Knowing the difference between paratha and naan is very important because they are totally different types of bread although they originated in the same country. In order to gain a better understanding of how these 2 types of bread differ simply take a look at the article below.
Contents
Paratha
Paratha is an unleavened type of flat bread. This means that paratha does not contain any raising agents like yeast. Paratha bread is made using whole wheat and ghee. It is then fried in a pan using ghee or cooking oil.
Naan
Naan is a leavened type of bread that originated in India. It was traditionally cooked in a tandoor but now it is commonly cooked in the oven. Naan bread contain yeast so it has the ability to rise when cooked. It also contains yoghurt which is one of the ingredients that give it a smooth texture. Naan bread is often served while hot and ghee is usually brushed on top of it just to give it a little bit of flavour.
Difference between paratha and naan
Ingredients
Naan bread contains yeast whereas paratha does not contain any yeast. This means that naan bread is a leavened type of flat bread whereas paratha is an unleavened type of flat bread.
The other difference to note is that naan bread is cooked using yoghurt whereas paratha does not contain any yoghurt. Furthermore, paratha is prepared using whole wheat whereas naan is made using refined wheat.
Cooking methods
Naan bread is cooked in a tandoor, oven or stove whereas paratha is cooked on a stove only. Paratha is cooked on a stove since it has to be fried.
Furthermore when cooking paratha, it is rolled more than once to create a flaky bread whereas naan is only rolled once and placed into the oven or on the stove.
Texture
Paratha is flaky, chewy and denser as compared to naan bread which is soft and a bit chewy. This is mainly due to the differences in cooking methods as well as ingredients.
Nutritional value
Naan bread is healthier as compared to paratha. This is mainly because it is low in fats. Paratha contains a lot of fat because it is cooked with either ghee or butter and the fact that it is a fried bread actually makes it less healthy when compared to naan.
Similarities between paratha and naan
Paratha and naan bread originated in India.
Easy paratha recipe
NB: This recipe makes 12 parathas
You will need 2 cups of wheat flour, I cup of vegetable oil, salt and water.
Step 1
Mix the wheat flour, salt, oil and water together until they form a dough which you can then knead for about 10 minutes.
Step 2
When you have kneaded the dough, divide it into 12 balls and make sure they are even. You can make them roughly the size of golf balls. Roll the balls using your hands until they are nice and smooth.
Step 3
The next thing is to take the balls and deep them into flour. This will help to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface when you will be rolling them. When you have dipped them in flour flatten them on a rolling board. Take your rolling pin and start rolling the dough in a circular motion until the dough forms about a 4 inch circle.
Step 4
When you have rolled the dough simply add ½ a teaspoon of oil on the dough. If you want to do something different you can also add a few spices like cumin seeds. This will give your paratha some extra flavour. Fold the circle into half such that it forms a semi-circle. Add a ¼ teaspoon of oil onto the dough that is shaped like a semi-circle. Then fold it into half again such that it forms a triangle.
Step 5
When you have finished the folding and layering process of the paratha, flatten the dough with your fingers and coat it with flour. This will help to make sure that it doesn’t stick to the surface while rolling. Roll the dough until the circle is something like 4 inches.
Step 6
Take a pan and place it on medium heat then put oil inside. When the oil has heated up simply place the paratha inside. When you start noticing bubbles on top of the dough it means that it’s time to flip it over. Oil the top part before flipping over the paratha this will help to protect it from burning. When the paratha is now crispy on the outside and you are satisfied with the texture simply remove it and serve.
Easy naan bread recipe
NB: this recipe makes 8 pieces of naan bread
For this recipe you will need 2 ¼ cups of refined wheat flour, 2 ¼ teaspoons of dry yeast, ½ cup of warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ cup of yoghurt, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of oil, 3 tablespoons of melted butter and oil to grease the pan.
Step 1
Take a small bowl then combine the yeast, sugar and warm water together. This will help to activate the yeast and this usually takes about 10 minutes. In order to tell if the yeast has been activated you will notice that it turns a bit foamy on the top.
Step 2
When the yeast is activated combine it with the all the other ingredients until they form a dough. Cover the dough for about an hour so that it can rise properly.
Step 3
Divide the dough into 8 equal balls and roll it out using a rolling pin. Make sure you roll the dough in a circular motion until it’s smooth and flat.
Step 4
Take a skillet and oil it then place it on a stove. Add the naan dough inside and let it cook on 1 side until you notice bubbles and burnt spots. Flip it over and let it cook on the other side as well. When you are satisfied that it is full cooked, remove it and serve while hot.