Chef Sanjeev Kapoor shares 16 easy Indian bread recipes one should try once in a lifetime

When we talk about Indian breads, they are not just the staple, they are also the reflection of the country’s diverse culinary heritage, where each region offers its own unique varieties of breads, which are prepared a certain way. From the soft, fluffy naan baked in tandoors to the crispy, layered parathas cooked on griddles, every bread tells a story of tradition and taste. Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor has shared recipes of 16 such breads, which are a must-try. Take a look.

Ingredients: 2 cups refined flour, 1/3 cup milk, a few saffron strands, 1 tablespoon castor sugar, butter for greasing, 1/4 teaspoon kewra water, and ghee for cooking

Method: First of all, heat milk in a non-stick pan. To this, add saffron and mix well. Set aside. Also, add castor sugar to the pan and mix till it melts. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 240ºC. Grease a baking tray with some butter. Put flour in a bowl, add sweetened milk and kewra water and knead into a soft dough. Cover with muslin cloth for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions and roll out into discs and also prick them with a fork. Place the discs on a greased baking tray and put it in the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Brush some more ghee and serve hot. (Image: Instagram/tastytraveltale)

Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup refined flour, salt to taste, 1 tablespoon oil and ghee for cooking

Method: To begin with, mix together wheat flour, refined flour, salt and oil in a bowl. Add water to knead a soft dough. Cover the dough with a damp muslin cloth and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes.Next, divide the dough into small balls and brush some ghee, dust some flour, slit on one side, roll into cones and press into roundels. Dust some flour and roll out into paranthas. Now, heat a non-stick tawa and cook the paranthas well using ghee. Serve hot with Malabari curry.

Ingredients: 2 cups refined flour, salt to taste, 1½ tablespoons oil, and milk as required

Method: Mix together flour, salt and oil in a deep mixing bowl. To this, add milk and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside. Heat a metal kadai upside down and spray some water on it. In the meantime, divide the dough into equal portions, place them on a dusted worktop and roll out into large thin discs. Place the discs on the kadai, one by one, and roast till evenly done from both the sides. Serve hot with kebabs.

Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour, salt to taste, ½ tablespoon ghee, 1 teaspoon carom seeds, and 1 teaspoon oil
Method: Mix together wheat flour, salt, ghee and caraway seeds in a bowl. Add sufficient water and knead into a semi-soft dough. Add oil and knead again till absorbed. Set aside to rest. Divide the dough into equal portions, dust with flour and roll out into large thick rotis. Heat a non-stick tawa. Place the rotis on it, one by one, and roast for 1-2 minutes on each side. Pinch to make impressions from the edges till the centre and roast for 1-2 minutes on each side. Transfer on direct heat and roast for a few seconds. Drizzle some ghee on top and serve hot. (Image: Instagram/passionandprofession)

Ingredients: 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon dried yeast, 3 tablespoons castor sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tablespoons fennel powder, salt to taste, and 2 tablespoons ghee
Method: First of all, add yeast in a bowl along with 3 tablespoons of warm water and ½ tablespoon castor sugar, mix and set aside to activate. Mix together milk and remaining castor sugar in another bowl. Sift together wheat flour, fennel powder and salt in the bowl. Add activated yeast and ghee, mix and knead into a soft dough. Set aside in a warm place to prove. Also, preheat the oven to 180˚C. Knock back the dough, divide into equal portions and flatten into thick rotis. Transfer on a baking tray, put in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

Ingredients: 4 cups refined flour, 1 tablespoon castor sugar, salt to taste, 1 tablespoon milk powder, 1½ tablespoons activated yeast, butter as required, and milk for brushing

Method: First of all, mix together flour, castor sugar, salt and milk powder in a bowl. Add yeast, mix and knead to a soft dough using water as required. Dust worktop with some flour, place the dough on it and knead again. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside to prove for 15-20 minutes. Dust the platform with some more flour, place the proved dough on it and knock back. Apply some butter, knead again and shape into a cylinder. Divide the dough into equal portions and shape into balls. Grease a baking tray with some butter and dust with some flour. Place the balls in it, cover with damp muslin cloth and set aside to prove for 20-25 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180˚ C. Brush with some milk, put the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with bhaji and salad.

Ingredients: 1½ cups refined flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, a pinch of soda bicarbonate, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 cup yogurt, and 2 cups of oil


Method: Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add yogurt, water as required and knead to a soft dough. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and knead once again. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside to rest for 1 hour. Divide the dough into equal portions, grease with some oil and roll out into thin discs. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Deep-fry the bhature until they turn golden brown and serve hot with chole, salad, and pickle.

Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup gram flour, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt to taste, 1/2 cup chopped fresh fenugreek leaves (methi), 1 teaspoon ginger-green chilli paste, ¼ cup yogurt, and 2 tablespoons oil

Method: Mix together wheat flour, gram flour, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, fenugreek leaves, ginger-green chilli paste, yogurt and oil in a bowl and knead into a semi-soft dough. Now, divide the dough into equal portions, and roll out into thin discs or theplas. Heat a non-stick tawa. Place a thepla on it and roast, basting with oil, till evenly done from both the sides. Serve hot with pickles.

Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour, salt to taste, 1 tablespoon oill and water as required

Method: Mix together flour, salt and 2-3 tablespoons of water in a bowl and knead into a soft dough. Add oil and knead. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions and roll out thin rotis. Heat a non-stick tawa. Drizzle some water on it, place the rotis on it and roast till evenly done from both the sides. Apply some oil on the rotis and serve hot with gravy of your choice.

Ingredients: 1¾ cups refined flour, salt to taste, a pinch of castor sugar, 1 tablespoon activated yeast, 2 tablespoons yogurt, ½ cup milk, 1 tablespoon oil, 2 tbsp onion seeds, and ghee for brushing
Method: To make this roti, first of all preheat the oven to 180˚ C. Mix together flour, salt and castor sugar in a bowl. Add activated yeast, yogurt and mix again. Add milk and knead into a soft dough. Add oil and knead. Dust a bowl with some flour, transfer the dough in it and cover with a damp muslin cloth. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes. Knock back the dough, divide into equal portions and roll out into discs on a dusted worktop. Grease a baking tray with some oil, place discs on it and press all over with fingers. Brush with some milk, sprinkle some onion seeds and brush with some ghee. Put the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Brush with some more ghee and serve hot. (Image: Instagram/nusratsfood)

Ingredients: 1 cup besan, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon chaat masala, 1 teaspoon dried pomegranate seeds, 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves, 1 medium onion, 1 tablespoon oil, salt to taste, and ghee for greasing

Method: Mix together gram flour, wheat flour, turmeric powder, chaat masala, dried pomegranate seeds, green chillies, coriander leaves, onions, oil and salt in a bowl. Add water, little by little and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a muslin cloth and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200º C. Dust the worktop with some wheat flour. Divide the dough into equal portions and flatten the portions to shape into small discs. Grease a baking tray with some ghee. Transfer the rotis on the tray and brush with ghee. Put the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 5-6 minutes. Top with butter and serve hot with mooli ki sabzi.

Ingredients: 2 cups cornmeal, 2½ tablespoons whole wheat flour, salt to taste, 1 tablespoon ghee, and oil for cooking


Method: Mix together cornmeal, wheat flour, salt and 1 tablespoon ghee in a bowl. Add warm water as required, little by little, and knead into a stiff dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions. Grease a polythene sheet with some oil, place portions on one side and bring the other side to flatten and shape into thick rotis. Cook the rotis on a non-stick tawa using enough oil or ghee. Serve hot with sarson da saag and gur on the side.

Ingredients: 1½ cups refined flour, salt to taste, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon castor sugar, 1 tablespoon melted butter, ¼ cup milk, and 2 tablespoons onion seeds (kalonji)

Method: First of all, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Add castor sugar, butter and milk, mix well and knead into soft dough with water as required.
Cover with a muslin cloth and set aside for 40 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200˚C. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and roll out into kulchas using a rolling pin. Transfer kulchas to a baking tray, baste with butter and sprinkle onion seeds over the kulchas. Put the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes, basting with butter after 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with white matar or veggies of your choice.

Ingredients: 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour, 2 green chillies, ½ teaspoon carom seeds, ½ teaspoon dried pomegranate seeds, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander, 1 small onion, 2 tablespoons ghee, salt to taste, and 2 tablespoons fresh cream

Method: Mix together flour, green chillies, carom seeds, pomegranate seeds, coriander, onions, 1 tablespoon ghee, salt and fresh cream in a bowl. Add water little by little and knead into stiff dough. Cover with a moist muslin cloth and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions, dust in flour and roll out into thin discs called kokis. Heat a non-stick pan. Cook each koki till evenly cooked from both sides. Apply ½ tablespoon ghee on both sides, gently pressing with a flat spatula. Serve hot.

Ingredients: 1 cup jowar flour, ½ tablespoon oil, and water
Method: Add jowar atta to a parat along with water. Knead to a soft dough. Add oil and knead again. Cover with a muslin cloth and set aside. Divide the dough in equal portions, dust flour on the worktop. Roll into discs using palms. Heat a non-stick tawa and place the prepared bhakri on it. Sprinkle some water, spread it around with fingers. Heat for 2 minutes and flip. Flip it over directly on flame, allow it to rise a little. Set aside. Serve with onion and lemon quarters.

Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour, ¼ cup semolina, salt to taste, 2 tablespoons oil and oil for deep-frying
Method: Mix together flour, semolina, salt and oil along with water as required. Knead into stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside to rest for 10-15 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions, dip a little in oil and roll out into puris. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Deep-fry the puris till golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with aloo bhaji.

Images Courtesy: istock