Rotis, naans, parathas, puris -- master the secret to making fine Indian breads.
Cookbook author Dr G Padma's latest book Indian Breads is a treasure trove of traditional Indian recipes.
From parathas to puris, the book comprises recipes of the choicest Indian flatbreads from across the country.
We bring you some interesting recipes from the book.
Kacha Aam Paratha
Toasted raw mango flatbread
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 4 mins
Kacha aam paratha is an unleavened, tangy, innovative flatbread prepared with seasonal raw mangoes.
Ingredients for 2 parathas
- 1 cup grated raw mango
- 1 cup wholewheat flour
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
- A pinch of salt or to taste
Method
- Make the dough and roll it out.
- Toast each paratha in a non-stick pan on medium heat, till golden brown on both sides.
- Serve hot with any curry or dal.
Nutritive values for 1 paratha: Calories: 200.0kcal; Carbohydrates: 40.9g; Protein: 6.6g; Fat: 0.99g; Minerals: 1.7g; Fibre: 1.8g.
Shahi Sabji Paratha
Pan-fried flatbread with mixed vegetable filling
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Shahi vegetable paratha is an unleavened, traditional, Mughlai flatbread stuffed with mixed vegetables.
Ingredients for 2 parathas
The filling
- 2 tbsp cashew nuts
- 2 cups chopped vegetables (carrot, green pea, cabbage, capsicum, cauliflower)
- A pinch of salt or to taste
- 2 tsp ghee
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
- 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
To prepare the parathas
- Dough to make 2 sada parathas
- 2 tsp ghee
Method
- Soak the cashew nuts in water for one hour and grind them with little water.
- Pressure-cook the vegetables with a little salted water (just enough to cover), on low heat for two minutes after the cooker reaches full pressure.
- Drain thoroughly and mash well.
- Heat the ghee and sauté the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste for a minute.
- Add the cashew nut paste and sauté for a few mins.
- Stir in the garam masala powder and sauté for a second.
- Mix in the mashed vegetables and cook, till the mixture is dry.
- Divide the filling into 2 portions and leave aside, till cool.
- Divide the dough into 2 portions and shape them into balls.
- Make the parathas and pan-fry them.
- Serve hot with any curry or dal.
Nutritive values for 1 paratha: Calories: 388.0kcal; Carbohydrates: 48.5g; Protein: 12.5g; Fat: 20.9g; Minerals: 2.7g; Fibre: 3.5g.
Cheese Paratha
Pan-fried flatbread with cheese filling
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins
Cheese paratha is an unleavened, traditional flatbread, stuffed with cheese slices.
Ingredients for 2 parathas
- Dough to make 2 sada parathas
- 2 tsp oil
The filling
- 4 cheese slices
- 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
Method
- Roll out the dough and make the parathas.
- Pan-fry each paratha with 1 tsp oil.
- Serve hot with any curry or dal.
Nutritive values for 1 paratha: Calories: 382.0kcal; Carbohydrate: 37.7g; Protein: 15.9g; Fat: 13.6g; Minerals: 3.1g; Fibre: 1.1g.
Healthy modifications: Use low-fat cheese.
Cheese-Paneer-Lal Mirch Paratha
Cheese-paneer-chilli roll
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 4 mins
Cheese-paneer-lal mirch paratha is an unleavened roll, filled with cheese, paneer and chilli flakes and is on several restaurant menus.
Ingredients for 2 rolls
- 2 hot sada parathas
The filling
- 4 tsp cheese spread
- 4 tsp grated paneer
- 2 tsp red chilli flakes
- 2 tsp mixed herbs (rosemary, thyme, sweet basil, sage), chopped
Method
- Lay the parathas on a flat work surface.
- Spread 2 tsp cheese spread and 2 tsp paneer evenly over each paratha.
- Sprinkle the chilli flakes and herbs on top.
- Gently roll the parathas and serve immediately with any curry or dal.
Nutritive values for 1 roll: Calories: 309.0kcal; Carbohydrate: 35.7g; Protein: 10.9g; Fat: 13.0g; Minerals: 2.3g; Fibre: 1.1g.
Healthy modifications
- Use low-fat cheese.
- Use low-fat paneer made with skimmed milk.
Tandlachi Bhakri
Plain rice flatbread
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins
Tandlachi Bhakri is an unleavened, traditional, Marathi flatbread.
Ingredients for 4 bhakris
- A pinch of salt or to taste
- 1 cup rice flour
- 2 tsp home-made white butter
Method
- Dissolve the salt in 3/4 cup of water in a large pan and bring to a boil.
- Prepare the dough.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions and shape them into balls.
- Roll out a portion of the dough on a lightly floured board into a 4"- 5" circle.
- Put a non-stick pan on medium heat and place the rolled out dough over it.
- Sprinkle a little water over the surface and cook, till the water evaporates.
- Flip it directly over the flame and cook, till it puffs up.
- Flip it over again and cook the other side, till it puffs up.
- Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.
- Smear each bhakri with 1/2 tsp of butter.
- Serve hot with any curry or dal.
Nutritive values for 1 bhakri: Calories: 105.0kcal; Carbohydrates: 19.6g; Protein: 1.7g; Fat: 2.2g; Minerals: 0.21g; Fibre: 0.1g.
Healthy modifications
- Replace butter with vegetable oil.
- Avoid smearing the bhakris with butter. This will reduce 2g fat and 19kcal from each bhakri.
Rice Puri
Fried rice flatbread
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins
Rice puris are served in Kerala.
Ingredients for 10 puris
- A pinch of salt or to taste
- 1 cup rice flour
- Oil for deep-frying
Method
- Boil one cup of water in a pan and dissolve the salt in it.
