You know that feeling of pure joy that comes from biting into a hot, fluffy butter garlic naan alongside a hearty chicken curry or creamy dal makhani? It tastes like hope, comfort, and satisfaction — the kind that makes you momentarily forget every worry. And honestly, if gluttony is a sin, I’d happily embrace hell.
Butter garlic naan is indisputably a crowd favourite. And this isn’t just a personal bias; it’s backed by data. Taste Atlas recently crowned it the number one bread in its list of the 100 Best Breads in the World. And truly, where’s the lie? It absolutely deserves the spot.
But that’s not all. Several other varieties of “Indian breads” that we know as different versions of rotis also made it to the list, including Amritsari Kulcha, Parotta, and Bhatura. While these names are familiar fixtures in our daily culinary adventures, there are plenty of lesser-known varieties that are just as delightful. And no, we’re not just talking about Goa’s beloved poi.
So, in honour of our Indian flatbreads rightfully earning global recognition, let’s dive into some lesser-known varieties from the subcontinent —the hidden gems that deserve a spot on your plate (and in your heart).
Katreache
While Goa is often synonymous with poi and pav, the lesser-known Katreache bread is another delicious legacy of its Portuguese influence. Also called katre pao, the name comes from kator, the Konkani word for scissors, because bakers use scissors to create the butterfly or bow shape it’s known for. Typically made with wheat flour and ghee, it’s a soft, lightly chewy flatbread that can be eaten at breakfast, in a sandwich, or used to soak up rich coconut curries or tangy fish ambotik.
Khambir
Thick, crusty and wholesome, Khambir is Ladakh’s version of the sourdough. Made with whole wheat flour, water and either a sourdough starter or tara, the residue from the local barley beer, it’s a sturdy bread designed to fuel long days in the cold. It’s slightly tangy, dense inside, and crisp on the edges, baked on a hot stone and then directly over fire or charcoal until perfectly golden. Khambir is best enjoyed with a slab of butter and a steaming cup of gur-gur cha or butter tea, though it’s just as good torn into a hearty stew on a freezing evening.
Doda
A humble yet hearty creation, Doda roti or Sindhi doda is a nutritious staple that’s also largely gluten-free. While there are different recipes, it’s often made with bajra, jowar, or rice flour, with added vegetables like chopped onions, tomatoes, methi, and potatoes, and flavourings like chillies, jeera, garlic, etc. Unlike regular rotis and parathas, doda is patted by hands instead of being rolled by a pin and then cooked on a tawa. Think of it as the slightly thicker millet version of the stuffed parathas we all love munching on. You can pair it with spicy sabzis or dip it in dal for a rustic meal.
Girda Roti
In Kashmir, a breakfast table is incomplete without the freshly baked Girda Roti. Also known as tchot, this leavened flatbread, made with flour, yeast and a touch of milk or curd and topped with poppy seeds, is soft inside and crisp on the outside. The gentle tang from fermentation gives it character, while its sturdy form makes it ideal for scooping up hearty curries or enjoying with that 4 pm chai. Though girda is a medium-sized bread, larger girdas can be eaten with curries like rogan josh or dum aloo.
Bakarkhani
Think of bakarkhani as a bread that reminds you of a decadent puff pastry and biscuit all at once. Believed to have originated in the Mughal era and still popular in Kashmir and Bangladesh, this layered bread is made with flour, semolina, sugar, and generous amounts of ghee. In some recipes, you can also find additions of milk, poppy seeds and saffron. It has a hard crust and can be both savoury and sweet, depending on the ingredients and the recipe. The bakarkhani can be eaten with tea, chutneys and even a delicious mutton korma.
Litti
You’ve obviously heard of the Bihari special litti chokha, but did you know litti is a type of bread? The round, baked dough balls are usually stuffed with sattu (roasted chickpea flour) and spices, then roasted on an open flame. They’re then dunked in ghee and usually served with chokha, a smoky and delicious mash of baingan, tomato and potato. Historically, litti was a quick and nutritious meal for farmers and soldiers to eat on the go. Earthy, nutty and full of texture, litti isn’t just bread, it’s a whole meal.
Radhaballabhi
A festive cousin of the puri, Radhaballabhi is a beloved weekend breakfast or a Pujo special in Bengal. The dough, made with maida and a touch of semolina, is stuffed with a spiced paste of urad daal and seasoned with green chillies, jeera, hing, and ginger, and deep-fried till golden. Puffy, soft, and lightly crisp, it’s served hot with cholar dal or a spicy aloo dum.
Koki
A Sindhi Koki is proof that a flatbread can be both breakfast and comfort food. It may look similar to the doda with the same ingredients, but koki is made with whole wheat flour, unlike the millet-flour doda. Onions, chillies, coriander and a drizzle of ghee are added to the dough, which is then rolled thick and cooked till crisp and golden. This savoury, hearty and aromatic bread can be eaten on its own for breakfast or paired with fresh dahi, achaar or chutneys of your choice.
Tsochwor
Forget the bagels; turn your attention to this bread from Kashmir that looks like a bagel but is made with wheat or millet flour. Tsochwor has a crispy, golden crust but is chewy on the inside and cooked over open fires. What makes it different from the usual bagel is that, in this case, the dough is briefly boiled before baking to achieve a crusty exterior. It’s topped with milk, egg-wash and a generous amount of sesame seeds. It’s usually served with tea and can be eaten with butter or jam.
Sheermal
A bread that made its way to the Indian subcontinent from Persian kitchens and once baked in Mughal courts, it can only be described as a bread that feels like luxury in its simplest form. It’s made with flour, milk, yeast, ghee, sugar, saffron and flavoured with saffron and kewra water. The result is a golden-hued, tender flatbread that’s slightly sweet, buttery, and aromatic — a perfect pairing with rich kebabs or spicy nihari. It’s also delightful on its own, savoured with a cup of hot tea. It’s a popular part of Awadhi, Kashmiri and Hyderabadi cuisines.
These breads aren’t just regional varieties but carry narratives of geography, migration, and memory. Some are layered with ghee and history; others are built for sustenance in harsh landscapes. But each of them, in their own way, celebrates the same idea that a warm, freshly made bread has the power to turn any meal and any day into something worth savouring.
