Maida

Maida is refined wheat flour milled from the starchy centre of the grain, with the bran and germ removed. It is very close to British plain flour, a little finer and whiter, and it gives the soft, stretchy dough needed for naan, kulcha, bhatura and the layered Malabar and Kerala parotta. In Sri Lanka it is the flour for godamba roti and the roti chopped into kottu.

Maida is also the base of many sweets and snacks: mathri, namak pare, shakarpara, jalebi batter, balushahi and the pastry for samosas and patties. Sri Lankan and South Indian bakers use it for cakes and short eats. A big bag suits a family that makes parotta or roti every week, while a smaller one covers occasional baking.

For stretchy parotta, knead maida with a little sugar, salt and oil, then rest the dough for at least two hours before stretching. Maida keeps longer than atta because it has no bran oils, but still store it sealed. For wholemeal breads, see chapati atta and multigrain atta in our wheat flour range.