12 Indian Breads You’ll Want to Tear, Wrap and Scoop With

When it comes to South Asian food, roti and naan seem to get all of the fame and glory, but there are a bounty of lesser-known breads that hail from the Indian subcontinent, which are just as worthy of knowing. The cuisine is lauded for its large variety of leavened and unleavened flatbreads that serve as accompaniments to rich tomato-based curries, saucy chicken tikka masala, fragrant daals and creamy spiced yogurt. Here’s the lowdown on the different types of traditional Indian breads, plus details and recipes on how to prepare them at home.

A dosa is a savory crepe with a spicy potato filling, commonly served with chutney and a brothy vegetable stew, called sambar. The popular South Indian street food often appears on Indian restaurant menus, but it's simple enough to prepare at home, too. The crepe is made from a fermented batter of lentils and rice that is thinly spread and cooked on a flat pan until golden. The shell becomes crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, and is stuffed with masala potatoes before being folded into a long cylinder or triangular shape. Dosas can be enjoyed by hand or with a fork and knife, dipping bite after glorious bite in chutney and sambar for an extra punch of flavor.

Roti is an unleavened round flatbread, made simply from a dough of whole wheat flour and water. After kneading the dough, a roti is traditionally rolled out and cooked on a hot griddle or skillet. A stack of rotis serves as an accompaniment to vegetables, daal and curry, but a roti can also double as a wrap for meat fillings, à la a kati roll. Aloo roti, meaning potato roti, is a heartier alternative made by incorporating mashed potatoes into the dough. With a dollop of yogurt or spoonful of chutney, an aloo roti makes a comforting meal for one.

Pillowy and soft, with a chewy bite, naan touts all of the drool-worthy traits you seek in a leavened bread. The dough is made using flour, water and yeast, with a dairy add-in like full-fat yogurt, which helps in achieving its fluffy texture. Traditionally, naan is cooked in a clay oven, or tandoor, but modern recipes offer convenient alternatives that work just as well. Naan serves as the quintessential vessel for scooping up every last drop of curry or stew. Amped up varieties like garlic naan and cheese naan are worth trying, but truth be told, plain naan is a pure indulgence on its own.

Dhokla is a savory sponge-like cake with a tart bite that comes from the Indian state of Gujarat. Made from a fermented batter of Indian split-pea flour, dhokla is traditionally steamed in a round pan and cut into individual squares after it has cooled. The squares are then dressed with chopped cilantro and chilies, and presented alongside mint chutney for a vibrant and flavor-filled snack.

Nidhi Jalan’s recipe gives dhokla the dinner party treatment, steaming it in an eye-catching ring shape, and pairing it with sweet-fiery paneer jhalfrezi.