 | |
| Place of origin | Indian subcontinent |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Indian subcontinent |
| Associated cuisine | India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago |
| Cooking time | |
Atta/Ata (Urdu: آٹا; Hindi: आटा; Punjabi: ਅਟਾ ; Bengali: আটা, romanized: Āṭā) or chakki atta is a wholemeal wheat flour, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used to make flatbreads such as chapati, roti, naan, paratha and puri. It is the most widespread flour in the Indian subcontinent.
Properties
Whole common wheat (Triticum aestivum) is generally used to make atta; it has high gluten content, which provides elasticity, so dough made out of atta flour is strong and can be rolled into thin sheets.
The word ‘whole’ is used to describe atta as it includes every component of the grain, meaning the bran, germ and the endosperm.
Atta was traditionally ground in the home on a stone chakki mill. This is useful when using a tandoor, where the flatbread is stuck to the inside of the oven, and also makes chapatis softer as the dough absorbs more water. Atta is also produced in industrial flour mills.
Gallery
Rolling of atta dough
A chakki mill used to make atta
See also
Further reading
- Reddy, J.; Weinmann, S.; Heine, D.; Conde-Petit, B. (8 August 2012). "A new standard for the industrial production of high quality Atta flour". Quality Assurance and Safety of Crops & Foods. 4 (3): 151. doi:10.1111/j.1757-837X.2012.00160.x.