region in India. But its roots lie in the Middle East when Persians migrated to India in the 1300s. Tandoori breads have become the most popular Indian flatbreads in the world today. Most Indian restaurants around the world flaunt a tandoor, often within the view of customers, and make wonderful hot bread called naan.

Naan is rarely made in Indian homes, for it does require a tandoor, and is made with white flour and thus is not considered healthy. You can make acceptable naan in your oven (see Sesame Seed Naan, page 166). Naan can also be flavored with spices and filled with vegetables or cheese, but the most popular is plain naan.

TYPES OF FLOUR

Wheat is the staple food of northern Indians and the most common type of grain used to make a variety of rotis. Other grains such as millet are occasionally used.

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

Use roti-atta or white whole wheat flour.

The whole wheat flour (atta) used to make Indian flatbreads is made of a different variety of wheat that grinds up finer and is lighter in color than the regular whole wheat flour available in the United States. Most stores that carry Indian groceries carry durum wheat flour (which comes from Canada), which makes softer Indian flatbreads. It comes under several names, all of which mean the same thing: roti flour or roti-atta, or chapatti flour or chapatti-atta.

These days, you will find white whole wheat flour in most supermarkets or natural foods stores. The white whole wheat flour is made from an albino variety of wheat, which is lighter in color; has a sweeter, milder flavor; and has a