The Ultimate Guide To The Breads Of India

Flat, puffed, roasted, fried, baked, toasted, stuffed, spicy & everything masaledar, that's not even the beginning of an introduction to the beautiful breads of India. The heart of the Indian cuisine lies in its breads. It helps us scoop up the beautiful curries and gravies that are paired with it. Of course, the most common ones like the naan, tandoori roti & parathas are world-famous but there's a pandora box full of culinary heritage from all across the country that have yet not been talked about much. Here's an ultimate guide to breads of India that'll leave you craving for more right now!

1. Chapati/Roti/ Phulka

An Indian staple bread, it is an unleavened flat-bread made regularly in Indian households across the country. Made with wheat flour, it has various cooking techniques; it can be roasted on a flat tawa or cooked on an open flame for the famous phulka version of it. The most interesting part about this common bread of India is that every household has its own version. Some add salt, some eat it without any seasoning, some add oil to the dough, some don't. But, in the end, it is ladled with one common ingredient, ghee, which makes it utterly delicious.

2. Naan

World-famous & mostly everyone's preferred choice while eating butter chicken or any paneer gravy! Naan is a leavened bread, that is made with yeast and maida. It is considered to be one of the hardest breads to make but many techniques to make it at home are proven to be fool-proof. From stuffed naans to the regular garlic and exotic ones like nawaabi, paneer, chur chur, keema & Peshawari naan, it can made in a tandoor and then slathered with generous amounts of ghee or butter.

3. Bhatura

Mostly eaten in the Punjab region, this fluffy puri like bread made with maida, curd & yeast is generally eaten with chole or a spicy chickpea curry. Due to the maida or all-purpose flour, this bread is chewy & elastic in its texture. This deep-fried bread is devoured in certain parts of northern India as a breakfast staple too. And, did you know that 2nd October is World Chole Bhature Day? But, guess what, we don't need just a day to celebrate this mouth-watering dish, isn't it? If you're planning to make them at home, don't be intimidated, here's an easy recipe for you. If you're on the streets of India, you'll find two variations of this- Aloo & Paneer, both as yummy as the original one.

4. Poori

It is the most commonly made bread in Indian homes during a celebratory occasion. Be it aamras that is paired with it during the mango season or shrikhand or the classic potato curry, this deep-fried, small puffed up bread can be eaten for breakfast as well as lunch. The poori dough is made with different variations- some are made with plain whole-wheat flour, some with a mix of semolina to add a crunchy texture & some poori recipes contain milk instead of water to make puffed yet soft pooris. One key tip if you're a beginner at deep-frying pooris, keep in mind, the dough of a poori should always be harder than chapati dough. Some poori recipes are even made with maida but then it becomes something also luchi, see below.

6. Paratha

Derived from the word parat & atta (wheat flour), which means layered of cooked dough, paratha is the most commonly eaten bread after chapati on a regular basis. There are two types of Parathas-one filled with stuffing and the other, the ingredient is mixed while preparing the dough. The former has many variations- cabbage, cauliflower, potato, mix.veg, paneer, cheese, peas, radish, spinach, onion, lentils & kheema! And, the latter has coconut, sattu, laccha, garlic or methi kind of parathas. The most famous paratha of them all is the aloo/potato parathas which are served piping hot, straight from the tawa, with cold curd or raita, pickle & chole on the streets in most cities in India.

7. Luchi

Originated from the Bengal region, Luchi is a deep-fried flatbread, made up of maida. It is one of the most popular street foods in Kolkata and is mainly eaten for breakfast. It is also commonly found in the surrounding states of Bengal like Assam, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Tripura. This fluffy bread resembles a poori and is devoured with dum aloo.

Similarly, from the state of Manipur originates Tan, a puri-like bread that is eaten with potato curry prepared in mustard oil. It is made with refined or a mix of rice flour, salt and water which is known as Temai Tan.

8. Kulcha

Kulcha is often mistaken for a naan by their appearance but there's a distinguished difference between the two. Naan is sometimes made with the proportion of half maida & half wheat flour, while Kulcha is entirely made with maida. While naan can be stuffed & plain, Kulcha is always stuffed with a spiced mix of potatoes & other vegetables, depending on the variation you prefer. One of the most famous kinds of kulcha is the Amritsari Kulchas which are crispy & ghee-dripping; flavoured with the aromatic potato spice mix.

