Whole Wheat Flour
One of the most common and healthy ingredients in Indian food is wheat flour. In particular, the food will be incomplete without the wheat flour. It is extracted from durum wheat that is processed and refined as there is a high amount of gluten. Traditionally, it is extracted and refined with the help of the stone grinder called chakki. Lots of dishes are prepared with this flour like roti, paratha, malpua, atta halwa, Rajasthani dal bati, etc. This flour offer minerals like manganese, selenium, folate, copper and phosphorus.
Makkai atta / Maize flour
It is extracted from corn, this nutrient-rich flour is rich in the source of the healthy fibres, carbohydrates, fats, proteins and minerals like phosphorus and magnesium. This rich content of the flour will make it the great food for the diabetics, and the presence of the insoluble fibre will help in effective weight management of an individual. Traditionally, this flour is used for making chila, paratha, and rotis.
Rice flour
As the name indicates, it is extracted from the rice, and it is also called as the ground rice flour. Typically, it is considered as the staple food for the people in south India. Several dishes can be made with this type of flour. It is loaded with the fibres, carbohydrates, proteins and several other minerals like copper, thiamin, magnesium and several others. It is a nutritional component making it a great source of nutrition. One best thing about this flour is that it is gluten-free. Amazing rice flour helps in preparing snacks, cookies, fritters, etc. as well.
Besan (Yellow gram flour)
It is one of the most common flours in India. Besan is the gram or the chickpea flour, the flour being derived from dried chickpeas. Some of the vital aspects of the flour are its nutty taste, the earthy smell, and it is also rich with the protein content. However, it is popular for making some dishes like Bhajis and Pakoras. For vegetarians, the Besan omelette is the best replacement for the egg omelette.
Semolina / Rava
It is one of the most popular and common ingredients in most of the Indian houses. The flour is extracted from the durum wheat flour. It is commonly used for gnocchi, couscous, pasta and pudding. It is also famous for preparing several other Indian dishes like upma, rava idli, halwa, rava dosa, rava dhokla. There are also several other innovative dishes with this flour from the Indian style of preparation. The flour is high in gluten, and it is also loaded with the nutrients like magnesium, folate, crabs, fibre and proteins. It is good for heart health and helps in reducing the risk of cancer and managing sugar.
Maida (All purpose flour)
As the name indicates, it is the flour used for lots of purposes and highly popular among people all over the world. It is commonly used in several ways, from cakes to white bread, pasta sauce and several others. Other notable Indian snack items like mathri, farsi puri, nimki, Punjabi samosa, shakkar para are also prepared with this flour. It offers the best texture, and it also offers amazing taste for the recipe. Further, it also contains 10% of protein and is enriched with the minerals like Niacin, Folic acid and Iron.