Indian Flatbread (Roti) Recipe
This Indian Flatbread (Roti) or Chapati recipe is fool-proof and beginner friendly. They are incredible easy to make and I got all the tips and tricks you need to learn to make them at home.
Roti is a very broad term. The simple meaning is that a Roti is a flatbread. Indian food culture is so rich and diverse and you'll find different varieties of Rotis all over India. Every family has their ways of making roti too. A few popular varieties of Rotis are: Chapathi, Phulka, Tandoori roti, Paratha, Akki Roti, Kulcha, Roomali roti, etc. You'll find sooo many varieties. The recipe I'm sharing here is the recipe to make Chapatis, which are most popular in North India households.
Atta flour vs Whole wheat flour
Indian Atta and whole wheat you find in US stores, both are made using whole wheat grains but they are actually different in terms of which grains are used and the milling process and texture. Atta is made with Durum wheat and the milling process is by stone grounding. Because of this milling process, atta is much finer in texture. And because of the heat it generated during stone grinding, atta flour has somewhat a nutty flavor. Atta flour is best for Indian flatbreads such as Rotis.
Whole wheat flour we get in USA are made with hard red wheat. Which are milled using Steel rollers. That's why it has a coarse texture than atta. This flour is best for Bread and other baked goods such as muffins, and cookies.
If you don't have Atta flour, you can use whole wheat to make Rotis too. Just know that the texture will be a little different. You can add a little bit of all purpose flour to make it more elastic and pliable.
How does Roti differ from Naan?
Butter Naan or Garlic naan has to be the most popular Indian bread among other countries or when you go out to eat Indian food. But when it comes to day-to-day indian meals, Roti or Chapati is more popular among the Indian house holds. Naan is a leavened bread made with refined flour, yogurt and a leavening agent, such as yeast or baking powder. Naan are soft fluffy and airy in texture. Roti or Chapati, on the other hand, doesn't use any leavening agent. Usually made with Atta flour (Indian stone ground whole wheat flour). Some people like to add other flour varieties too such as bajra (pearl millet), or jowar (sorghum).
Some recipe tips to make Indian Flatbread (roti) perfect
- Get the water ratio right. The dough has to be not too hard/dry or not too moist/sticky. Keep in mind, some flour absorb more water than the other. Specially if your flour is old you might need to add a little bit of extra water. Use the amount of water I've given in the recipe as a guide. If the dough feels dry and hard, wet your hands a few times as you knead. This will add more moisture to the dough. And it will produce nice soft rotis as well.
- Resting the dough is very important. It helps to the gluten to rest and makes it more easier to strech. When if the dough keeps streching back when you try to flatten the dough, it means the dough is not rested enough. In this case, rest your dough balls a few more minutes.
- Don't use too much flour for dusting the rotis when you roll them. This could make the rotis too dry and also the loose flour can burn when you put it on the stove. Use a little bit to avoid the dough from sticking to the counter.
- Try to roll the rotis evenly on thickness. It makes them cook evenly on the griddle. Also roll them pretty thin (about 2mm) and the shape should be round so it can puff up nicely once you place on open flame.
- It is important to maintain the right heat level. If the pan is too cold, the rotis will become dry and hard like a cracker. If it is too hot, the rotis will turn black and burnt in some spots while the rest of the roti stays uncooked. You just need a few golden-brown spots before you transfer the roti onto an open flame.
- It only needs a few seconds on the open flame to make the rotis. Keep the flame moderate. The grates can get too hot after making a few rotis and they can burn holes in the roti. This can make the air escape when the rotis puff up. To prevent that you can put a metal rack over the flame. They usually cool quicker than stove grates (usually made with iron)
How to serve Indian flatbread (Roti)?
Rotis are delicious with all kinds of curries. You can serve it with chicken curry, Lentil curry, Chicken korma, Cauliflower curry and many more.
You can use rotis as a wrapping. I like to make breakfast wraps with scrambled eggs and cheese. Or lunch wraps with meat salad or tuna and veggies.
Indian flatbread (Roti) are also great to make homemade chips. I do this with leftover rotis. Cut the rotis into triangles and air fry until crispy. And then serve it with your favorite dip.
How many Indian Flatbread (Roti) can I make with this recipe?
with 250g atta flour, you can make about 12 small Rotis (3 rotis per serving) or 8 large Rotis, depending on how you like them. I like to make smaller rotis because I can control my potion better this way. sometimes I serve 1 - 2 roti/chapati and basmati rice with curries and smaller rotis are perfect for this.
If you're looking for an authentic, beginner-friendly, and delicious Indian Flatbread/Roti/Chapati recipe, you'll love my recipe. It's so good with curries and also makes great wraps.
- 250 g Atta flour/Indian whole wheat flour
- 5 g Salt
- 230 g Boiling hot water (if it's easier you can measure in ml too (1g = 1ml))
- 50 g Atta flour for dipping the dough balls
- 1/2 tsp Oil to apply on the dough to prevent drying (optional)
- 2 tbsp Butter or Ghee or vegan butter (optional)
To a large bowl, add atta flour and salt (make sure to leave out the atta flour that needs to dust the dough balls, which I have listed separately). Give it a quick mix. Then add hot water and mix with a spoon until the water cools down a little bit.
Then knead with your hands until a smooth strechy dough forms. If the dough feels dry and tough, wet your hands and knead to add more moisture.
Lightly coat the dough with oil (optional but this prevents the dough from drying out). Cover the dough with a wet towel or plastic wrap. Let it rest for about 20 - 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 large dough balls (for larger rotis) or 12 small dough balls (for smaller roti). Shape the dough into small round balls. Let them rest for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier to roll the dough.
Flat each dough ball into a disc shape using your palms.
Into a small bowl add the rest of the atta flour. Then dip the dough in the flour. Make sure the whole dough ball is covered with a coat of flour.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough ball into a flat, thin, round disc. Dust the counter with some flour if the dough is sticking to it while rolling.
Heat a pan to medium-low (I use a non-stick pan). Add the roti and cook for about 40 seconds. Then, flip and cook for about another 10 seconds. You need to cook it in the pan until you see light brown spots.
If the roti takes longer to cook on the pan, that means your pan is not hot enough. This can dry out the rotis. In this case, increase the stove heat a little bit. If the rotis burn too quickly, then reduce the heat.
Lift the roti using a tong and place it directly over the flame of another stove. Keep the flame medium. The roti will puff up in a few seconds. And then turn to the other side. Cook for about 3 seconds until you see some dark brown spots and then remove to a plate.
Apply a little bit of butter right away to keep the roti moist.