9. Appam

An interesting bowl-shaped pancake that is popular in Tamil Nadu & Kerala, this bread is made with fermented rice batter. It is relatively thick in the centre and crispy or soft on the sides and edges. It is neutral on the palette therefore it can be paired with sweet coconut milk or spicy curries & stews. Appams have a large variety to choose from-egg appams or hoppers as they call it in Sri Lanka; Idiyappams, a string net laced together; Neyyappam that is made with rice flour, jaggery & ghee & vattayappam that is made with coconut, sugar & rice flour.

10. Puran Poli

With different names across India, puran poli in Gujarati & Marathi, Obattu in Kannada Poli in Konkani, Upittu in Malayalam & Tamil, Oliga in Telegu & Polae in Telangana, this bread is prepared in almost the same way everywhere. With locations, a change in one or two ingredients is evident, for example, in Konkan which is on the coastal region, usage of coconut is seen in the recipe. While in Andhra Pradesh a mix of moong & chana dal is used as opposed to only chana dal being used as a lentil in Maharashtra & sometimes toor dal is used in Gujarat. Usually, it is made with soaked & ground chana dal mixture that is flavoured with cardamom powder, nutmeg and stuffed inside a dough ball and laden with ghee.

11. Sheermal

Originated in Iran, this saffron-flavoured bread is now a popular delicacy in the Awadhi Cuisine. In Kashmir, it is made in both sweet and savoury version. The sweet version is served with kahwa, a spicy traditional green tea made without milk, mixed with saffron. The savoury version of the Sheermal is eaten as a snack with a pink coloured salted-tea called the noon chai or Sheer Chai. Sheermal is made using ingredients like maida, milk powder, yeast, eggs, milk, salt, sugar, rose water, butter, cream & warm water. Shirmal is also known as Krippè. With a longer shelf-life owing to its dry and crumbly texture, it is made on a regular basis by bakers in Kashmir.

12. Bakarkhani

Originated in the Mughal Era in Bangladesh, Bhakarkhani is popular in Kashmir and parts of Old Delhi. Bakarkhani is a sweet, puff-pastry like bread made with flour, baking powder, ghee, milk, raisins, almonds and kewra. It looks very similar to sheermal but owing to its savoury aspect, Bakarkhani is eaten with tea. This is more like puff pastry, cooked in layers and often served with kahwa.

13. Pathiri

A much-loved recipe amongst the Muslim communities of Kerala, Pathiri is a rice flour bread that is very similar to a crepe. It is made on special occasions like a wedding and is popular in the Malabar region during Iftar. Getting the right consistency of the dough is key to this recipe; without which Pathiris can get difficult to make. It is often served with spicy mutton & fish curries that balances the neutral flavours of the Pathiri.

14. Litti

Almost resembling the batti of Dal Batti Churma from Rajasthan, Litti is popular in the states of Bihar & Jharkhand. Stuffed with sattu atta made from chickpea & barley flour on the inside, it is a dough ball made up of whole wheat flour. These dough balls are then roasted over coal & tossed in ghee. It is paired with chokha, an eggplant mash cooked in pungent mustard oil with onions, tomatoes & flavoured with spices.

15. Parotta

Flaky, crispy yet soft, a traditional parotta is a layered flatbread that originated in Southern India. It is often mistaken with the laccha paratha but the stark difference lies in its making technique. Malabar Parotta or Barota is made with maida, salt, oil & water. The crispy flakiness and layers of the parotta are created using a high amount of fat, deeming it to be one of the unhealthiest recipes ever, ideally not suited for the faint-hearted.

16. Bhakri

Made with the coarser wheat flour than the regular chapati, bhakri is mostly eaten in Maharashtra, Gujarat & Karnataka. However, the bhakris made in Gujarat are different than the ones made in Maharashtra. The texture, colour and width of the bhakris are different. The Maharashtrian Bhakris are thicker than roti but thinner than the ones made in Saurashtra and southern parts of Gujarat. The Gujarati Bhakris have a thinner layer of top which is also softer than the bottom layer. They're roasted on a clay tawa that have holes on the bottom. It is eaten with pithla or thecha in Maharashtra and curries in Karnataka & Gujarat.

17. Rotla

This is a speciality of dry regions like Rajasthan & Gujarat. Farmers used to make this bread early in the morning with a millet called Bajra. It is a gluten-free bread that is usually thickly-shaped with hands, increasing the circumference by slowly tipping the centre. It can also be rolled but the trick is to keep the dough smooth & full of moisture as it tends to crack easily. Using pearl millet flour and some salt with lukewarm water, the dough is kneaded and toasted on a clay tawa until cooked. It is served with (lehsun) garlic chutney and smeared with white homemade butter, evoking the rustic vibes.

