Indian Bread Recipes

Indian bread is the staple diet of many South Asian homes. There are so many varieties of Indian bread recipes just within the Indian subcontinent that even I hadn't known about them all until I was a bit older.

Although my mother cooks great chapatti (also known as roti – a dry Indian flat bread ) and parathas (a kind of Indian fried bread) , she occasionally makes them at home as she often buys bread from the market. However, when we do have parathas and chapattis at home, they become a fascinating family event where everybody pitches in to help...

Some popular breads include puris - an Indian fry bread , popular among kids during festive and holiday occasions. Other Indian bread recipes include Indian naan bread (cooked in a special oven called tandoori oven), dosa, puran poli, and papadum.

My favorite Indian snack is gol gappa or pani puri made with flatbread stuffed with potatos and tamarind sauce. It is a must Indian snack for everyone to try out at least once!

Although they are great for scooping curries and sauces, these thin or waffy breads can be broken up and served as appetizers with chutney or yogurt-based dips.

Indian bread is mostly made of milled whole wheat flour and water. Some people, like me, use salt and oil in the dough because it moisturizes the mixture. Others donít like it because it mixes in too many tastes with the flour.

Most Indian bread are made in a flat skillet called tawa, a cast iron concave griddle about 8-12 inches in diameter. You can also use a simple skillet if you like.

For beginners, it is helpful to have a rolling pin to flatten out the bread until you become an expert when you can do it with just your hands.

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