Breads

There are dozens of kinds of breads here in India and sometimes it is hard to keep them straight. Therefore, I am creating a guide of breads as I experience them.

In the US, I was most used to getting naan at Indian restaurants, but have not had it here on campus. Naan is a leavened bread that can be cooked on a griddle or baked in a tandoor oven. It bubbles up and is often soft and chewy on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside.

On the other hand, roti or chapati is a flat, unleavened bread cooked on a flat griddle. It is a staple to every meal, here at Tagore. Sometimes it is made with different flours and added spices. It too, can be soft and chewy or slightly crispy depending on how long you cook it.

Bhatura is a fried yeast bread.  The dough is deep fried until they puff up until lightly browned. It is slightly crunchy but also elastic and chewy. They can be minis (like the ones in the picture) or plate-sized!

Paratha is like roti that is stuffed with vegetables. The name literally means “layered dough.”  My favorite is when it is stuffed with spinach or peas and is very thick.

Papadum is crispy, like a chip, and is often baked with fennel. I mostly ate it this in north India. It is is especially taste to crumble it up into different curries!