EASY ROTI RECIPE (CHAPATI) - Puffs Every Time!

Mixer: Combine the atta flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment. Turn on the mixer to medium-low (2) speed to start mixing the atta and salt. Over the course of 3 minutes, slowly pour in the water, letting it mix with the dough before adding more. It will start to form a ball.

Increase the heat to medium (4) and continue to knead on medium speed until a smooth and supple ball of dough forms (~3 min). It should start wrapping itself around the dough attachment.

By hand: Alternatively, knead by hand. Place the atta flour and salt in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Over the course of 4 minutes, slowly pour in the water while using your hands to combine the flour. It'll go from crumbly to one sticky big ball. Let the water mix with the dough before adding more, and focus on breaking the tough clumps. Using wet or oiled hands, knead for another 4 minutes by gently punching the dough with your knuckles, then folding over. See how-to video + essential tips for kneading by hand.

If the dough seems dry, tough, or unable to form, add an additional 1-2 tbsp of water. If it seems a little too wet, with the dough sticking to the sides, dust it with 1-2 tbsp atta flour. The final dough should be soft to the touch, supple, and pliable. It will be slightly sticky, but will not cling to your fingers if you touch it with wet hands.

With wet or oiled hands, remove the dough and place in an airtight container. I like to press the top of the dough with wet hands to prevent the top from drying out. Cover and let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the gluten to develop. This makes them easier to handle. Otherwise, refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days. (See Note 2) Allow to come close to room temperature when you’re ready to prepare the roti.

Once you are ready to cook the roti, place atta flour for dusting, and a rolling pin near your workstation.

Heat a tawa, or other heavy-bottomed flat griddle over med-high heat. (See Note 3) At any point if your pan comes close to smoking, reduce heat.

Dust your fingers with the dry atta before taking a medium-sized piece of dough (around 90, up to 100 grams). Dust the bottom of the piece of atta before forming into a round ball by rolling it forward, then pulling back toward the middle. (See video/photo.) Dust with atta on both sides, pressing to form a patty around 3 inches in diameter. I like to pre-shape it by holding the peda in one hand while using the palm and fingers of my other hand to gently press and stretch.

While the tawa is heating, roll the roti out to 8-9 inches (thinner is better than thicker). As you roll it out, the roti will begin to take on an oval shape. Flip it over so that the longer, oval shape is placed horizontally in front of you. Then roll it again to elongate the shorter part, making a round roti. Do not apply too much pressure and roll it out with a free hand from top to bottom. If it sticks to the rolling pin, dust as needed (but try not to use too much dry atta). Try to get it even in thickness, especially toward the edges, where it tends to thicken.

Once you’re comfortable with this process, you can shift the rolled out roti dough between your hands like you would pizza dough. (See video) This helps stretch it out gently and evenly, while dusting off the excess dry flour. It also helps you get a feel for the thick parts, which you can even out by pulling on them or thinning out with a rolling pin.

Flip #1: Place the roti on your hot tawa. As soon as the bottom starts to set (this will take about 10-15 seconds), immediately flip the roti using a spatula or tong. Do not allow it to completely set and cook.

Cook the now-bottom side for 2 minutes, until you see brown specks across the surface of the underside. Move the roti around as needed, so the outer edges cook evenly. You'll see pockets of air starting to bubble up.

Flip #2: Using tongs, flip once again. Ideally, it should start to puff up. For induction, use a cloth or cotton pot holder to gently press on the edges while turning, focusing on the non-puffy sides to encourage them to puff up. For gas, remove the pan and place the roti directly on the flame, constantly moving it around to encourage even cooking.

Flip #3 (optional for gas): Once the roti is cooked on the edges (with no visible raw atta), about one minute, remove from heat promptly. If using an electric stove/cooking on the pan, flip once more after it's puffed. This helps you cook any underdone parts by pressing gently on them. Brush the top of the roti with butter for an extra treat (also helps if you used too much dry atta). Repeat with remaining rotis, placing them in cloth-lined hot pot/insulated container until ready to serve. Keep rotis covered within cloth to keep them soft. Store the remaining atta in an airtight container in the fridge. (See Note 4 for Storing and Reheating.)