Roti, Naan, Missi, Lachha: A Tandoor Bread Guide
Naan vs roti, and where missi and lachha paratha fit in. What each tandoor bread is made of, how it tastes, and which one to order with which dal or paneer.
By Laxman Bikaner · · 3 min read
The sabzi gets all the attention, but ask anyone what makes a restaurant meal feel like a restaurant meal and they'll say the bread. Hot, slightly charred, straight out of the tandoor.
At our Rasoi on 100 Ft Road, Ballabgarh, everything in the "Roti ka Parivaar" comes from the tandoor. Here's the family, and how to pick.
Tandoori roti: the everyday one
Whole wheat atta, no yeast, rolled flat and slapped onto the hot inside wall of the clay tandoor. It puffs and chars in a minute or two. The result is a little crisp, a little chewy and properly wheaty.
It's the lightest bread on the table, and the one that goes with everything. Butter Roti is the same roti with butter brushed on top.
Naan: the soft, fluffy one
Naan uses refined flour, a leavened dough (with yeast and dahi), and the same tandoor. Because the dough rises, naan is softer, thicker and fluffier than roti, with golden-brown spots and that slight pull when you tear it. The word itself is just the Persian for bread.
Out of the tandoor it's usually brushed with ghee or butter, which gives you Butter Naan. Garlic Naan adds garlic on top.
Missi roti: the mixed one
Missi means mixed, and that's the point: missi roti is made from besan and atta together, usually with spices like ajwain, kasuri methi and green chilli worked into the dough. It's a classic across Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana, so it feels right at home here.
It's denser and more flavourful than plain roti, good enough to eat with just dahi and achaar. Onion Missi adds onion to the dough.
Lachha paratha: the layered one
Lachha means layered. The dough is coiled into a spiral with ghee between the folds, then rolled out again, so it cooks into many flaky, crisp, circular layers that pull apart as you eat. Richer than roti, crispier than naan.
We also do a Green Chilli Parantha, and stuffed paranthas and naans with aloo, onion, mix veg or paneer inside, which are basically a meal on their own.
Roti ka Parivaar at our Rasoi
- Tandoori Roti₹15/ pc
- Butter Roti₹20/ pc
- Plain Naan₹35/ pc
- Butter Naan₹40/ pc
- Garlic Naan₹50/ pc
- Missi Roti₹35/ pc
- Onion Missi Roti₹45/ pc
- Lachha Parantha₹35/ pc
- Green Chilli Parantha₹45/ pc
- Stuffed Parantha / Naan₹70/ pc
- Paneer Parantha / Naan₹80/ pc
- Mix Bread Basket₹200/ pc
Naan vs roti, quickly
| Tandoori Roti | Naan | Missi Roti | Lachha Paratha | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flour | Whole wheat | Refined, leavened | Besan + wheat | Wheat, with ghee |
| Texture | Thin, a little crisp | Soft, fluffy | Dense, flavourful | Flaky layers |
| Feels | Light | Indulgent | Earthy | Rich |
Which bread with which dish
- Creamy gravies (shahi paneer, paneer makhani, malai kofta): butter naan, to mop up every bit.
- Chunky, spicy dishes (kadai paneer, chaap): tandoori roti or lachha, so the bread doesn't go soggy.
- Dal: tandoori roti or missi. Dal and missi roti is a combination you'll want again.
- Can't decide? The Mix Bread Basket lets the table try a bit of everything.
गरम रोटी, और क्या चाहिएPair your bread with our paneer dishes, explained, or browse the whole Rasoi menu.
