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Every meal in India sees the presence of chapati, roti, paratha something or the other bread in any form. Both leavened and unleavened flatbread makes their presence in Indian household. Be it a bhatoora, naan, roti, paratha, thepla, porota, poori or appam these staples complete a meal. Digging books around food and culture you can see that there are more than 30 types of breads in India which exists be it a part of breakfast, lunch or dinner. The specialty being each bread represents a different region and culture.
Let’s explore and know of these breads that are commonly eaten in household across the country.
Bhakri
This Maharashtrian bread made from multi grain flour of millets like jowar and sorghum, and ragi has a very high dietary fibre content. Flavoured with ghee and cumin seeds, this bread goes best with chutneys or bharta mostly eggplant. A little on the harder side a cup of chai is best with this one. Popular around Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, it’s also known as Jowar roti, Jowar Bhakri, Gujarati Bhakri. Almost biscuit dough style flatbread, this bread is super healthy and nutritious. This easy to make dish is great as energy booster. Don’t mistake a bhakri for a roti.
Akki roti
This rice-based roti which happens to be staple of Karnataka is vegan and gluten free. This popular bread which is also a tiffin snack, you can make this in various way like plain akki roti, masala akki roti or akki roti with methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) and so on. This one is similar to Thalipeet of Maharashtra. Either served as a snack or for dinner, this roti being made of rice flour is low on saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. The best part akki dough can be kept in fridge too for few days. The trick is to roll it on a butter sheet or plastic sheet as it’s a very delicate dough.
Makke ki Roti
This flat bread made from corn meal (maize flour), happens to be the most favourite dish of North India during winters. The flour is made from freshly harvested corn of the season. This winter delight pairs best with sarso ka saag. This quintessentially Punjabi dish has a high nutritious content. Once cooked Makki ki roti is yellow in color and is much fragile.
Appam
This type of bread from kerala, made with rice flour that’s fluffy are a everyday staple in most homes. Thin and crispy around the edges, at time the appam is also tossed with an half done egg in the centre which is called egg appam. Paired with chicken stew or vegetable stew or egg curry, avial, korma, appam is gluten-free and vegan. Mostly a breakfast staple, the fermentation of the rice batter gives the appam it’s sour and sweet taste.
Thepla
This Gujrati special flatbread that’s a little similar to paratha, is typical breakfast food. Easy to carry in lunch boxes, the methi that’s mixed in the dough of besan (chickpea) flour gives the thepla that extra flavour and taste to this Gujju snack. The methi leaves are great source of nutrition with protein too. A rolled up thepla with some fresh green chilli pickle is perfect for those hunger pangs. Due to their long shelf lives theplas make great travel companion. There is quite a few variety of theplas like the carrot thepla, lauki thepla, palak (spinach) thepla and more.
