Bread is so important in almost every cuisine imaginable! There are so many different shapes, sizes, flavors, types and textures that make the world bread go around and around…
Wheat Roti is one of the most basic and traditional Indian breads out there. Most households have this on a daily basis with their curries and lentils. It’s very simple to make but absolutely comforting when topped with a little bit of ghee or butter. It makes a regular Indian curry taste so much better!
Plus – All Indian breads are actually our version of a “fork.” You will use a small piece of it to scoop up your sauces and other dishes for eating. Cool huh? Most Indian eat with their hands, but our “fork” is officially the ROTI or whatever Indian bread we are having at our meals.
I want to share my recipe for Wheat Roti with you. It doesn’t have alot of ingredients, which makes it simple to make, but the flavor it adds to your meals will have you coming back for 1 more, or 2, or maybe 5! (lol)
WHEAT ROTLI (Wheat Flat Bread)
Serves: 15-20 rotli
Ingredients:
- 2-3 cups of wheat flour
- ¼ cup of oil (any oil except olive oil)
- ½ to 1 cup of warm water
- Butter/ghee
Instructions:
- In large flat plate, add the wheat flour and oil and mix well with hand till the flour feels oily and little clumps form.
- Once flour/oil are combined, slowly add the warm water to mixture and knead slowly until dough forms. (Should be soft enough to fold multiple times, but firm enough to not stick to your hands)
- Once dough is made, add about 1 Tbsp of oil on top and knead again till there is a slight sheen on top and dough is pliable.
- Put a flat pan on medium heat on stove and allow to warm up before adding your rotli.
- Make dough into medium size meatball size rounds.
- For each dough round, flatten and press into rolling area or rolling plate with all purpose flour to gently coat on both sides.
- Roll dough out with rolling pin into a flat tortilla-shape round
- Place rotli on hot pan and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes on one side.
- Take rotli with tongs and then increase heat on stove and place the rotli directly on high flames for another 1 minute till rotli fluffs up.
- Once fluffed up, immediately remove from stove and place on plate.
- Spread a little butter or ghee (clarified butter) on rotli before eating
NOTE: Once rotli is removed from flame in Step 9, remember to lower heat down to medium again. Only increase heat to high when you are about to place the rotli on open flame to cook.
I also want to add that you can make the dough ahead of time and let it sit outside at room temperature and covered for a few hours prior to making. Doing this will allow the glutens in the dough to break down even more and produce a lighter, more “puffier” roti bread. BUT – we all have a life and sometimes don’t have time to do this…DON”T WORRY ABOUT IT!! If you have time to let the dough sit, do it, otherwise, the roti will turn out just as delicious. And, I have made thousands of rotis in my lifetime and have done it both ways (letting it sit vs. cooking immediately) and all my rotis turned out just fine!
If you also prefer NOT to put the roti on an open flame to finish cooking, that’s totally fine too! Just remember to keep flipping the roti in your pan repeatedly on both sides to allow it to cook fully and not burn. Spread butter/ghee on top before serving for a little extra indulgence, or without. I’ve served them both ways.
Let me know your thoughts by commenting below or feel free to tag me on IG @cmspiceculture.
Enjoy!
