Atta vs. Whole Wheat Flour: Which is Best for Indian Cooking?

Both have one common thing to serve: delicious dishes that can be best enjoyed from AM to PM. Read on to know the key difference.

Indian food, famed globally for its taste, great aroma, and satisfying texture, uses special flours, commonly, atta and whole wheat flour to prepare staple Indian food items. People use Indian atta and whole wheat flour to make various beloved Indian flatbreads like rotis, parathas, and theplas. Which one goes the best for Indian cooking? Well, read along to find out!

In short, both atta and wholewheat flour are made from milled whole wheat kernels and retain the entire nutrient makeup of whole wheat. What may be the difference, then? It lies in the processing.

Our 101 guide is a close look at the basic differences between Indian Atta and whole wheat flour and which to use while cooking Indian food. Let's go.

Understanding Atta and Whole Wheat Flour

Atta is a type of wheat flour most commonly used in Indian households. The flour is made out of whole wheat kernels; the process is truly unique. Milling comes from whole wheat grains comprising three major constituents: bran, germ, and endosperm. The milling process of atta flour involves grinding grains to a fine degree at a higher temperature, which makes whole wheat flour comparatively coarse to other flours.

On the other hand, whole wheat flour is also ground from the whole wheat kernel; however, milling is slow at a lower temperature (as compared to Atta milling), resulting in a finer texture. It is normally used in Western baking.

Which is Best for Indian Cooking?

1. To Prepare Flatbreads 

Atta is used to make commonly savored Indian flatbreads; a routine dish in every Indian household: roti, chapati, and paratha. It is refined like all-purpose flour, and its gluten content is higher. This makes the dough more pliable. High gluten content in atta flour makes these flatbreads capable of puffing up well on the tawa to show the highly desirable features: tenderness and chewiness.

2. Fried and Baked Food

Whole wheat flour may be used in Indian cooking, however, it is better suited to baking and frying, which require a finer texture. Items include bread, biscuits, cakes, and other kinds of confectionery baked products that are light and soft and can be prepared from whole wheat flour. It can also be used in pakora batters or as a coating for frying items.

3. Nutritional Benefits

Whole wheat and atta flours retain the whole nutritional elements from whole grain, that is to say, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, since atta forms a staple in most Indian households traditionally, it is usually enriched with more nutritional ingredients to cover specific dietary needs.

Commonly Prepared Atta Recipes

- Roti/Chapati: Soft, round flatbreads; a staple in Indian meals.

- Paratha: Layered flatbreads stuffed with vegetables or meats.

- Puri: Deep-fried bread that puffs up while being cooked; normally relished with curries.

- Bhatura: Thick, fluffy bread relished with chole (chickpeas).

- Thepla: Gujarati spiced flatbreads made with a mix of flour and spices.

Commonly Prepared Whole Wheat Flour Recipes

- Whole Wheat Bread: Healthy bread prepared from whole wheat flour; can often be used to make sandwiches.

- Muffins: Wholesome baked cakes that can be savored with fruits, nuts, or chocolate.

- Cookies: Crispy-chewy cookies add some extra fiber with whole wheat flour.

- Pancakes: Light, fluffy, round-shaped breakfast item savored with maple syrup or honey and berries.

- Whole Wheat Pasta: Healthy pasta made of whole wheat flour for a healthy meal option.

Final Note
In the context of Indian cuisine, Atta wheat flour is commonly used––for traditional rotis, parathas, theplas, and more. All thanks to its coarse texture and higher gluten content compared to whole wheat flour which makes it pliable and best suited to Indian culinary. Whole wheat flour is finer and more light hence used for baking or frying purposes––preparation of confectionary items like cookies, pasta, bread, and more.

When it comes to flatbread dishes, the taste of Indian flatbreads can only be offered by atta, whereas whole wheat flour in baked or fried delicacies is most suitable.

Hence, sufficient knowledge of the differences between the two can smoothen the process of gaining mastery in cooking and eating the best Indian food items as they originally were.

You can shop for Atta and whole wheat flour from trusted Indian brands like Aashiirwaad, Ganesh, Saffola, and more at the best rates and free doorstep delivery. Plus, you can schedule monthly, weekly, or biweekly Indian grocery delivery of products from local Indian brands, and get them delivered right to your doorstep on a fixed schedule.

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Happy shopping!