Homemade chapatis are thin, whole-wheat griddled flatbreads likely originating in India. Chapatis are now consumed across the globe, from parts of India to Africa to the Caribbean, with unique variations.
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What are chapatis?
Chapatis are typically made with whole-wheat flour (called atta flour) in India, though in other parts of the world they can be made with other flours. To make chapatis, first mix flour with water and oil, then knead into a smooth and pliable dough. Rest the dough for at least 20 minutes at room temperature to soften and relax the gluten. Divide the dough into small, equal portions. Roll each ball into a thin circle, then cook on a hot tawa (griddle).
As you can see from the photos, that hot griddle gives the dough its characteristic brown spots. Chapatis cook quickly — sometimes, they can take a minute or less. The hot chapatis are then brushed with ghee or oil to keep them soft. Many Indian cooks have a special circular board and rolling pin just for rolling out chapatis. The Indian rolling pins are thinner and don’t have handles, making it easier to roll out smaller chunks of dough.
There are many variations of chapatis. Chapatis can be cooked partially on an open flame to puff up (called phulkas). Some chapatis are small (6”), and some are large (10”). Some cooks like to griddle their chapatis until light brown spots appear, while others like a slight-charred flavor.
My family is from Maharashtra, India, and we add a layer of oil inside each chapati (called ghadichi poli). Even within Maharashtra, families make ghadichi poli differently. The oil adds softness to the dough and creates a barrier between the two layers of dough for additional flakiness.
Chapatis are thin, soft, and light — perfect for everyday eating. Growing up, I ate chapatis almost every single day with a vegetable dish and dal. A hungry person can easily consume several chapatis for dinner.
What is atta flour?
Atta flour is a type of Indian wheat flour ground in stone mills called chakkis. Chakkis are two pieces of stones used to grind flour. The grinding process damages the starches in the flour due to excess friction and heat. As a result, atta flour has significantly more starch damage (what is damaged starch?) than a typical whole-wheat flour. The additional heat colors the flour and changes the flavor (it tastes toastier!). The hard wheat used to make atta is high in protein, so it’s considered a bread flour as opposed to lower protein all-purpose flour.
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Can I substitute atta flour for whole-wheat flour?
The unique properties of atta are difficult to replace with standard whole-wheat flour. You can substitute atta with a combination of whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour in a pinch, but you may not get the exact texture of atta. If you can find atta, either online or in an Indian store, I highly recommend it. I use Sujata atta flour.
How to make chapatis
Chapatis are simple in theory but can take some practice. I’ve put together step-by-step instructions so that you can make these at home. Keep in mind, there are many ways to make chapatis.
I watched my mom make chapatis growing up, but I always wanted a recipe to follow on my own. Recently, we decided to measure the amount of flour, water, and oil she uses to make a soft dough. I then developed those measurements into a full recipe.
Note: I am not an expert like many of the elders in my family with decades of experience. This endeavor to create a chapati recipe with my family taught me how much time, patience, and love is required to cook great Indian food. I tested this recipe over a dozen times, so that you, too, can try it at home with success. My chapatis aren’t always perfectly round, but they are tasty, and yours will be too. Most of the technique required is in rolling out and cooking the chapatis; it comes from practice and patience outside of the actual recipe.
1. Make the dough. Add flour to a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center of the bowl. Pour in water and oil, then mix the ingredients until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Knead the dough on a cutting board or clean work surface, adding in the remaining two teaspoons of oil. The kneading process should take you about 5 minutes, and the end result should be a fairly smooth, soft dough. I usually alternate between a traditional breadmaking kneading process, where I stretch and rotate the dough, and an Indian style kneading process, where I punch my knuckles into the dough to soften it (see video and picture for details).
3. Let the dough rest, covered, for at least 20 minutes. This process, called autolyse, hydrates the dough and relaxes the gluten so it will be easier to work with. After resting, the dough should be very soft and smooth. Take a small golf-ball sized portion of dough and roll it into a ball. If you notice the ball has cracks/crevices or feels hard, you can add a sprinkle of water at a time. Knead the dough again until smooth, adding more water as needed. You can also add in a bit more oil to soften the dough. Let rest for another 15 minutes before using.
