Roti, Chapati (Flat Indian Bread)
March 21st, 2007 filed under Breads
Roti is also known as chapati or fulka. Roti is Indian flat bread made with whole-wheat flour. Roti is served with a variety of cooked vegetables, lentils, and yogurt.
Recipe will makes 4 Rotis.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water (Use more as needed)
Also needed
- 2 teaspoons ghee (clear butter)
- 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour for rolling
Method
- Mix flour, salt and water togather to make a soft dough (add more water as needed).
- Knead the dough on a lightly greased surface to make the dough smooth and pliable.
- Set the dough aside and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes or more.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
- Make smooth ball and press flat. Take 1 ball; press it in dry flour from both sides.
- Roll in to a 5-inch circle. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin or rolling syrface, lightly dust the roti with dry flour. Tip: Use the dry flour just enough you need to roll the roti, too much use of flour will make the roti dry.
- Heat the skillet on medium high heat. Note: An iron skillet works best. To know if the skillet is hot enough, sprinkle few drops of water on the skillet. If the water sizzles right away, the skillet is ready.
- Place the roti over skillet.
- After roti start changing color and start puffing in different places flip the roti over.
- Flip again after a few seconds. Take a flat spatula and press lightly on the puffed parts of the roti. This will help the roti puff.
- Flip the roti again. The roti should have light golden-brown spots on both sides.
- Butter the roti, the side that is facing the skillet.
- Keep the rotis in a container with a paper towel covering the bottem.
- Roti can be kept outside for up to 2 days wrapped in aluminum foil or in a closed container. For later use, roti can be refrigerated for 5-6 days.
Hello, Dear Manjula,
Thank you so much for this site and all the recipes. I’ve been using them for over a year now.
But I’ve encountered a problem when making roties: they don’t puff up like yours on the video. I don’t know whats the problem: tried to roll them thiner-the same, thicker-the same; tried to cook over medium flame-same result as over high flame. I made a batch yesterday and today, they taste good, but I don’t think a good as yours. Please, tell me how you meke them puff like balloons.
Emma,
Knead the dough little more and make sure dough is soft but not sticking to hand.
Hello Manjula,
I have a question. I recently made roti with a bit chunkier flour than usual, and my rotis turned out chewy! Has this happened to you? Does this just happen with coarse flour, or should I use a bit more water and let it sit longer?
Thank you.
Jesse,
With chunkier flour it can happend.
Hi bleached or unbleached if you want the roti to puff good let the dough get fermented a bit (by leaving the dough for a little while covered with wet cloth) and let the plate get hot enough to make the rotti. [ You can also show the roti direct to the sim flame on your stove, it will help the roti to puff good and if you want you can also split it in to two making the roti sooooooooooooo thin and with good taste]. Happy eating.
I used to spend money buying this from the heath food store, because most have chemicals and preservatives in them in the local Markets.
Now I can make this at home and my family loves them.
Thank You,
Naddina
I agree! It is so easy and cheap to make at home – I am a chapatti addict now!
[...] Upadhyay shares a link of her favourite wheat roti and says, “…it’s the plain whole wheat roti made by my mother that I love the most to [...]
hi Manjula, My family comes from Rajhistan and remember that sometime we used to have Duparta(two layered) roti. Can you tell me how it is made?
Thanks
Thank you Manjula! I made baigan bharta and now I’m going to make rotis, thanks you … I have always loved Indian food but I have never had the confidence to make it myself. Thanks to you, I do now! Please keep making videos!
hi, my rotis dont puff always , i want 2 make puffy rotis evrytime .
can u tell me which brand iron skillet you are using in this video ?
Hi Manjula Aunty,
I’ve been using whole wheat unbleached flour for making rotis. It doesnt turn out to be soft. Is unbleached flour the best to use or should we look out for bleached flour?
Thanks in advance for your reply.