Breads from three regions
Roti, paratha and naan are shared across India and Pakistan, and you’ll find them in our Pakistani bread section. Here are three regional breads that are distinctly Indian.
The breads
- Malabar parotta: Kerala’s flaky, many-layered flatbread, stretched thin, coiled and clapped to open the layers. Perfect with curries.
- Bhature: large, puffy fried breads made with a yogurt-leavened dough, the partner of spicy chole in Delhi’s famous chole bhature.
- Methi thepla: soft Gujarati flatbreads with fenugreek, yogurt and spices that keep for days.
Tips
- Rest doughs well. Parotta especially needs at least two hours, or it won’t stretch.
- Fry bhature in very hot oil so they puff at once.
- Keep theplas soft by stacking them in a cloth after cooking.
What to serve them with
Pair parotta with Kerala fish curry or Chettinad chicken; bhature with chana masala or Lahori cholay; and thepla with pickle, yogurt or masala chai.