maida-and-atta-recipes.

 Delicious Indian Recipes Using White Flour and Wheat Flour

Flour is never complete without some Indian kitchens, particularly wheat flour (atta) and refined white flour (maida). Our food is made around these simple ingredients, like soft chapati to flaky parottas. Indian breads, snacks and even sweets would be nothing without these flours. They are useful whether you want to make a quick meal or a celebratory one, as these flours are versatile.

In this post, we see some of the well-known Indian recipes which are prepared with wheat flour and white flour. Every meal has its flavour, consistency, simple, nutritious and delicious!

1. Chapathi (Whole wheat flat bread)

Ingredients: Wheat flour (atta)

Geography: All around India, particularly the South and West

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat 2 cups of flour
• 1 tsp salt
• Warm water as required (= 3/4 cup)
• 1 tsp oil, optional

Method:

Add wheat flour and salt to a mixing bowl.

Gradually add water and knead together to a soft dough.

Cover the dough to let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into little balls. Roll them into a thin shape in the form of a circle.

Warm a tawa (flat pan), and fry each chapati on both sides till they turn golden on the surface.

You may optionally put ghee or butter on the top.

Serving suggestion:

Eat hot with a vegetable curry, dal or chutney. Chapatis are awesome foods when one is travelling, especially during dinner, because the chapati will still be soft after many hours.

2. Kerala parotta / barotta 

Made of: White flour(maida)

Regions Surat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka

Ingredients:

• 2 cups maida (white all-purpose flour)
• 1 of sugar
• 1 tsp salt 
• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee.
• 3/4 cup of water (as required)

Method:

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt and water to make a soft, stretchy dough.
2. Turn over and leave to rest 2 to 4 hours.
3. Slices in balls. Spread the balls into thin and long shapes, fold them up and roll them into a spiral.
4. Pat a bit, and then cook in a tawa with oil or ghee till they turn out of color and golden brown.

Serve with:

Chicken curry, beef roast, vegetable kurma, or any spicy gravy.

3. Poori (Wheat puffed bread – Deep Fried)

Contains: Wheat flour(atta)

Location: North & South India

Ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat flour.
• ½ salt tsp
• 1 tsp semolina (for crispy, optional)
• As needed, water.
• Frying oil

Method:

1. Combine flour, salt and semolina. Stir in water in small portions and knead a stiff dough.
2. Leave the dough to rest for 10-15 minutes.
3. Put into very small balls (not too thin).
4. Fry in a deep pan in hot oil. Pooris should be fried, one at a time and gently pressed down to puff.
5. Fry to golden and drain on tissues.

Best with:

Combinations of potato masala (poori masala), chana curry or kesari as breakfast items.

4. Lachha Paratha (Multi-layered North Indian Paratha)

Prepared in: Maida, or in combination: Maida and atta

Area: North India (Punjab in particular)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour ( of maida/atta)
• 1 tbsp ghee/oil
• To taste, Salt
• As much water as you need 

Method:

1. Make a soft dough. Break 20 mins.
2. Make a thin shape along the line by turning into a circle, and use ghee, then roll in a fan style.
3. Wrap into a swirl, then flatten.
4. Fry on a tawa with ghee till it turns crispy and golden.

Great tasting with:

Paneer butter masala, dal makhani, rajma.

5. Maida Dosa (Instant White flour Dosa)

Ingredients: White flour (maida), Rice flour

Region: South India

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose maida
• 1/2 cup Rice flour
• Chopped finely 1 onion
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• Add salt to taste
• Curry leaves, coriander
• water just to get a loose batter

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients to make a thin batter.
2. Pour a hot dosa tawa into the centre by pouring at the outer edge.
3. Brush with drizzle oil, then cook till golden brown and crunchy. There is no need to reverse.

Quick Tip:

Add grated carrot or coconut to give additional taste.

6. Atta Halwa / Godhumai Halwa / Wheat Flour

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat flour.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 3/4 cup ghee.
• 2 cups of water.
• For garnish, cashews.

Method:

1. Brown wheat flour in a spoonful of ghee, a bit aromatic.
2. Add water and stir well till there are no lumps.
3. Add sugar and go on to cook over low heat.
4. Slowly add ghee till it thickens and leaves the sides.
5. Sprinkle garnish with fried cashews.

Serve:

Heated or Cold. A great festival favourite, especially during Diwali and birthday celebrations.

7. Aloo Paratha - stuffed wheat flatbread with a potato filling

Ingredient: Wheat flour

Area: North India (particularly Punjab)

Dough Ingredients:

• 2 cups of atta
• Salt
• Water

Stuffing:

• 2 cooked potatoes
• Chilli powder, cumin, garam masala and salt
• Chopped onion, Coriander

Method:

• Prepare the dough of atta.
• Bake spiced mashed potatoes.
• Add stuffing into dough balls, pat a little and cook in ghee or oil on a tawa.

Eat with:

Curd, pickle or butter. An ultimate breakfast/lunchbox item.

Final Thoughts

It is the soft bread called chapathi, which is eaten with the daily meal or flaky parotta that is eaten on special occasions. Indian food prepared with white flour (maida) and wheat flour (atta) is versatile indeed. They speak about our different food culture, and each recipe has a different taste on the plate.

Beginner tip:

The dough should always be allowed to rise for at least 20 to 30 minutes. This softens the bread and makes rolling very easy.

Follow https://thufri4food.blogspot.com for more traditional and modern Indian food ideas, with easy instructions and practical tips.