Parathas are an Indian unleavened bread and an integral part of many Indian meals. Any subzi (vegetable) or curry dish can be fabulous when accompanied with fresh, hot parathas. Try this recipe. It’ll be worth your while! Although we refer to this recipe as Chapatti in the video, this is actually a Paratha recipe. The difference between the two is that Chapattis are cooked without oil whereas Parathas are pan fried.
Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Flour – 1½ cups
Oil – 3 tsp
Salt – ¼ tsp
Warm water – ½ cup + 2 tbsp
Whole Wheat Flour – ½ cup
Oil for pan frying
Method:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt well.
- Add oil and mix again to incorporate the oil into the flour.
- Slowly add warm water and knead to form a dough.
- Shape dough into a ball and rub a few drops of oil on it to coat.
- Cover and let it stand for at least 15 minutes.
- Knead dough once more and divide it into 9 ping pong size balls.
- Roll each ball in your palms and press into a flat circle.
- Put ½ cup of whole wheat flour in a flat bowl or dish.
- Dip a flattened ball into the dry flour and coat it on all sides.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out each ball into a flat disc – similar to a tortilla.
- Keep dipping the dough into the dry flour while rolling so it doesn’t stick.
- Heat a tava or skillet on medium heat.
- Place the rolled chapatti on the skillet.
- When bubbles start to form, flip the chapatti over.
- After about 10-15 seconds, smear the chapatti with a little oil and flip over.
- With a spatula, press the chapatti to make it balloon up.
- Smear the other side with a little oil and flip over again.
- Keep pressing on the bubbles gently to make the entire chapatti rise up.
- Chapatti is done when all the raw dough appears cooked.
Makes 9 Chapattis
Tips:
- Practice, practice, practice! The more you make chapattis, the better you will be at rolling them.
- While rolling a chapatti, gently rub your palm over it. You can immediately feel where it is too thick or too thin. Then, roll accordingly. The goal is to have a chapatti that is the same thickness all around.
- Invest in an insulated chapatti container. As you cook the chapattis, place them in the container and close the lid to keep them piping hot until dinner time.
Watch and learn.
Hi
I want to give chapathi for lunch..
As you have mentioned in previous
posts you have suggested to reheat the chapathi in tava before serving so that it will be soft…but in office or outside we cant do these things.my chapathis becomes rough after sometime.can you please suggest me any way to give soft chapathi for lunch .
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three e-mails with the same comment.
Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
Thanks a lot!
Hi! I just recently learned how to cook after getting married, and your website is amazing, and you guys are really helpful in making it easy! For some reason my chapati (bakri) is not fluffing, and it looks uncooked in the middle. How can i fix this? is the the flour brand?
thank you!
Hi Manisha,
Making bhakri perfectly is like perfecting a bunch of smaller steps. You have to knead the dough properly, you have to roll it out properly and you have to have proper heat and cooking time. Chapatis usually don’t fluff if they are unevenly rolled. While rolling, pass your palm across the chapati. You will be able to feel where it is too think or thick. Also, if they do fluff, you will not have the problem of having an uncooked middle. We have not tried many different brands of flour but are always happy with Laxmi Chapati Atta. If you have just started cooking, don’t despair. Its takes practice, practice and more practice to get it right.
Great recipe, just wondering whats the name of the insulated container, and where can i get one? Thanks, jess.
Hi Jessica,
They are called “insulated containers” or “chapati box”. You can find them at larger Indian grocery stores or online.
Hi, I love, love, love your website and all the videos, they are so helpful. I do have a question though. I make a lot of corn and flour tortillas and use a flat cast iron type pan. Will that work for these or would they come out with a better texture using the type of pan you use? Thank you, Cindy
Hi Cindy,
Honestly, we have not tried a cast iron pan to make chapati or paratha so we cannot compare which one is better. We do think it will work though.
pls tell me how does chapati make a chemical change?
Hi,
Thanks for the wonderful recipes…I tried Chapati today..It was all OK till I put it on Tava.The Bubbles did not appear and it almost became a papad…where could i have gone wrong?
I accidentally put in 3 tsp of salt instead of 1/4 tsp! When i tried cooking it, the dough didn’t form any bubbles and ended up turning out to be hard like a chip. Did the salt have anything to do with this? Do i have to use baking yeast?
Hi Isaac,
Not sure if it is the salt that made it crispy but you probably wouldn’t have been able to eat it anyways :). There is no need to add yeast to chapati dough. If you roll them properly and not overcook them and store them in a covered container, they should remain soft.
Hi Ladies,
I eat this for the first time so I do not know how it should taste. Parathas should be soft? My parathas did not increase and were not soft. Can I use baksade maybe next time?
With much love,
Radha
I eat this for the first time so I do not know how it should taste. Parathas should be soft? My parathas did not increase and were not soft. Can I use baksade maybe next time?
With much love,
Samantha
I eat this for the first time so I do not know how it should taste. Parathas should be soft? My parathas did not increase and were not soft. Can I use baksade maybe next time?
With much love,
Samantha
Hi ladies! Good work!!
I make this recipe.I eat this for the first time so I do not know how it should taste. Parathas should be soft? My parathas did not increase and were not soft. Can I use baksade maybe next time?
With much love,
Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Paratha should be soft. It takes a bit of practice to roll them out and get them to puff up but if you keep the paratha in an insulated container immediately after cooking, they tend to stay softer. We normally do not use baking soda in paratha or chapati.