The main difference between naan and pita bread is that naan is an oval flatbread with a soft and chewy texture, whereas pita bread is a round flatbread that typically has a pocket inside it. While we mostly use naan as a side dish with curries and dips, pita bread mostly serves as a type of bread for sandwiches or wraps.
Naan and pita bread are both types of flatbreads. Naan is originally from the Indian subcontinent, while Pita bread is from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Naan
– Definition, Ingredients, Cooking, Uses
2. What is Pita Bread
– Definition, Ingredients, Cooking, Uses
3. Difference Between Naan and Pita Bread
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Naan, Pita Bread, Flatbread
What is Naan
Naan is a type of leavened, oven-baked flatbread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is a staple food in India, Pakistan, and many countries in the Middle East. It is generally made from a mixture of wheat flour, water, yeast, and yogurt. Some naan recipes also include eggs. Traditionally, Indians usually form the naan dough in an oval shape and cook it in a tandoor. This is a cylindrical clay oven that is heated by charcoal or wood. But we can also cook it on a griddle or in a cast-iron skillet.
The bread typically has a soft and chewy texture. Some people brush it with ghee or butter before serving. You can enjoy naan as plain or with various toppings such as garlic, cheese, or herbs. Accordingly, there are different types of naan bread as plain naan, cheese naan, and garlic naan. Also, people often serve it as a dipping bread for Indian curries like butter chicken, chicken tikka, korma, Chana Masala, dal makhani, and palak paneer. We can also use naan as a wrap for fillings such as chicken, beef, or vegetables.
What is Pita Bread
Pita bread is a type of round, flat bread that is common in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is generally made from a mixture of wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt. To make pita bread, we can roll the dough out into thin rounds and then bake it in a very hot oven. The heat causes the dough to puff up, creating a pocket inside the bread. We can fill this pocket with various fillings such as falafel, hummus, tzatziki sauce, meat, and vegetables. But we must make sure to handle the bread gently, as the pocket can tear easily. Also, note that some types of pita bread, like Greek-style pita, tend to be flatter, which makes it great for wraps.
We can also cut pita bread into wedges and serve it with dips like hummus. Moreover, we can heat pita bread and serve it as a side dish with a variety of shawarma and kebab. Moreover, people also use pita bread as a base for mini pizzas, with toppings such as cheese, tomato, and pepperoni.
Difference Between Naan and Pita Bread
Definition
Naan is a type of leavened, oven-baked flatbread that originated in the Indian subcontinent, while pita bread is a type of round, flat bread that is commonly used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Ingredients
Naan is typically made with a mixture of wheat flour, yeast, yogurt, and water, while pita bread is made with wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt.
Cooking Method
Naan is traditionally cooked in a tandoor, while pita bread is traditionally cooked in a conventional oven.
Texture
Moreover, naan has a soft and chewy texture, while most pita bread has a pocket inside.
Flavor
Naan has a subtle tangy flavor due to the yogurt, while pita bread has a more neutral flavor.
Origins
Naan is originally from the Indian subcontinent, while Pita bread is from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Uses
Furthermore, people mostly use naan as a side dish with curries and dips, while they use pita bread mostly as sandwich bread.
Conclusion
The main difference between naan and pita bread is that naan is an oval flatbread with a soft and chewy texture, whereas pita bread is a round flatbread that typically has a pocket inside it. While we mostly use naan as a side dish with curries and dips, pita bread mostly serves as sandwich bread.
Reference:
1. “Naan.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. “What Is Pita Bread and How Is It Used?” The Spruce Eats.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Naan set (garlic naan, butter naan)” By Howard Walfish (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Humus with Pita” (CC0) via Pexels
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