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Bread is a staple food in India, neck to neck with Rice. Normally referred to as Roti, in the local dialect, the surge in the growth of the cereals and grains has led to this roti being formed and shaped into many different varieties. Each variety differing from the other in the ingredients used in the preparation, shape, size, texture and the most important one of all, the taste. The method of cooking for these rotis differs all across the Indian sub continent with the roti generally being composed of flour made from wheat, rice, corn or lentils. The different forms of roti have all been given unique identifiers such as Phulka, Chapati, Parathas, Rumali, Naan, Puri, Phefras, Do-patris and Bhatia.
Most of the Indian bread varieties are composed of wheat and they can be segmented further into three kinds: Breads roasted on a griddle, bread that is friend and the bread that is baked.
The roasted version is the most popular form of the Indian bread, known as the chapatti. This kind of bread is made of unleavened flour and water, with the dough being kneaded and the bread being rolled out of it. The bread is sometimes puffed out by dropping it on the hot coals for a few minutes, the end result being a Phulka. There are times when the bread is kneaded with milk and water and is very thin; these are called the Khakras in Western India. The other variant of the roasted bread is the Rumali where the dough is kneaded, stretched and then tossed into the air several times before being roasted.
Fried breads, which are equally popular in India, refer to the breads which are shallow fried in fat after being rolled out into a triangular or a square shaped size. At times certain seasonal vegetables including potatoes or fenugreek seeds are kneaded into the dough and then fried; these kinds of breads are identified as Parathas. The other kind of fried bread is the puri, which is round, puffy and deep fried in oil. The flavor of the Puri is enhanced at times with the adding of a few poppy seeds or lentils and is generally served during the festive seasons. The hugely popular South Indian variety is the Dosa, created from a batter of rice and Urad dal, the batter is spread on an oiled pan and then fried.
Certain types of Indian bread are baked in either the modern electric ovens or the Indian styled clay ovens called the Tandoor. The Naan is a perfect example for baked bread; its dough is leavened first before being baked in the Tandoor. At times the nigella seeds or the saffron water is used to give the Naan a distinct flavor by adding it to the dough. The taste of the Naan could be made to vary by the addition of garlic paste, dates, cottage cheese [paneer] as well as almonds to the dough.
Indian breads are always accompanied by vegetables, sweet dishes as well as curries. For many an Indian, the bread is one of the main staple foods, with most of the Indian households partaking bread during all the three meals of the day. The Indian breads consist of complex carbohydrates as well as dietary fiber; therefore the consumption of it makes for quite a nutritious and wholesome meal.
