I am typing this out timorously because I know I am going to put my foot in (the dough?) when it comes to describing the differences between the breads, and my ignorance begins to show. But I feel the list won't be complete (for me) without our Indian breads. So here goes…
Our traditional breads in India are of the unleavened variety. The generic name for bread is called Roti (pronounced roeti). Roti is unleavened - a chapatti is a Roti. If you want to buy the kind of bread/rolls of the West, in India you ask for "Double Roti". I don't why double.
Then there are the kinds of breads that are not cooked in the homes of India but they are ever present in an Indian meal at a hotel. They are :-
Nan - pronounced naan, the dough is stuck to the side of the tandoor (oven) and when it is done it falls of and cooks a bit on the charcoal in the oven. Apart from that what I know about this bread is if not eaten fresh you have bare you teeth and pull like a dog to bite into it.
Kulcha - this is the sibling of a nan. The difference that I know of is a Kulcha has Onion and Corriander stuck on top of it and is shaped round. Where as Naan doesn't and is triangular.
Roomali Roti - This is a bread with a character. I like it cos it is light on the stomach. "Roomal" means handkerchief. And Roomali is "Handkerchief like" . The Roti spread out by twirling the hands on top of the head. Then it is dropped on the bottom of a pot that is placed upside down on the fire. And there it cooks. The roti is so thin that you can see through it. And when served it is folded like one folds a handkerchief.
Paratha - This is made in the homes of India. What makes a Paratha different from the rest is it is stuffed with Potato or white radish or cauliflower. It is thick with the stuffing inside it and a meal in its self. It needs a lot of oil and not exactly up Health Street, and that is the reason why it is so tasty
Puri - (pronounced poorie) Get the most marks for taste and the least marks for health. It is deep fried in oil. And when dough (made from wheat) is put on oil the air inside expands and the Puri swells in to a ball. A Puri also has character - of a different kind.
P.S I made the mistake of spell checking this, Shakespeare the Spell Checker went beserk with all the Indian words.