4. Divide the dough into equal portions and roll into balls.
5. Roll out each ball into a circle, flatten into a disc, and dip in flour, as shown in the video below. When rolling out chapatis, you don’t have to use much force. Start gently and take your time, as you learn how to roll it into a circle. I typically roll the dough out for a few seconds, rotate, and repeat. It takes quite a bit of practice to roll into a perfect circle, so don’t worry! It will still taste great even if it is slightly misshapen. The key is to roll the dough evenly. If the dough is uneven, it won’t puff up. Try to focus on rolling out the edges, as the middle of the dough will naturally thin out. If you notice the dough is sticking to the board, you can re-flour it as needed.
My mom’s way of rolling out the dough (ghadichi poli): If you’re interested in trying my family’s method, I’ve included steps below. As noted previously, we add the extra step of layering the dough with a bit of oil.
Roll out dough into a small oval
Pinch the middle; dab one side with oil
Fold dough over itself
Pleat corners and seal edges
Seal all crevices
Flatten to form a circular disc
Once the dough is flattened again, coat in flour, and roll the chapati out into a thin circle as you would with the other method.
6. Cook on a hot griddled pan until brown spots appear on both sides.
What to serve with chapatis
Chapatis, dal, and a quick vegetable fry are a classic meal in my household. Try serving my masoor dal with garlic tadka or butter paneer alongside these chapatis.
Troubleshooting
Hard/dry chapatis can result from any of the following:
1) Using a non-atta whole wheat flour blend
2) Not adding enough water to the dough
3) Not kneading the dough long enough
4) Not brushing oil on the finished, cooked chapatis.
5) Cooking the chapatis at too high of a heat.
To diagnose this issue, take a look at when in the process the chapatis are hard. Was the dough hard? If so, it’s likely one of the first three problems. Was the dough soft, but the chapatis were hard? If so, it’s likely due to one of the last two issues. If your dough is hard, you can knead a bit more water into it.
If your chapatis aren’t rolled evenly, they won’t puff up properly. You can diagnose this by observing where the chapati doesn’t puff up. This method takes practice, and I still struggle with it, so don’t worry! My chapati dough is too sticky or too dry. If too sticky, knead in more flour, slowly (a sprinkle at a time), until the dough is soft and smooth. If too dry, knead in a sprinkle of water at a time until dough is soft and smooth. When rolling the dough into small balls, the dough keeps cracking, even after kneading in more water. If your dough is still cracking after kneading in additional water, you can dip your finger in a small bowl of cold water and gently run your finger over the crack, rubbing the water into the crevice to smooth it out.
Chapatis (Whole-Wheat Indian Flatbreads) Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g Chapati flour, about 3 3/4 cups Chapati flour (also known as Atta or Chakki Atta) — see notes for substitutes if you cannot find this flour
- 360 g water, at room temperature, plus more if needed
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, divided
- All-purpose flour for sprinkling and rolling out the chapatis
- Ghee or oil for brushing the chapatis
Instructions
Make the Chapati Dough
- In a large bowl, add the atta flour and slowly mix in the water and tablespoon of oil until you get a shaggy dough with a spoon or your hands.
- Add the additional tablespoon of oil and knead for 5-8 minutes until the dough is soft and quite smooth. Every so often, press your knuckles all over the dough to soften it while kneading. It should not be sticky or dry. If you find the dough is tough or dry, you can add knead in a teaspoon of water at a time until it comes together. If the dough is sticky, knead in a teaspoon of atta flour at a time.
- Let the dough rest, covered in the bowl, for at least 20 minutes before rolling out. If not using immediately, you can refrigerate in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
- After resting, the dough should be quite soft and smooth. To test this, take a small golf-ball sized portion of dough and roll into a ball. If you notice the balls are not soft and smooth (i.e. you see cracks/crevices), you can add a sprinkle of water at a time and knead the dough again until smooth. Let rest for another 15 minutes before using.
Roll Out the Chapatis
- First, you’ll need to roll out the chapatis. Divide the dough into 20 golf ball-sized portions (about 40g) for smaller chapatis (6″ – 7″) or 10 portions for larger chapatis (8″ – 9″).
