Breaking Bread Indian Style in 2020

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Indian foods are becoming so popular many of them have gone mainstream this year.  Indian breads are one of the best examples of the reason why because even the most reluctant bread eater will love them. Here are the most popular with their history and the reason why.

One of the most irresistible  is Paratha.   Paratha is so flakey it is like eating dessert so its tempting to eat an entire stack.  During Ramadan, Muslims from the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) actually do this at breakfast to pack in the calories for the day of fasting.   The comparison to pastry is proven out in Myanmar (Burma), where a dessert version called ‘palata’  is covered with white sugar to sweeten it.  It appears to be a relative of the puff pastry, the Palmier.

Paratha originated in the Indian subcontinent because of the availability of wheat.  It is still popular in all areas of India (Kerala,Tamil Nadu in the south particularly) and the adjoining Pakistan, once part of India.  The name translates into “layers (part) of cooked dough (parat).”  It is pan fried in ghee or cooking oil.

The variety of filling, paratha breakfasts include using them as a wrap for paneer (Indian cheese), vegetables, usually boiled potatoes, radish or cauliflower.  Pickles and yoghurt are usually served with them.   Parathas can also be rolled into a cylinder and dipped into tea in the afternoon.  They are popular as an evening street food snack in northern India.

Appams, which are even more like pancakes have their own category on the menu.

Pappadums, the light, airy irregularly shaped crackers, for breaking and dipping into  sauces, are usually on the table for nibbling before a meal.  The highly flavored lentil pappards are imported from India and toasted in the tandoor.  The wheat-free rice pappards pair perfectly for the classic Indian chutneys.

Other tandoor-baked breads that can be dipped into sauce or with a dish, include the Tandoori Roti and Chapati and light, Classic Naan, fluffy, puffy and yet chewy, which can also be ordered with Garlic or onion.

Fried to a golden crisp, samosas have gone mainstream in the past few years, with many commercial companies boxing them for the home cook.  They are most often stuffed with potatoes and peas.  Different dipping sauces can make provide a  crispy and tangy taste at the same time.