While naan (please don’t call it naan bread) is most popular outside India, there are many varieties of Indian bread, such as aloo paratha, puri and thepla. Chapati, an everyday flatbread sometimes called roti, is a staple in North Indian cooking, and you’ll find versions of it in the cuisines of Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the Caribbean. Like tortillas, they are very versatile.
Some pancake recipes only call for water and pancake flour or Atta, In Hindi it means finely ground wheat flour; others add a little oil or ghee and salt. This is the creation of the late chef Rebecca Collerton, who served pancakes at her popular Brooklyn pop-up Mr. Curry, using a flour mix and swapping the oil for yogurt. Makes a soft dough. If you have traditional whole wheat flour on hand, it will work just fine, but for authentic homemade pancakes, look for shabati atta, a high-gluten variety.
Colleton’s tip is simple: Letting the dough rest is an important part of prep time; it allows the gluten to relax, so don’t rush it. Pancakes are traditionally cooked on a griddle called a tawa, but a cast-iron griddle works well too. If you have a stovetop skillet, you can make several at a time. When cooking pancakes, look for some brown spots on one side before turning the flatbread over. For added richness, smooth them with ghee.
and Sweet and Sour Tomato Chutney, curry meatballs, Beet and Carrot Salad with Curry Sauce and Pistachios, Five spice riceand Scallion Herb Yogurt Sauce.