Chapati / Roti / Phulka / Indian Flat Bread

Chapati / Roti / Phulka is an Indian flat bread made with whole wheat flour. No meal is complete without these in many North Indian families. 

Many find it difficult to make. Few of my South African Indian friends asked me for this recipe. Follow these simple steps to make soft rotis. 

(Makes 8 )

2 1/4 cups of Whole Wheat Flour / Atta

1 cup Water 

2 pinches Salt (Optional)

2 teaspoon Oil (Optional)

1. Sift atta into a big bowl. Take out 1/4 cup of atta which you need to add later. Add salt and oil. Mix it. Make well in the middle and gradually add water (1/4 cup at a time). Bring together atta and water till it can bind together.

2.  Form a ball of the dough. Punch it down and knead it to a smooth and soft dough for about 5 mins. Cover it with a damp cloth for 30 mins.(For gluten formation).Add 1/2 of the remaining atta to the dough and knead it again for 5 mins. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Use the other 1/2 of the remaining dough for dusting while making chapatis.
 
3. Dust each ball with atta and press it down. On a flat surface roll this into a thin circle using a roller pin.

4. Heat a flat pan. Place each rolled chapati on it. Turn over when you see tiny bubbles on the surface. Cook till brown spots are formed on the surface. You use also press chapati with a folded cloth till chapati is puffed up or remove the chapati from flat pan and puff up on direct flame. (Do this only when you serve the chapatis immediately.) 


5. Eat this with Curries and / or Dals (Lentils)