How to make Indian Flat Bread or Roti

Here’s how you can make soft, supple, and healthy homemade Roti. Enjoy this everyday Indian flatbread with a variety of different side dishes that can be easily scooped up. Follow the steps through and you can have hot Rotis on your plates in no time.

It came as quite a shock to me that people abroad consider Naan as the staple food for Indians. I will lose some marbles if one more person tells me that Naan bread is a staple dish for us Indians. Don’t get me wrong. Naans taste great and go amazingly with certain dishes. But they shouldn’t represent Indian foods. Essentially because naans are made in LARGE hot clay ovens or tandoors only found in restaurants. It seems uncomplicated but owning a tandoor is not as easy as it sounds. The maintenance itself will drill a hole in the pocket. Secondly, Naan requires leavened dough prepared with all-purpose flour and atta flour.

Since Rotis are unleavened bread and don’t require kneading and proofing, it is consumed every day. People have it three times a day with side dishes like Palak Paneer (Vegan) or Chana Masala.

What is Roti?

People from different parts of the globe consume a variation of this everyday staple Indian bread. This polyonymous dish is called many things in India – Rotis or Phulkas or Chapatis.

Rotis are made by mixing wholewheat flour, known as atta, salt, and water into an unleavened dough (also called Atta). The salt is optional. Many households don’t put the salt in while kneading the dough. Once the dough is ready, it’s flattened out with a rolling pin. These flattened dough pieces are cooked on both sides on a heated pan or Tawa. The dough flattening requires a little bit of talent and lots of practice.

You can prep the dough in advance and store it in the fridge for up to a day or two. You can make other dishes like Paranthas using wheat dough or Atta. Paranthas are like Rotis but they are stuffed with a filling e.g. Tofu Stuffed Paranthas and Gobi (Cauliflower) Paranthas.

What is the difference between Roti and Chapati?

Wheat is the second most-consumed grain in India. It is essentially had in the form of unleavened flatbread called rotis, chapatis, or phulkas. Rotis and Chapatis are not very different. They are both prepared in the same manner except Rotis don’t require oil. But for Chapatis, we apply a layer of oil before cooking them on the pan. In the north of India, we call it Roti. The very same Rotis are called Chapatis in the south of India.

Inspiration to make Roti

Roti is an integral part of Indian cuisine and feels like home for many of us. I grew up eating rotis or chapatis on a regular basis. Making the roti or chapati with wheat flour makes it a rich source of Vitamins like B, E, and minerals like copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, silicon, potassium, calcium, and other minerals salts. Rotis are an amazing source of complex carbohydrates and fiber that provides you with enough energy to last you the whole day. We must include a nutritious balance of fibers, vitamins, and minerals in our food to have a balanced meal. The one thing I miss about home is my mum’s hot Rotis.

Many people misunderstake Naans to be the staple bread of India. But I want people to know that the Indian cuisine has a lot more to offer than just Naan breads and tikka masala (*cringe*). So here I am with an easy peasy Roti recipe.

How to make Roti? (Tips and Tricks)

Rotis are the simplest bread to make and can be made within minutes. Historically Rotis or Chapatis were made by forming small dough balls and slapping them in between the palms of the hands to get a nice round shape. But now we have the mighty rolling pin to do that job for us. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you through the roti-making process.

How to knead atta dough?

Prepare the dough by adding the atta flour, salt and water. The salt to flour consistency should ideally be 1% by weight. Once you get the hand of it you can eyeball it as per your taste. Keep in mind to slowly add the water and knead until everything comes together. Usually, some recipes call for long tedious kneading claiming this will make the roti softer and build a good gluten network. But in reality, gluten networks form by themselves if you let the dough sit. So just knead enough to bring the dough together and then cover it. Let it sit for 30 min and you will be left with a soft, supple dough. It’s as easy as it gets.

Things to keep in mind while making the dough

1. Keep an eye on the flour to water ratio. If you add too much water then the dough will become gooey and messy.
2. Sprinkle some water if you feel the dough is a little too hard to work with. Mix it well until the flour is well combined.
3. Do not don’t listen to all those people trying to tell you to knead for at least 15 minutes. Listen to the scientist 😉 Bring the dough together and let it rest.
4. Poke the ball of dough with a finger to form a soft dimple. The dough is ready if the dough looks supple and holds the shape for a few seconds. If the dimple looks stretchy and wet, then you need to add more flour and knead again.

Rolling the Roti:

Roti making is a skill that requires patience and lots of practice. The more you make them, the better they will get with each roll. The most important step is to get the the rotis evenly thick. This ensures optimum puffing up of the roti. Don’t worry! It wasn’t easy for me to get the evenness at first, neither the round shape. I got better with lots of practice. It is totally up to you whether you want to add salt or oil while kneading the dough. I don’t add it because my mum never did.

How to cook Roti?

Rotis should be toasted on both sides in a pan or Tawa over fire on high heat for a couple of minutes until done on both sides. If you don’t have fire, use a cast iron skillet at 70% heat and cook your rotis in them. THATS KEY.

How to make roti without fire stoves: Use a cast iron skillet at 70% heat. Cast Iron skillet will keep the temperature consistent and help the roti puff up making it light and yummy.

Why doesn’t my Roti puff up?

Make sure you roll out the roti to an even thickness. Most times rotis don’t puff up because there are uneven sides to it when you roll it out. They should ideally puff up if its even on all sides. If they don’t puff up on the pan, place them over an open flame for a few seconds.

If they still don’t puff up then it has to do with the dough (too sticky or dry). So don’t worry, there is a learning curve to this technique. You can practice it a bunch of times until perfect.

Click here to watch how I made the dough and the Rotis.

Now, you can go ahead and enjoy these soft, yummy, hot Rotis with Daal or sabzi (veggie side dishes).