- Prepare the dough.
- Roll out each ball on a lightly floured board or press it on a greased plastic sheet into a 2" to 3" circle.
- Heat the oil in a kadhai or wok and fry the puris.
- Serve hot with any south Indian chutney.
Nutritive values for 1 puri: Calories: 53.0kcal; Carbohydrate: 6.7g; Protein: 0.64g; Fat: 2.6g; Minerals: 0.1g; Fibre: 0.1g.
Biyyamu Roti
Spicy rice flatbread
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins
Biyyamu roti is an unleavened, traditional, Andhra flatbread.
Ingredients for 6 rotis
- 2 tbsp husked, split Bengal gram (chana dal)
- A pinch of salt or to taste
- 1 cup rice flour
- 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut
- 4 green chillies, minced
- 2 onions, minced
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 6 tsp oil
Method
- Wash the dal and soak it in water for 1 hour. Drain.
- Dissolve the salt in 5 tbsp of hot water.
- Combine all the ingredients, except the salt water and oil, in a bowl.
- Add the salt water gradually and knead it for about 5 to10 mins to make a smooth dough.
- Divide the dough into 6 portions and shape them into balls.
- Press each ball on a greased plastic sheet into a 6" circle.
- Put a non-stick pan on medium heat and invert the plastic sheet over it so that the roti slips on to the pan.
- Drizzle 1/2 tsp oil around the edges.
- When the base is golden, flip it over, spoon 1/2 tsp oil over the edges again and cook on medium heat, till the other side is golden.
- Repeat with the remaining portions of the dough.
- Serve hot with any south Indian curry.
Nutritive values for 1 roti: Calories: 164.0kcal; Carbohydrate: 19.4g; Protein: 3.1g; Fat: 8.2g; Minerals: 0.55g. Fibre: 0.71g.
Healthy modifications
- Limit the use of fresh coconut.
- Toast the roti in a non-stick pan without oil. This will reduce 5g fat and 45kcal from each flatbread.
- Use rotis made with brown rice flour or replace half the white rice flour with brown rice flour.
Brown Rice Roti
Brown rice flatbread
Preparation time: 20 mins; Cooking time: 12 mins
Brown rice roti is an unleavened, innovative flatbread made with cooked brown rice and brown rice flour.
It is nutritious, but takes longer to cook than refined rice.
Method
- Cook the rice for 10 to 15 mins in a pressure cooker on low heat after the cooker reaches full pressure.
- The roti too, takes longer to cook than those made with white rice.
- Use brown rice instead of white rice and prepare 4 rotis.
- Serve them with a peanut or garlic chutney.
Nutritive values for 1 roti: Calories: 100.0kcal; Carbohydrates: 20.9g; Protein: 1.9g; Fat: 0.77g; Minerals: 1.0g; Fibre: 1.3g.
Mutton Flatbreads
Mutton flatbreads are popular in Punjabi, Mughlai and Kerala cuisines.
In Punjab, they are made with wholewheat flour, whereas Mughlai cuisine uses refined flour. In Kerala, they are made with rice flour and refined wheat flour.
Mutton flatbreads can be one-dish meals, as they offers good-quality macro and micro nutrients.
It provides calories, fats, protein, phosphorus, potassium, chloride, sodium, iron, zinc, iodine and various other essential trace minerals, along with the vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
Select lean meat cuts (tenderloin, chump chops and leg) rather than those high in saturated fat and cholesterol. The loin is above the belly and the chump is before the hind leg.
Kheema Naan
Baked flatbread with mince filling
Preparation time: 25 mins; Cooking time: 40 mins
Kheema Naan is an unleavened, traditional flatbread made with refined wheat flour and stuffed with spicy minced mutton.
Ingredients for 2 naans
For filling
- 1 tbsp oil
- 100 g lean mutton, minced
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 tomato, chopped fine
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic-green chilly paste
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 cup of chopped leafy green vegetables (spinach, fenugreek, mustard)
- A pinch of salt or to taste
The naan
- 1 tsp dried yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp warm milk
- 1 and 1/2 cup refined wheat flour
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil
- A pinch of salt
Method
Kheema stuffing
- Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and sauté the minced mutton for a few minutes.
- Add onion, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and sauté for a minute.
- Add 1 cup of chopped leafy green vegetable. Add tomato.
- Add 1 cup of water and pressure-cook on low heat for 20 minutes after the cooker reaches full pressure.
- Open the cooker when it returns to normal pressure.
- Add garam masala powder and salt and cook, till the contents are dry.
- Divide the filling into 2 portions and leave aside, till cool.
The naan
- Add yeast and sugar to the warm milk and leave it aside for about 10 mins, till it froths up.
- Mix the flour, yogurt, ghee or oil and salt in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture and mix well.
- To prepare a leavened dough. Knead the contents for 15 to 20 mins to make a smooth dough.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and leave it aside for about 1 hour to rise.
- Knead it again for 5 to 10 mins and leave it aside for another 20 to 30 mins, till the dough is double in volume.
Stuffing process
- Divide the dough into 2 portions and shape them into balls.
- Roll out a portion of the dough on a lightly floured board into a 3" circle.
- Place a portion of the filling in the centre and pull up the dough from around it to cover the filling.
- Gently seal the edges with moist fingertips.
- Bake them in a clay, electric or gas tandoor, till golden on both sides.
- Serve them hot with yogurt, onion slices, lime wedges and any dal.
Nutritive values for 1 naan: Calories: 487.0kcal; Carbohydrate: 49.1g; Protein: 17.9g; Fat: 24.6g; Minerals: 2.0g; Fibre: 1.5g.
Excerpted and published with the kind permission of Westland Books. Click here to buy the book!
