With its signature pillowy texture, naan is the perfect companion for Northern Indian dishes like Roasted Tomato Curry w/ Chickpeas or Chicken Tikka Masala. In India, naan is viewed more as a specialty bread or a treat, and is usually eaten when dining out rather than in the home.

When it comes to roti vs naan, this leavened bread is much fluffier than its flatbread cousin and certainly wins out in popularity in Indian restaurants in the United States.

Many love to layer their roti with rich, delicious ghee (clarified butter) to infuse it with an extra burst of flavor.Ĭhapati is most commonly made on a flat tawa (cast-iron frying pan) though it can also be roasted over an open flame to create the phulka version of roti, a puffed-up balloon of airy flatbread due to the accumulation of steam. Some prefer their chapati with a splash of oil some sprinkle a healthy serving of salt. Made of a simple recipe of wheat flour and water, every household in India has its own signature take on this Indian flatbread. Whether you call it chapati or roti, this bread goes by many different names and is perhaps the most popular flatbread in India. Let’s learn about eight of the most popular Indian bread types and give you an appetizing introduction to the delicious options on offer in Indian cuisine.

Each flatbread tastes amazing on its own and also makes the perfect pairing with any creamy, meat curries or spiced vegetable dishes. There are dozens of different types of bread made all throughout the country, with each region and each household providing their own twist on a classic recipe.Īnd remember, most of the Indian breads are actually cooked on the stove, not in the oven as many European countries do. It’s just an appetizer or side dish, right? Think again.įrom toasty, paper-thin crepes to fluffy, pillowy leavened bread, the vast spectrum of bread types in India proves that this corner of Indian cuisine deserves a bigger share of the spotlight. When you think of the cuisine of India, bread might not be the first food that springs to mind.

Indian flat bread synonym