Atta flour

Atta is the Hindi word for flour, and flour is the main ingredient of most varieties of Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani bread. Atta generally refers to a whole wheat-flour made from hard or semi-hard wheat grown across the Indian subcontinent. Flatbreads made from atta, such as chapati, roti, naan and puri, are an integral part of Indian cuisine. Most atta is milled from the semi-hard wheat varieties that comprise 90% of the Indian wheat crop. Durum atta is the correct term for hard wheat flour, but chapati mixes (made from a combination of maida and atta) such as Golden Temple are sometimes labeled "durum atta".

Hard wheats have a high content of gluten (a protein composite that gives elasticity), so doughs made out of atta flour are strong and can be rolled out very thin.

Preparation

Atta is obtained from grinding complete wheat grains. It is creamy brown in color and quite coarse compared to other types of flour. Since nothing is removed from true wholemeal atta, all the constituents of the wheat grain are preserved. Atta available in market varies in its fiber content from very low to whole of natural fiber in wheat, around 12%.

Traditionally, atta is made by stone grinding, a process that imparts a characteristic aroma and taste to the bread. High bran content of true wholemeal atta makes it a fiber-rich food. This may help to regulate blood sugar as well have other health benefits. The temperatures attained...
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