Breads From India

Chapati is made and eaten almost everyday in most Indian houses. It is made from whole wheat flour and can be eaten ever a few hours after it is made though it is tastier when it is served hot.

Ingredients for making Chapati:

• Whole Wheat flour: 2 cups


• Salt 1/2 teaspoon or to taste


• Oil 1 tbsp


• Water - to make a dough

1. Mix wheat flour, salt, oil well. Add water as needed and form a ball of dough. Keep aside for 20-30 minutes.


2. Divide the dough in big lime sized balls.
3. Sprinkle a little flour on the board. Roll the ball in to a round using the rolling pin.


4. Smear a little oil on the surface of that small round. Fold in half and again in half. it will form a triangle.


5. Roll this triangle in a big triangle or round. You will get this with practice.


6. Heat a girdle and roast the chapati on it on both sides till light brown spots appear on it. When you turn the other side, the chapati will puff up like a baloon. That means your chapati has come out well and will be soft to eat.


7. Serve hot with the curry/chutney/pickle/salad of your choice.

Phulka: Phulka means to puff up in Hindi language. This is the leaner version of chapati.It doesn't contain any oil so is good for those who are restricting their fat intake. It is easier to make and should be eaten hot.

To make phulka , you need:

Whole wheat flour : 2 cups
Salt : to taste
Water : to form a dough.

Method: Mix flour, salt together. Add water little by little to form a a ball. Knead well. Keep aside for 20-30 minutes.

Divide the dough in big lime sized balls. Sprinkle a little dry flour on the board and roll out in to a round with a rolling pin.

Heat a girdle. Place the round on it. Let it cook for a few seconds. Turn the phulka to the other side. Let it cook till it gets a few brown spots.

Remove it from the girdle and place it directly on the flame, golden spot side up. It will puff up in to a ball. Use tongs to take it off fire and it is ready to eat. Make other phulkas in the same way. Serve hot with curry/chutney/pickle/salad of your choice. Place the phulkas one over the other and keep them covered if you are going to eat them a bit later. They will remain soft.

Poori is a deep fried bread, mostly round in shape. It is made with whole wheat flour, plain flour. I always use whole wheat flour which is healthier. Semolina or gram flour is added sometimes to make the pooris crisp. But that is optional. If you want softer pooris, use plain flour.

There is a variety of poori made. Vegetables like potatos, spinach are mixed with the flour. It makes Pooris tastier and healthier too.

Though Poori is a fried bread, it is ok to eat it occasionally. Poori is generally served with a potato subji as you can see in the picture here.
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For making the Basic Plain Poori we need:

Whole wheat flour or plain flour : 1 cup.
Salt : 1/4 teaspoon or to taste.
Water : for making dough.
Oil : 1 tbsp + for deep frying.

Preparation: Mix well flour, salt, 1 tbsp oil. Add water as needed and form a tight dough ball. Knead well and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Divide the dough in to lime sized balls. Using a board and a rolling pin, roll out the ball into a flat round(about 2-3" dia). Deep fry in the hot oil. The poori will puff up. Turn the poori. Let cook on the other side. Remove from oil and drain well. Serve hot with curries, pickle, jam.

Poori goes very well with potato curry or other vegetable curries. It is best when eaten hot but you can also take it as a picnic lunch.

Though it is deep fried, I think it is ok to eat it once in a while. It is that good.
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Potato Poori

For potato Poori we need:

Wholewheat flour - 2 cups
Medium sized potato, boiled and grated - 1
Salt - to taste.
Oil for deep frying
Water to form dough.

Method: Mix well flour, salt, grated potato. Add water as needed and form into a dough. Keep aside for 10 minutes.

Divide into lime sized balls. Roll each ball into a thick round. Deep fry golden. This potato poori goes well with Indian mango or lime pickle.