Roti (Flat Whole-Wheat Bread)
Submitted by Hunny
Authentic Indian roti made with just whole wheat chapati flour and water, cooked on a hot cast-iron griddle and puffed directly over an open flame. Two-ingredient vegan flatbread.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
10 minREADY
40 minRoti is the everyday Indian flatbread that proves how far you can go with just two ingredients. Chapati flour and water knead into a soft dough that rests for 30 minutes, develops gluten, then rolls into thin rounds that puff into pillowy disks when slapped onto a hot cast-iron griddle.
The puffing step is where home cooks either nail it or struggle. After the initial griddle sear, the roti goes directly over an open gas flame for 5 to 8 seconds, which superheats the trapped steam and pushes the layers apart. No flame? A broiler does the same job under an electric stove.
Resting matters. Skipping the 30-minute rest leaves the gluten tight and the roti tough. Pair fresh hot rotis with dal, butter chicken, or any saucy Indian curry that needs sopping up.
Pro Tips
- Use chapati flour (atta) if you can find it. It is finer than standard whole wheat and produces a softer roti.
- The dough should feel like a soft earlobe, not stiff. Too dry and rotis crack, too wet and they stick.
- Keep the griddle medium-low. High heat scorches the outside before the inside cooks through.
- Stack finished rotis under a clean towel. The trapped steam keeps them pliable.
Variations
- Brush warm rotis with melted ghee or butter for a richer everyday version.
- Add 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds to the dough for masala roti.
- Use half whole wheat and half bread flour for a slightly chewier roti closer to the restaurant style.
Ingredients
Directions
Put the flour in a bowl. Slowly add enough water so that you will be able to gather the flour together and make a soft dough. You may need about 2½ tablespoons less than a cup of water.
Knead the dough for 7 to 8 minutes or until it is smooth. Make a ball and put it inside a bowl.
Cover the bowl with a damp dishcloth and set it aside for half an hour.
If the dough looks very runny, flour your hands and knead for another few minutes.
Form twelve equal balls and dust each with a little flour. Keep them covered.
Set a cast-iron griddle or skillet to heat over a medium-low flame.
Allow at least 5 minutes for that. Keep about a cup of dusting flour near you.
Remove a ball of dough and flatten it between the palms of your hands. Dust it on both sides with flour. Roll it out, as thinly and evenly as you can, aiming for a 2½ inch round.
When the griddle is hot, slap the roti onto its heated surface. Cook for about a minute or until soft bubbles begin to form. Turn the roti over. Cook for half a minute on the second side.
If you have a gas fire, light a second burner on a medium flame and put the roti directly on it. Using tongs, rotate the roti so that all areas are exposed to the shooting flames. Take 5 seconds to do this.
Turn the roti over and repeat for about 3 seconds. The roti should puff up.
Put the roti on a plate and cover with a towel. Make all roti this way.
If you have an electric stove, place the griddle and roti under a broiler for a few seconds, until the roti puffs up. Serve hot.
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