- Roll each portion into a smooth ball. If the dough has cracks or is not completely smooth, you will have trouble rolling it out into a circle when making the chapati. To counter this, you can rub your hands with a bit of water to ensure they’re moist and gently press and seal the cracks.
- Keep the dough balls covered while you roll out the chapatis. Take one ball of dough and press it down to form a thick disc, then dip in all-purpose flour on both sides.
- On a cutting board or work surface, roll out the chapati with a rolling pin until it’s about ⅛” to 1/16” thick, dipping in flour as necessary to keep it from sticking to your work surface. To keep it circular, alternate between rolling the chapati and rotating it 30 degrees every few seconds. The more evenly you roll out the dough, the more likely it will puff up.
Cook the Chapatis (Standard Way)
- Heat a preheated tawa/griddle pan (or cast-iron or non-stick pan) on medium-high heat.
- When the pan just starts to smoke, add the chapati and let cook for about 30 seconds until you see brown bubbles begin to form on the underside of the chapati (you can use a spatula or tongs to check). Brush the top (uncooked side) of the chapati with a bit of ghee or oil.
- Flip the chapati, then brush the top side (the now cooked side) with ghee until the bottom cooks.
- Flip the chapati one last time until both sides are nicely browned.
- Transfer the chapati to a plate or chapati box and brush with ghee or oil. Cover to keep warm while you make the rest of the chapatis.
- Repeat this process by rolling out and cooking each chapati. You may need to turn the heat down between making each chapati if it gets too hot or smoky.
Cook the Chapatis (Phulka, Puffed-Up Way)
- Heat a preheated tawa/griddle pan (or cast-iron or non-stick pan) on medium-high heat.
- When the pan just starts to smoke, add the chapati and let cook for about 30 seconds until you see brown bubbles begin to form on the underside of the chapati (you can use a spatula or tongs to check).
- Flip the chapati, then use a clean dish towel or paper towel to gently press down all around the outer edges of the chapati. The chapati should puff up nicely. Alternatively, if you have a gas stove, you can remove the pan from the stove and carefully place the chapati directly on the flame until it puffs up.
- Flip the chapati one last time until both sides are nicely browned.
- Transfer the chapati to a plate or chapati box and brush with ghee or oil. Cover to keep warm while you make the rest of the chapatis.
- Repeat this process by rolling out and cooking each chapati. You may need to turn the heat down between making each chapati if it gets too hot or smoky.
- Store cooked chapatis in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. To reheat them, we typically place a few on a plate covered with a damp paper towel then microwave until warm.
Notes
- The recipe was developed using a scale, so if using cup measurements, you may need to adjust here and there to achieve the right texture for the dough.
- Substituting for Atta Flour: As mentioned in the post, atta flour has a very specific composition lending itself to creating a soft dough when kneaded with water. Typical whole wheat flour in the US will yield drier chapatis. I typically suggest subbing the atta flour with 50% whole wheat bread flour (or regular whole wheat) and 50% all-purpose flour. Since atta flour is a form of durum wheat, I’ve also done 24% durum wheat flour, 38% all-purpose flour, and 38% whole wheat flour with success. Regardless, nothing beats the texture from atta flour, so if you enjoy making the recipe, I highly recommend purchasing it. Sujatta Atta is the brand I use.
- Can I omit the oil/ghee? The oil/ghee used for both the dough and the cooked chapati keeps them soft. You can omit the oil, but the texture will change – your chapatis will be harder/drier.
- Do I have to make all of the dough at once? No, you can make a small portion of what you need the first day, then keep the dough, covered, in the fridge for up to 48 hours. I recommend balling the dough after you’ve taken it out of the fridge. The dough can slightly change color from oxidation in the fridge — it’s fine if this happens, but you can try to prevent this by making sure the container is airtight or tightly wrapped.
- Cooked chapatis last for about 1 week in the refrigerator. To reheat them, I put a cold chapati on a plate covered with a damp paper towel and microwave for about 15-20 seconds until warm.
- Optionally, you can make my family’s ghadichi poli by following the directions here.
Nutrition
References
While the base recipe for these chapatis came from my mom, I consulted a few different recipes to troubleshoot the process along the way.
Cook With Manali: Chapati Recipe
Manjula’s Kitchen: Chapati Video
