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Rotis in a stack on black plate.
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5 from 19 votes

Roti recipe

Learn how to make rotis that are soft, silky and fluffy. I am spilling all my best secrets learned over years of making this delicious Indian flatbread.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Resting time for dough30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 10 rotis
Calories: 113kcal
Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

  • Bowl
  • Tava (non-stick griddle or cast iron griddle)

Ingredients

  • 260 grams atta flour (can use regular whole wheat flour but it will make stiffer rotis)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup water (approximately. You might need more or less.)
  • 2 tablespoons oil (For brushing on the rotis. You can use cooking spray, or no oil at all.)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the roti dough

  • Place two cups of flour and salt in a bowl.
    Flour and water in bowl for roti.
  • Trickle in water, a little at a time, until the dough comes together and is not sticky. Knead for another minute or so. The dough shouldn't feel sticky but it may seem a bit rough. That's okay. Resting the dough will resolve this.
    Kneaded dough in bowl.

Rest the dough

  • Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a tight lid or a damp kitchen towel. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to an hour. After resting the dough should feel much more pliable. Knead it briefly into a smooth ball.
    Roti dough after resting.
  • Divide the dough into 10 equal-sized balls -- called "pedha" in Hindi. Keep the rest of the dough covered while you work on each roti.
    Roti dough "pedha" in bowl.

Roll the rotis

  • Dust the working surface. With the rolling pin, roll one ball of dough into a three-inch round. Brush a small amount of oil on it with your fingers or a pastry brush. Fold over once, brush a little more oil, then fold over one more time to form a triangle.
    Folding roti dough.
  • Roll the triangle into a six- to seven-inch round as best as you can. You can also make the roti triangular, if that's easier. Focus not so much on the shape but on rolling out the roti so it's of even thickness. If you are learning, make smaller and thicker rotis - you will eventually be able to make thinner rotis with some practice.
    Roti rolled into a round.

Roast roti

  • Heat a tava or griddle over medium heat. Place the roti on the hot griddle and wait for the roti to turn opaque with small bubbles. This should only take a few seconds.
    Roti after first flip on tava.
  • Flip the roti over and press on the edges with a spatula to help the roti puff up. After about 15 seconds, flip the roti once more. You want the roti to be opaque all over and have small, pale brown spots scattered across the surface. There should be no black spots or large char spots.
    Roti after roasting on griddle.
  • As soon as the rotis comes off the griddle, brush on some oil and store them wrapped in a soft kitchen towel until it's time to serve.
    Rotis wrapped in kitchen towel

Video

Notes

  • Rolling rotis into perfect rounds can often be the most challenging part of making rotis, and it's a skill you'll get better at with practice. Use light pressure to keep the pin rolling--as you get better at it the rolling pin will feel like an extension of your arms, and the dough will move with the pin, creating perfectly round, even rotis. You can also move the roti around by a quarter turn after each roll to make round rotis.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 roti | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg