Indian Flatbread
Calories: 154kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 15 chapati
Description
India is famous for its flatbreads from chapati, tandoori roti, paratha, and more. They are perfect for meals, snacks, on-the-go wraps, or appetizers. These bread are made at home, sold on the streets as well as cooked in restaurants.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (500 g) Wheat flour or chapati flour
- 2 tablespoon Oil or butter for flavor
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) Warm water you may need a bit more
Instructions
Dough
- In a large bowl, food processor, or bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, salt, and oil. Stir to combine or pulse for a few seconds. Gradually add water while mixing at the same time until you have a soft mixture. Pro tip - Pour water through the feeder of the food processor but do not add too much.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic but still soft.Pro tip - You can continue to do the kneading in the food processor or knead in a stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and soft.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and rest of 10 to 15 minutes. Pro tip - Resting the dough will help the gluten relax and make it easier to roll.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each portion into a ball.
Chapati
- Using a rolling pin, roll each ball on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. The disc can be about 8 inches in diameter (approximately). Keep covered under a clean kitchen cloth or cheesecloth to prevent them from drying out.
Indian roti / Tandoori roti
- Using a rolling pin, roll each ball on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. The disc can be about 6 inches in diameter (approximately). Keep covered under a clean kitchen cloth or cheesecloth to prevent them from drying out.
Paratha
- Using a rolling pin, roll each ball on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. The disc can be about 8 inches in diameter. Brush the dough with oil and fold as shown in the video. Then, roll again into a square or roll shape to about 6-inches in diameter. Pro tip - Do not roll paratha too thin as it will flatten the layers. You want it to be flaky with cooked.
Lacha Paratha
- Using a rolling pin, roll each ball on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. The disc can be about 8 inches in diameter. Brush the dough with oil and fold like an accordion. Then, roll into a coil and make a flat disc as shown in the video. Roll again about 6-inches in diameter. Pro tip - Do not roll paratha too thin as it will flatten the layers. You want it to be flaky with cooked.
Cook
- Heat a large skillet, griddle, or cast-iron pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Place the chapati, roti, paratha, or lacha paratha on the hot skillet. Pro tip - Dust off any excess flour first so it does not burn on the pan.
- Cook for 30 seconds until you see a few bubbles. Then, flip to the other side. Cook another 30 to 45 seconds medium heat.
- Lightly brush with oil or butter on one side. Gently press with a flat spatula. Turn over and brush the other side. Then, gently press with a flat spatula until light golden-brown spots appear.Pro tip - Pressing with a flat spatula will help cook the parts of the dough that does not get direct heat. This adds nice color and brown spots to the flatbread which tastes better.
- Remove the flatbread from the pan and stack them. Store it wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth to keep them soft.Pro tip - Keeping the flatbreads wrapped will ensure they do not dry out.
Recipe Notes
- A soft dough will make soft flatbreads. And a stiff dough will make a stiff, chewy chapati. If your chapati edges are hard or have cracks on the edges - you have made a stiff dough
- Leave the kneaded dough on the counter for 10 minutes. Resting the dough will make it easier to work with it.
- Do not add too much flour to roll it out. Dry flour doesn't taste good on flatbread and will make them dry
- Most Indian women are used to rolling and cooking Indian chapati simultaneously. However, feel free to just roll them out first and then move on to cooking them. Otherwise, you might end up burning a few trying to multi-task.
- As soon as the flatbread is out of the skillet, wrap it in a clean kitchen cloth. The retaining steam in the chapati is what creates moisture and keeps the chapati soft.
- Lightly brush some oil with a pastry brush rather than using a spoon. This will give you a light but better coverage unlike a puddle with a spoon.
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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