Shaped by the wheat fields in Punjab, rice paddies in Assam, and millet belts in Rajasthan, bread in India isn’t just bread. With geographical stories and heirloom recipes, each region in India has a staple bread. Long before the ovens were a common sight, the breads were baked and cooked on chulhas, tandoors, cast-iron tawas, or wrapped in banana leaves set over embers. Cut to the twenty-first century, while tandoors and wood-fired ovens became a rare sight, OTG ovens became the workhorse of most Indian kitchens. Thanks to their affordability and versatility, you can make an array of Indian breads in Usha’s OTG.
Pitha
Pitha is much more than bread. The Assamese speciality forms the basis of an entire category of rice-based preparations for festivals like Bihu. Made with freshly ground rice flour, the pitha batter is traditionally mixed with grated coconut, jaggery, sesame seeds, and a little milk. Kneaded into a soft dough, the pithas are then steamed in banana leaves. To make pithas in Usha’s OTG, you can place small discs on a banana leaf and bake for about 15 minutes. Once crispy, serve the pitha with jaggery syrup.
Kulcha
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Kulcha is a soft and pillowy flatbread made with a maida-based dough. To make the interiors fluffy, the dough is often left mixed with a little yoghurt and baking soda. You can bake the Punjabi classic as is or make a stuffed version by adding a filling of potatoes, paneer, or onion. Bake at 250°C for 15 minutes and serve the kulchas with a serving of spicy chole and homemade imli ki chutney made with Usha’s hand mixer.
Bakarkhani
Bakarkhani is a flaky flatbread that is believed to have travelled from the Mughal kitchens. You prepare a stiff dough with flour, sugar, milk, and a little yeast. The ghee needs to be folded repeatedly, but you can make your job easier using Usha’s hand mixer. The dough is briefly chilled between the folds to prevent the ghee from melting. Shape the dough into thick rounds, top each with sesame seeds and bake. In about 20-25 minutes, your flaky bakarkhani will be ready to be served.
Litti
With Bihar’s agrarian roots, litti is frequently prepared in North Indian homes. Litti is made by kneading a dough with whole-wheat flour, then stuffing it with sattu, mustard oil, ajwain, and green chillies. While littis were traditionally baked over coal embers, Usha’s OTG does the job perfectly when you set it to dry and all-around heat mode. Bake the littis at 200°C for about half an hour and serve with chokha, made with roasted eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and ghee.
Malabar Parotta
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No South Indian meal is complete without Malabar parotta. It’s known for crisp, shatter-and-pull flakes. Unlike most Indian flatbreads, Malabar parotta is made primarily with maida without the addition of any spices or stuffing. The dough is repeatedly stretched into paper-thin layers, brushed with oil, and gathered into pleats. After letting the pleats rest, roll or flatten each coil with your palms, and bake for about five minutes. Ensure that both sides are crispy before removing the parotta from Usha’s oven and serve immediately.