*3.5.3 Naan*

*Naan* is a fermented flatbread baked in a clay oven called a tandoor and is widely consumed by people in northern India. In recent times, *naan* is becoming more

**Figure 10.** *Rabadi (courtesy: Dishes guru).*

**Figure 11.** *Kulcha (courtesy: Times food).*

**Figure 12.** *Naan (courtesy: Recipe pocket).*

popular in other provinces of India. To make *naan*, the first dough is made using components such as white wheat flour, egg, milk, curd, baking powder, salt, and sugar. This is allowed for fermentation at room temperature for 1 to 2 h. A small portion of the dough is taken that is rolled out on a flat surface and roasted in a clay oven until it turns brown and crispy on both sides. Finally, it is served with butter (**Figure 12**) [56].

### **3.6 Vegetable-based fermented foods**

The ancient civilization was well aware of the existence of natural microflora and its role in the fermentation of vegetables, which could result in palatable foods for human consumption. Vegetables contain low sugar, neutral pH, and their composition is not favorable to the spontaneous growth of LAB. However, over the centuries, people have traditionally developed methods of lactic fermentation that could stabilize and improve the nutritional quality of vegetables. Fermented vegetables represent an essential element of the human diet. Lactic acid fermentation, which improves the organoleptic and nutritional quality of the vegetables, has remained more of a domestic- or cottage-level process.

Spices and herbs impart a fine flavor and play a key role in fermented vegetables. Spices such as garlic, clove, and chili inhibit the growth of food-borne microorganisms because these spices contain antagonistic activity. Some aromatic compounds such as terpenes and polyphenols (found in spices), allyl isothiocyanate (found in mustard seed) as well as sulfur (found in garlic) have antimicrobial activity and selectively stimulate the growth of LAB. Mustard seed oil is most commonly used in north India since it has the property to promote the lactic fermentation of food products, which helps in their long storage. Apart from this, chemical preservatives such as sorbic and benzoic acids are used in the development of vegetable-based fermented products [131]. The concentration of salt induces plasmolysis in vegetables, thus promoting anaerobiosis for the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria. Some of the well-known vegetable-based lactic fermented products are presented in the following paragraphs.

Popular types of pickles consumed by the human population of India have been those based on unripe mangoes, goose berries, lemons, swallow root (*Decalepis hamitonii*), and a variety of mixed vegetables. In general, most of these pickles are prepared at home, subjecting the vegetables to natural fermentation. In a specific type of pickles, preservation is achieved through lactic acid fermentation and in the

### *Indian Traditional Fermented Foods: The Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110741*

presence of high concentrations of salt. The process involves washing raw materials, then cutting them into appropriately sized shapes, and mixing them with salt at a level twice the weight of the raw material. Necessary spice powders are also used in the preparation. The powdered spice mix mainly includes chili, mustard, and coriander seeds. The product is allowed to ferment in the closed container for 8 to 10 days at room temperature. The aging of the product gives it a slightly acidic taste and pickles develop acceptable organoleptic properties. Although not much research has been done on the nature of microflora and other attributes, it is believed that the microflora mainly comprises lactic acid bacteria and to some extent acetic acid bacteria.

In another specific type of pickle that is devoid of any liquid, the raw materials for the preparation of the pickle are the same as described above and preservation is achieved through a high concentration of salt, a mixture of spices, and edible oil. The prepared pickle product is intermittently fried with oil for 3 to 4 times and placed in a closed container to ferment. Moreover, the product should be covered with a sufficient quantity of edible oil, where the oil used depends on the specific regions of this country. In this specific type of preparation, fermentation occurs naturally with the predominance of LAB, which can survive and grow in the presence of high concentrations of salt. Regardless of the type of pickle preparation, the shelf life is quite reasonable, extending to periods of 6 months and beyond if proper hygiene and sanitation practices are in place during the preparation and subsequent storage. In the absence of any microbiological studies on the nature of pickle fermentation, from the product profile, it appears that species of *Pediococcus* tend to predominate over other LAB.

There are several other traditional fermented vegetable-based foods, which are more popular in eastern, northern, and north-eastern regions of India. A few of them known by traditional names are *gundruk*, *sinki*, *Iromba*, *rai, Kanjika* or *kanji,* and others. They are considered as good appetizers and tribal people use these foods for indigestion therapies [132]. *Gundruk* soup is usually given to breast-feeding mothers to improve milk efficiency. It is considered as a tonic for elderly people [133]. *Sinki* is a fermented radish root that more effectively cures diarrhea and stomach pain. *Iromba* made from tree bean (Parkia roxburghii) is used as a starter [133]. Fermented *rai* has

**Figure 13.** *Vegetable-based fermented foods.*

**Figure 14.**

*Pickles (courtesy: Cookpad.com, times of India).*

the therapeutic benefit which resolves stomach pain and gas problems and considerably improves digestion [133]. *Kanjika* or *kanji* is a lactic fermented rice product, recommended for several types of chronic diseases in Indian Ayurvedic medicine [134]. Carrot *Kanji* is known for its high nutritional value which has energizing as well as relaxing properties [135]. Beetroot *kanji* has the property to prevent infectious and malignant diseases (**Figures 13** and **14**) (**Table 1**) [136].



#### *Indian Traditional Fermented Foods: The Role of Lactic Acid Bacteria DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110741*


**Table 1.**

*Examples of traditional fermented foods of India.*
