Roti (Chapati) Recipe – Soft and Tasty Indian Flatbread

Not a day goes by in our home without making rotis. Be it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, roti’s are always easy to make and can be eaten with almost any curry or dal. I still remember the days when my daughter only used to eat rotis with jam or Nutella spread over it. They are not only delicious but are quite healthy too. Various types of rotis can be made using different flours and can be served with jam, Nutella, mint chutney, dal, or a gravy curry of your choice.

The Origin of Roti

Roti, also spelled as rotee in some countries is similar to bread or flatbread from the United States or Canada. There has always been a debate about its origin, and we can find a lot of theories with evidence as well. However, a few believe that roti was from Persia, where it was made using Maida or all-purpose flour and was a little thicker.

The roti made using wheat flour were said to be from the Indus Valley Civilization of Egypt, and East Africa. As per the history of India, roti was consumed in Awadh due to good crops of wheat. Back then, the wheat flour was a little coarse and the roti was a little thick. With changing times, we use fine wheat flour to make rotis at home.

How To Make Roti

The making procedure of roti may seem a little tricky to some, but it is quite easy to make, and you will get there with a little practice. The first step involves preparing the roti dough, where water and salt are added to the flour, and it is kneaded well. The dough is then kept aside to rest for a while.

We then take a little dough, shape it like a ball, and create a round flat piece using a rolling pin. Achieving a perfectly round can be hard, but you will get there eventually. These days we have rolling boards with markings that help us roll the dough in perfect shape and evenly. Both the rolling pin and the roti mat/board can be bought online with ease.

Different Types of Roti

You can find various versions of rotis in India. Some of the popular ones are the Kerala style porotta, the plain paratha, chapati, pulka, tandoori roti, rumali roti, naan, kulcha, etc. A few of these are made using wheat flour, whereas the others are made using maida or all-purpose flour. You can also find various varieties of stuffed parathas that taste delicious with just a dollop of ghee.

What Kind of Flour Can I Use To Make Rotis?

Rotis are made with wheat flour. You can also use multi-grain flour or add any other flour to the wheat flour while kneading. When you just use the wheat flour, the rotis come out nice, round and soft. They can be a little brittle or hard or stretchy based on the other flour you add.

Tips For Making Roti

While it is easy to make rotis at home, you can follow a few tips to make it all easier.

• Always add the water little by little. The dough absorbs the water well, and adding more water can make your dough runny.
  
• Knead the dough well and cover the dough with a damp cloth and keep it aside for at least half an hour. This process allows the formation of gluten, which will make it easy to roll the rotis and keeps them soft for a long time.
  
• If you have extra dough, you can always store it for a day in an air-tight container in your refrigerator.