FLATBREADS OF INDIA: THE TRANSLATION IS SIMPLE

These burnished, buttery staples are easy to make and a dynamic sidekick to many different dishes

I’m not in the habit of baking my own bread. The cracking loaves that I can pick up at the shop around the corner surpass anything I could make at home. Flatbreads, on the other hand, are a whole different matter. I can’t buy good ones in nearby stores, which means either ordering in parathas and naan from my local Indian restaurant or making them myself.

Whipping them up from scratch is a lot more gratifying, and not the least bit hard.

Of the two, it’s the parathas I prefer. I adore their flaky texture, which is achieved by brushing melted butter over the surface of the rolled-out dough, then folding the dough to create layers. When the dough is fried, the butter trapped in the layers causes the breads to puff up and bubble in spots.

Pulling parathas apart while they are still warm and dunking them in dal (spiced split peas) or a raita (yoghurt mixed with cucumbers) is one of the simplest yet most satisfying pleasures of an Indian meal.

But the burnished, buttery breads also shine in other contexts. Try putting them out at your next gathering as a nibble with cocktails and any dip you’re in the mood to make.

They work just as well with hummus as they do with raita. Or set a pile next to some grilled chicken or steak and let your guests wrap up morsels of meat with the supple bread for an Indian-inspired variation on fajitas.

The dough itself is a cinch to make: an unleavened mixture of just flour, salt, butter and water that you can stir together with your fingers in about three minutes flat. Once they are rolled out and buttered, the flatbreads can sit in your fridge for a day before you cook them, making them extremely convenient for entertaining.

In summer, I prefer to grill the flatbreads rather than fry them, mostly because it seems easier once I have the grill going anyway (which I often do this time of year). And I like the char the grill gives. But you can do either and achieve a great result.

Traditionally, parathas are made either plain or stuffed with some kind of cooked vegetable (potatoes and onions are popular) or spiced ground meat — or both.

In this version, I replace the usual savoury filling with sliced dates. The fruit adds sweetness without making the breads seem like dessert. Or leave the dates out for something more classic.

But do try these flatbreads with the yoghurt dip, a garlicky raita variation to which I’ve added crushed walnuts for crunch.