18. Baati

Owing to the dry weather in Rajasthan, baati was first prepared in the desert region due to it long-shelf-life as it uses only minimal water. It is a hard, unleavened bread that is in the shape of a dough ball, just like litti (as mentioned above). Made with wheat flour, semolina or sooji, salt & ghee, Baati has a crispy exterior and is toasted on coals & dunked in ghee. The interior of the bhaati could feel dry and therefore is eaten with dal, garlic chutney & churma (a sweet crumbly dessert) on the side which completes the dish.

19. Thalipeeth

A savoury multi-grain flatbread that is popularly eaten in Maharashtra, is prepared from roasted grains like wheat, rice, ragi & jowar, legumes like Bengal gram & black gram, and spices like cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, salt, sugar. The dough is prepared by adding finely chopped onions, green chillies & coriander. It is generally eaten for breakfast or as a snack in Maharashtrian households. It can generally be eaten with anything but is mostly served with toop or ghee & curd. It can also be made in variations like sabudana thalipeeth & mix vegetable thalipeeth and also made using different varieties of flours.

20. Thepla

A fresh fenugreek flatbread that sees its origin from Gujarat, thepla is made with wheat flour, sometimes with the addition of chickpea & millet flour. It is enjoyed as a breakfast, with an afternoon tea or even for lunch or dinner. It is one of those flatbreads that can last longer if made with milk instead of water & stored in an air-tight container. It is also eaten with chunda (a sweet, grated mango pickle) or dipped in curd on a hot day. It is very different from the methi or fenugreek paratha as thepla is thinner than a paratha.

21. Taftan

Originated in Iran, taftan is leavened bread made with milk, yoghurt, and eggs and is baked in a clay oven or a normal oven. It is often flavoured with saffron and a small amount of cardamom powder and decorated with poppy seeds. It looks almost like naan, but is flakier, thicker yet lighter in texture, this bread is a part of Awadhi cuisine.

22. Rumali Roti

Also called Manda, Rumali roti is famous is India & Pakistan and is devoured with tandoori meats & curries. There's an art to making these rotis as they are paper thin & called be folded like a handkerchief or rumal, as the name suggests but it is soft and chewy at the same time. It is made using a mix of wheat & maida flour & kneaded with salt and milk. It is cooked on an inverted wok and is often served as is without adding ghee or butter.

23. Chochwor

A Kashmiri bread, Chochwor resembles a bagel, it has a soft centre, with a hole in the middle and is sprinkled with poppy seeds. It is devoured with the salty noon chai in the afternoons. It is like a desi doughnut, soft round bread sprinkled with til (sesame seeds) or poppy seeds and the lower crust is crispy. It is devoured during the evenings with a cup of chai and slathered with butter or jam.

24. Mangalore Buns

Resembling the deep-fried process of the pooris, Mangalore buns are quite different in most ways. It is a popular breakfast or tea time snacks in the coastal region of Karnataka. These buns were a result of overripe bananas in kitchen which were then added to flour & deep-fried! (can you recall the recently trending banana bread in the West? And, we were gung-ho about that when we should've started making the Mangalorean bun instead!) These buns are mildly sweet, soft and fluff up just like pooris. They're also called banana buns.

25. Ladi Pav

The name comes from the way it is arranged & baked; exactly like a repetitive pattern in a tile. Some say the origin of Ladi Pav came from the Muslim trader communities who lived in the Western & Northern parts of India. Other say, it came from the Portuguese & some say the Iranis. Earlier the pavs were fermented using toddy as there was no presence of yeast seen at the time. But now, these ladi pavs have become a part of our food culture and are used to complete dishes like Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav, Keema Pav, Misal Pav, akuri etc. They look similar to the dinner rolls of the west but have a distinct flavour and can be made without eggs too.

26. Khoba Roti

Although a traditional bread from the royal city of Jodhpur, it is one of the most underrated breads in India. Khoba is a Marwari word that literally translates to cavity or depression (lowering something down with pressure) just like a piece of good focaccia bread. It is relatively a thick roti, made with wheat flour and loaded with ghee. It is cooked on a low flame on a gas tandoor to give it a crispy exterior. The khoba roti acts as a plate when it is served with spicy, semi-dry curries along with some chutney. It is mostly eaten with vegetable curries rather than non-vegetarian ones as it can get really heavy.

