Roti-Chapati-Phulka Recipe

Roti-Chapati-Phulka Recipe with step by step photos and easy to follow instructions:

Roti… Chapati.. or Phulka is a plain and simple unleavened Indian Bread that is similar to pita bread. Roti, as opposed to pita bread, is made from whole wheat whole grain flour, traditionally known as Atta Flour in India. It is one of the easiest bread to make at home. At my home, Rotis are made more regularly than rice. Rotis are served with daal, sabzi (cooked vegetables) and meat curry dishes are a staple meal of Punjab region. Punjab is one of top wheat producing states of India, therefore, it is natural to consume more wheat compared to rice or any other grains.

Chapati and Phulka are just regional names of Roti. There are many variations of Roti such as Missi Roti (made with a combination of wheat flour and Besan flour), Bajra Roti made with Millet flour, Jowar Roti made with Sorghum flour, Makki di Roti made with Corn flour; and many more. Also, various flours can be blended together to give Roti a different flavor. Rotis are also spiced up with various spices and herbs. Once in while I like to smother my roti with ghee or butter while Roti is still hot. Uhhh … the smell and flavor of the melted butter…. so yummy!!

In old days, Rotis were mostly flattened with hands, but nowdays with the availability of rolling pins, it is much easier and faster to roll the Rotis in perfect round shape. However, the Tandoori Roti is still flattened with hands which give the Roti an uneven shape. It adds to its rustic look.

In almost all Indian homes, Roti is cooked on Tawa or Tava. Tawa or Tava is a large, flat or concave griddle or frying pan made from sheet iron or cast iron utensil used for make Rotis. Most restaurants use Tandoor to make Rotis. Tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven originally used for cooking and baking in northern India. Tandoor is preheated with wood or coal. Rotis are then flattened with hands and pasted to the oven walls. Tandoori Rotis are generally thicker and bigger in size.

Roti tastes the best when fresh but it can be made ahead and freezes well. The Rotis should be fully cooked, then cooled before freezing. If using butter or ghee on Rotis, they will stick to each other when frozen. Before freezing, place a piece of parchment paper between two Rotis to prevent them from sticking to each other.

How to make Soft and Puffy Roti-Chapati-Phulka:

In a medium bowl, add whole wheat atta flour. Slowly add water and mix the atta with one hand. Gather the dough and knead well wetting your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Make a medium soft dough.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Wet your hands and knead the dough again. This time, the dough will be much smoother. Put a little bit of ghee or butter or oil on the dough to prevent the skin from forming.
Preheat the Tawa (Tava) on high heat. Once the Tawa has heated, turn the heat down to medium.
Take a portion of the Roti dough about the size of the tennis ball and roll it between the palms of your hands to shape it into a round ball. (This is called Peda). Use dry flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
Flatten the ball with your fingers. Dip the flattened dough in dry flours on both sides and gently start to roll it into a circular shape with a rolling pin. Lift the Roti after each roll and change the position of the Roti to ensure it is evenly rolled in all directions (not thick at one end and thin on the other). It is important to keep the roti at right thickness; if Roti is too thick it will not cook properly from inside and if Roti is too thin, it will dry quickly and it will not puff up. Roll the Roti into about 6-inch diameter.
Place the rolled Roti on the Tawa. When Roti begins to change the color, flip it on to the other side. Flip the Roti 3-4 times.
Take a clean tea towel and gently press the Roti on the tawa. This technique will help the Roti to puff up and cook properly. The other method is to use a metal Roti Rack (similar to cake cooling rack but with four little legs) to puff up the Roti. Place the rack on a stove and turn the heat to high. Place the partial cooked Roti onto the rack. Keep an eye on the Roti and flip it quickly with a metal tongues as the Roti will burn fast due to direct heat. If using a gas stove, you do not need to use the metal rack. You can place the partial cooked Roti directly on the flame and keep turning the sides until fully cooked.
Once the Roti is fully cooked, put some ghee or butter onto to the Roti. Keep the Rotis wrapped in a towel until served. The Rotis will stay soft. Putting ghee onto the Roti is completely optional. I usually don’t put ghee onto Roti.
Serve warm with any curry dish (Daal, Sabzi or Meat Curry).
Roti-Chapati-Phulka Recipe

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Prep time

5

Cook time

15

Total time

20

Soft and puffy unleavened whole wheat flatbread served with curry dishes.

Author: Raj Brar

Recipe type: Bread

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 8-10 pieces
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup water
- Dry flour for dusting
- Ghee or oil as needed
Utensils required:
- Rolling pin
- Tawa or griddle or frying pan
- Metal rack (optional)
- Metal tongues
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, add flour. Add water to make a medium soft dough. Do not add all the water at once. Start with half a cup of water first and add more water as required. The quantity of water may vary depending on the type and fineness of the flour.
2. Knead the dough well using wet hands. Gather the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
3. Knead the dough again with wet hands. Gather the dough into a ball and put a little bit of ghee or oil on the dough. Cover the dough with a damp towel or keep it covered in a tight lid container.
4. Heat the Tawa on a high heat. Once the Tawa is hot, turn the heat down to medium. Take a tennis ball size portion of the dough and roll it into a smooth ball. Flatten the ball into a disk. Dip the disk into dry flour and start rolling it into a circular shape with a rolling pin. Dust the surface and rolling pin with the dry flour to prevent the Roti from sticking to the surface. Roll the Roti into about 4-inch diameter.
5. Place the rolled Roti onto the hot Tawa. Once the Roti starts to change color on one side, flip it onto the other side. Flip the Roti about 2-3 times.
6. With a clean tea towel, gently press the Roti to help it puff up and cook thoroughly. Flip the Roti and repeat the pressing process. (see Notes for other methods of puffing the Roti).
7. Remove cooked Roti from Tawa, put ghee or butter on one side of it and keep it covered with a towel.
8. Serve warm with any curry dish.
Notes

1. If using a gas cooking stove, place the partial cooked Roti directly on the flame and keep flipping with a metal tongues until Roti is fully cooked on both sides.
2. For an electric stove, you can use a metal Roti Rack to puff up the Roti. Place the metal rack on the hot stove. Put the partial cooked Roti onto the rack and keep flipping with a metal tongues until Roti is fully cooked on both sides.

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