Soft Chapati Recipe- Soft Roti

18.8K

Are you looking for a soft chapati/ roti recipe? Then you are in the correct place. With easy-to-follow instructions and tips, now you can make soft chapatis for your family to enjoy.

It’s the 3rd Day of Flatbread week series, and let’s see how to make Soft Chapatis today. In case you have missed the previous posts, check out the introduction post for more details on the Flavors recipe series. 

Chapati/roti is an Indian flatbread, and it is a staple for many Indian households and also southeast Asians. Plate up this Indian flatbread with dal, veggie curries, chutneys, Indian pickles, or yogurt for a healthy and delicious meal for your family and friends.

This soft and healthy flatbread has become a staple in our house. My son is not so big on rice and curry for lunch. However, he prefers flatbread to rice and chapatis are his favorite.   

 I serve it on the side with curries, Indian pickles, and yogurt. My favorite combo for chapati is dal, Indian pickle, and yogurt, which is simply the best! At times when I run out of tortillas, I make quesadillas with these soft chapatis. 

How to make Soft Chapati / Roti

Chapatis are made with Atta flour( chapati flour) that is a fine milled whole wheat flour. It is different in texture to hard whole wheat flour that is available in many households. You will find atta flour/ chapati flour in many Indian Super Markets or online.

If you cannot get hold of atta/ chapati flour, these chapatis also can be made with regular whole wheat flour. Regular whole wheat flour might need higher hydration, so you might need to add more water to get a very soft dough.

Authentic Chapati recipe includes fine whole wheat flour, salt, and water and can get dry and chewy if the dough is not hydrated properly. My soft Chapati recipe has some all-purpose flour and yogurt. I have been testing and trying out many ways to make Soft Chapatis, which can be frozen, and this recipe makes the best Soft Chapati so far. Plus, I have got great feedback from my friends and family about this recipe. Now, let me tell you how to make these soft chapati/ roti.

Soft Chapati Recipe

Ingredients

Flour- I used 2 cups of chapati flour and 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour but, you can use all chapati flour / whole wheat flour. Please note that flour absorbs water differently, and the water measurements might vary according to the flour type that you are using and the climate. Sometimes you might need more water. The result should be very soft (not very sticky) dough. If you get a slightly sticky dough, keep kneading for few more minutes. Avoid adding more flour as this yields a dry chapati.

Salt- The recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon salt however you can increase it up to 3/4 teaspoon depending on your preference.

Oil-  Replace the vegetable oil with ghee, coconut oil, or olive oil. If you prefer low-fat bread, you can leave the oil out. Adding oil helps to keep the chapatis soft. 

Yogurt-    Apart from oil, yogurt is another ingredient that produces very soft chapatis. Use full-fat yogurt for this recipe. Alternatively, replace yogurt with water or vegan yogurt for Vegan chapatis.  

Water – Use warm water( temperature between 90 – 110F) for this recipe. As mentioned above, different flour can need more or less water. If the dough is dry, add water, 1 Tablespoon at a time. Similarly, if it is too wet, add flour 1 Tablespoon at a time until you get a very soft dough. Avoid adding too much flour.

• In a large bowl, add flour, salt, yogurt, oil and mix well. Next, gradually add water until it forms a very soft dough.
• Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl and coat with 1 tsp of oil to prevent drying. 
• Cover the bowl with a cling wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Resting the dough at least for an hour makes it easier to roll. Use less flour as possible to roll the chapatis. More flour makes it dry. 
• After an hour of resting, divide the dough into 12- equal size pieces. Shape all the pieces into a ball, and place them back in the bowl. Cover them to prevent from drying. Rest the dough balls for 10 minutes.

How to cook the chapatis

There are two ways to cook these flatbreads. These can be cooked in a griddle pan/skillet, or fully cook them in the griddle pan and then by directly placing them on the flame to puff up. There were many times the chapatis didn’t puff up for me. However, it doesn’t affect the flavor or texture of the flatbread.

*Tips – If you want the chapatis to puff, try not to roll them too thin. Roll them evenly without putting too much pressure on the rolling pin. Cooking the chapatis for a longer time makes it crispy and hard

 Heat a griddle pan/skillet on medium-high heat. Now take one dough ball at a time and roll them evenly into 6-inch circles. Try not to roll them too thin. 

Reduce the heat to medium and cook the chapatis one at a time. Each side takes about 30 seconds to cook. When you see light golden spots, flip the chapati and cook the other side. Press the chapati with a tea towel for it to puff.

You can also puff them on direct flame by using a tong to lift the cooked chapati and place it on the direct flame for a few seconds. Make sure not to burn them. )(If the chapatis are evenly rolled, it should puff up). Take it out from the griddle pan, and place the chapatis in on a plate. Brush some butter or ghee and cover with a tea towel, or place it in an insulated food container to keep them soft. 

 Serve warm with your choice of curries. 

Freezing Chapatis/ Rotis

The dough can be left in the refrigerator for four days in an airtight container for later use, or freeze for three months. If frozen, thaw it before using. On the other hand, you can freeze rolled uncooked chapatis by placing it between baking paper, and in a freezer bag or cook the chapatis halfway on each side. Cool and place them in a freezer bag, and freeze up to 4-5 months.