Different types of rotis made in India and why they are unique

The Indian staple Roti is an unleavened flatbread and has several variants through the length and breadth of the country. Made with wheat flour, it is wholsome and helathy and is often a staple in Indian households. It has many varieties and is relished best when a dollop of butter is added to it.

This is prepared everyday in many of the households, especially in North India. It is made using whole wheat flour and is cooked on the tawa which is a flat skillet. The word chapati comes from the Hindi language which means a slap. It is called chapati because the dough is slapped between the hands during the preparation. It is a round, flat unleavened bread.

Makki means corn and this roti is made using maize flour or yellow corn flour. This gives a yellow hue to this roti. It is made on tawa and is served with piping hot sarson ka saag. Makki ki roti and sarson da saag is a classic dish of Punjab.

It is a famous dish of Karnataka, akki means rice and this roti is prepared with rice flour. Not only rice flour, it also has grated vegetables and loads of spices. It is served with chutney and nothing else is needed with this.

This Maharashtrian chapati is made with two different kinds of flours- bajra and jowar. Along with flour it also has rice, chickpea, chana and spices in it. Some people also add vegetables in this which makes it wholesome and healthy. Thalipeeth is served with yogurt or ghee. It is also very popular in some parts of Karnataka.

This Rajasthani speciality is very similar to chapati as it has the same ingredients. Missi roti has many spices in it like red chili powder, cumin seed powder and turmeric powder which are added to the dough. Serve this flavorsome roti with any gravy or vegetable.

It is a very common food item during the navratri fast. It is made with buckwheat flour and potatoes. The best part of this roti is that it is gluten free which makes it healthier.

These are made with wheat flour and are a meal in itself. There are two types of parathas plain and stuffed. The stuffings can be of any vegetables but the most common is aloo paratha, other stuffings include cauliflower, onion, radish, egg and paneer. You can have it with butter, curd or just as it is.

It is a thin soft roti which can be folded like a handkerchief also called ‘rumal’in Hindi. This roti is quite popular in Awadhi, Mughlai and Hyderabadi cuisine. It is made from whole wheat and refined flour and is white in colour. It goes best with gravy.

Jaggery roti is an absolute delight to eat in winters. These gur rotis are small and a little thick flat breads. They are made with gur and whole wheat flour. These are commonly known as meethi roti and kids love them.