27. Pitha

Pitha is a rice cake from Eastern Indian states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and also Kerala. It is called Bhapa Pitha in Assam and is made on special occasions like Bihu and is made with a particular rice called, Bora Sual. In some regions, it is also made with wheat flour. Pithas are made in both sweet and savoury versions. The sweet ones are made with jaggery, coconut and dry fruit filling pursed in a rice/wheat flour dough. The savoury ones contain vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, potato or radish. It is with deep-fried, baked, slow-roasted or steamed in banana leaves. It is often eaten for breakfast or as a snack along with tea.

28. Putharo

A steamed rice cake from Meghalaya, Putharo is also made of rice flour, powdered jaggery & grated coconut. It is a Khasi snack, prepared by pounding fermented rice in a traditional mortar until powdered. It is then mixed with water and sometimes with jaggery & grated coconut and baked in a traditional pan known as 'saraw'. It can also be baked and is mostly served with Doh-nei-iong (pork with black sesame seed curry) or Doh-jem (pork with softer intestines) or tyrungbai (fermented soya bean paste).

29. Koki

A Sindhi speciality, koki is almost an everyday affair in Sindhi households. It is a rich textured paratha made with wheat flour and ghee. It is made in both sweet and savoury version. While the savoury ones are made with spices, chopped onions and coriander leaves, the sweet ones, also called Sindhi lola are made with wheat flour, jaggery syrup & sugar. It is such a forgiving bread that if you aren't able to roll it out in perfect shape, it's a charm. The taste lies in the slow-cooking of the imperfectly edged dough that is flavourful and attractive at the same time.

30. Akki Roti

Popular in the state of Karnataka, Akki roti is a rice-based breakfast item made of rice flour which is mixed with salt and water and kneaded well till it forms a soft dough. This flatbread can also be made in various versions, with grated vegetables or by completely avoiding it, with cooked rice or with dill leaves. Each of these versions is equally tasty and worth a try if you're pressed for time.

31. Chilla

A chickpea flour pancake, chilla is often eaten as a snack with chutney or tea. The best part about chilla is that one can add any number of ingredients in it or none at all. It can be made based on preferences but is mostly made with onions, green chillies, tomatoes and salt mixed in the chickpea batter. It is placed on a tawa and needs only about 5 minutes to cook, making it an easy and quick snack recipe.

32. Missi Roti

A popular Punjabi recipe, missi roti is a flatbread made with chickpea flour using a clay oven or cooktop. It is a recipe that is frequently made during the winter season and can also be made with half-part whole wheat flour. Do not confuse missi roti with makki roti; the latter is made with maize flour. Missi roti is loaded with spices like carom seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, onions, ginger, green chillies and coriander. It is basically a masala roti, laden with generous amounts of ghee.

33. Girda

Kashmir's most popular & loved bread is a fermented, medium-sized round loaf that is cooked on a tandoor and served warm with butter or jam as a breakfast routine. It is a pitted bread with a crunchy exterior and a soft centre.

34. Dosa

A rice & lentil batter makes one of India's favourite street food, Dosa! Everyone loves the good ol' dosa, whether crispy or soft, with masala (potato, curry leaves, mustard seeds heavy mixture) or without, with chutney or just as is. From kids to adults, it is one of the most eaten breakfasts after Idli. The batter is made by soaking rice, poha (flattened rice), urad dal, fenugreek seeds in water and blending it the next morning. The consistency of the batter needs to be thick yet runny for a perfect dosa! Streets of Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi sell dosas in more than 100 varieties- from plain to paper, masala to schezwan, podi to cheese, paneer to Maggi, Pav bhaji to noodle-laden, name it and it's available.

35. Roth

Usually a one-meter long & two and a half meters wide, this Kashmiri bread is baked and garnished with dry fruits and Vark. Mostly given as a gift during weddings, these cookies are first offered to the Gods & then distributed among family members. 'Punn Duen', a ritual of making these cookies comes every once a year, in most Kashmiri homes. The utensils used to make these cookies are not used to make anything else. They're are stacked away once these cookies are made, keeping up the sacrilegious tradition intact.

36. Khura

A buckwheat pancake from Arunachal Pradesh, khura is savoured with tea made from yak milk. Along with water and salt, the traditional recipe uses a Tibetan beer, called Chang to form the dough. It is then baked in a clay oven. But, in other parts of the country and in some homes in Arunachal Pradesh too, it is made without the beer. It's basically like an instant pancake made with buckwheat flour.