A new book brings the story of the roti, India’s versatile but unassuming staple food

Eating a hot roti with butter or ghee is an almost sublime experience. It would be difficult to find anyone who disagrees with this statement. But, is there a standard, “typical” roti? The answer, quite obviously, is no. The roti is a non-fermented traditional Indian bread and, in a country as vast as India, every state, every town, every village, every household, in fact, has its own version of it. There can be many reasons for the difference – the type of flour used, or how much water is added to the dough, how long it is kneaded, how long it is left to breathe, is it rolled or patted out by hand, how thick or thin it is rolled out, is it finished on the tava or on the flame and, last but not the least, how much love has gone into its making.

Whole wheat flour is best for making an aromatic and tasty roti the Indian way, though flour from different sources may differ in taste and texture. Whole wheat flour is easily available in India, but if you cannot find it, look for a flour that is not highly refined, as those make a dough that is sticky...

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