From Mexico With Love; How Tortillas Differ From Roti?

Nearly every food culture uses bread in some form or the other. We enjoy bread with different food items and in various forms. From sourdough to baguettes to flatbread, people love to eat bread in all its forms. When it comes to flatbread, in particular, there are a lot of options. Fold it, fry it, dip it, or wrap it. You can eat your favourite flatbread with your favourite dish. But the sheer number of flatbreads is also astounding. For instance, we have naan, matzo, tortillas, focaccia, and roti. All these have a substantial distinction between them. Tortillas and roti may appear extremely similar, at least on the surface, but are these two flatbreads separated by oceans really that similar? Let’s see how tortillas differ from roti.

What is Roti?
Roti is a very common Indian flatbread, eaten as a staple carbohydrate source. It’s a traditional bread made from whole wheat flour mixed with ghee/oil, salt, and water. It has a pretty similar shape and texture to that of tortillas. You will find roti in numerous Asian countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. Rotis also have numerous variations like chapati and paranthas.

What is a tortilla?
Tortilla is also a flatbread, first prepared by Mesoamerican people. With time, there were many alterations made to this flatbread. It’s commonly cooked in Mexico and Latin America, but with a lot of regional variety. Traditionally made from nixtamalized corn flour, tortillas are also made out of flour. Additionally, an important ingredient in tortillas is the use of some form of animal fat like lard or tallow.

What’s the key difference between a tortilla and a roti?
In terms of shape and look, tortillas and roti are pretty similar. The key differences between these two are flavour and texture. Plus, how these two are served and eaten are very different as well. Tortillas are famous for being mostly served as a wrap for different dishes like tacos, wraps, enchiladas, quesadillas and burritos. A roti on the other hand is eaten as an accompaniment to a complete meal. It is also used as a ‘utensil’ for eating sabzis, curries, dals, pickles and more.

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