Okay, so I’ve been diving deep into Indian cuisine lately, and let me tell you, the world of flour is WAY more complex than I ever imagined. I started this whole thing after seeing that New York Times article about flours in Indian cooking, and it just blew my mind. I mean, I knew there was more than just all-purpose, but this was a whole other level.
Experiment Start: The Basics
First, I grabbed some basic stuff from the Indian grocery store – atta, maida, and besan. I figured these were the big three, the ones I saw mentioned most often.
- Atta: This is whole wheat flour, but it’s different from the whole wheat flour I use for, like, regular bread. It’s finer, and it’s made from a specific type of wheat. I tried making roti with it, following a simple recipe I found.
- Maida: This is the all-purpose flour of Indian cooking, it seems. Super fine, almost like cake flour. It’s used in a lot of things, from breads to sweets.
- Besan: Okay, this one was totally new to me. It’s chickpea flour! I had no idea. I saw it used in a bunch of savory recipes, like for fritters and stuff.
The Roti Struggle (and Slight Success)
My first attempt at roti with the atta… let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. It was tough, not at all like the soft, pliable ones I’ve had at restaurants. I think I messed up the water ratio, or maybe I didn’t knead it enough. It took forever! My arms were sore!
I tried again, being super careful with the water, adding it little by little. I also kneaded it for, like, a solid 10 minutes. This time, it was much better! Still not perfect, but definitely edible, and it puffed up a little on the stovetop, which was exciting.
Venturing into Besan (Chickpea Flour!)
The besan was a totally different experience. I made some simple pakoras (vegetable fritters). The batter was so easy to whip up – just besan, water, spices, and the chopped veggies. And frying them was surprisingly easy, too. They turned out crispy and delicious! Total win.
Maida and the Sweet Stuff
I haven’t done a ton with maida yet, but I did try making some simple, sweet, flatbread. Used some sugar and ghee. This one was easy and tasted good, but this bread needed other stuff to go with it.
My Takeaways (So Far)
This whole flour exploration is showing me how important the type of flour is to the final result. It’s not just about “flour” – it’s about the specific grain, the grind, everything. And the techniques! I’m realizing that Indian cooking involves a lot of subtle skills that take practice. I’m definitely going to keep experimenting. There’s so much more to learn!
Next up, I am thinking of trying to get Sooji flour, or commonly know as semolina, to try and make some desserts! Wish me luck!
