Roti (Chapati)
روٹی (چپاتی)
Roti is the bread eaten with almost every Pakistani meal, from daal and sabzi to karahi. It needs only , water and a hot , yet a soft, puffed roti takes a little practice. The three things that matter most are a soft, well-kneaded dough, thin and even rolling, and a quick finish over the flame so the roti balloons into a .
- ⏱ Total: 55 min
- Prep: 40 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the and salt in a bowl. Add the water a little at a time, mixing with your fingers, until a rough, sticky dough forms. Add the oil, then knead for 8–10 minutes, wetting your knuckles now and then, until the dough is soft and smooth and keeps a dent when pressed.
Smooth a little water over the dough, cover the bowl and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten so the roti rolls out thin without shrinking back.
Knead the dough for a few seconds and divide it into 8 equal . Roll each between your palms into a smooth ball, flatten it, dip both sides in dry flour, and roll it out into a thin, even circle about 15–17 cm across, turning it a little after each stroke.
Heat a over medium-high heat until a sprinkle of flour turns brown in a few seconds. Shake the excess flour off the roti and lay it on the tawa. Cook for 15–20 seconds, until the colour changes and tiny bubbles appear, then flip it.
Cook the second side for 30–40 seconds, until it has light brown spots underneath.
Lift the roti with tongs and hold it, first-cooked side down, directly over a medium gas flame for a few seconds. It will puff up like a balloon. Turn it once and take it off. Without a gas flame, flip it back onto the tawa and press the edges gently with a folded cloth so it puffs there.
Brush with a little ghee if you like and stack the rotis in a cloth-lined hot pot or wrapped in a clean cloth while you cook the rest. Serve warm with daal, sabzi or any salan.
Kitchen notes
Soft dough makes soft roti. If the dough feels stiff after kneading, wet your hands and knead in a little more water; a stiff dough gives hard, chewy rotis.
Uneven rolling stops a roti from puffing. Keep the pressure light and even, and do not let the edges stay thicker than the centre.
Wrap rotis as soon as they come off the tawa. The trapped steam keeps them soft; left in the open air, they dry and stiffen within minutes.
The everyday bread
In most Pakistani homes, roti is made fresh at least once a day, and in many homes twice. It goes with almost everything: daal, sabzi, salan, karahi, even a simple bowl of yogurt. Roti, chapati and phulka are names for the same thin, unleavened whole-wheat bread; phulka usually means one that has been puffed over the flame. In villages it is often baked in a clay tandoor instead, but the tawa roti is the standard in city kitchens.
Dough, rest, heat
Pakistani atta is finely milled and absorbs a lot of water, so the dough should be soft enough to dent easily with a finger. Long kneading develops the gluten, which is what lets the roti trap steam and puff. Resting the dough makes it easier to roll thin. On the tawa, the order is quick first side, longer second side, then the flame. The first side is cooked only until it sets, so it stays soft and flexible; the second side gets the brown spots; and the flame turns the moisture inside to steam, which separates the two layers and blows the roti up into a ball.
Variations
- Tandoori-style: make the dough a little softer and cook rotis on an upturned karahi, or bake them in a home tandoor.
- Multigrain: replace a quarter of the atta with millet, barley or maize flour for a nuttier roti.
- With ghee: many families brush every roti with ghee, especially in winter or for guests.
Storing
Rotis are best eaten within an hour. Leftover rotis keep wrapped in the fridge for 2 days and can be warmed on a hot tawa for a few seconds each side. They also freeze well, stacked with baking paper between them, for up to a month.
Questions people ask
Why don't my rotis puff up?
Usually the dough is too stiff, the roti is rolled unevenly or has a tear, or the tawa is not hot enough. Fix the dough first, roll evenly, and make sure the tawa is properly hot.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Kneaded dough keeps in a covered container in the fridge for 2 days. Let it come to room temperature for 20 minutes and knead briefly before rolling.
How do I keep rotis soft for lunch boxes?
Use a soft dough with a teaspoon of oil, brush the rotis lightly with ghee, and wrap them in a cloth and then foil while still warm. They stay soft for several hours.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 240
- Protein
- 8 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
