Despite, or perhaps because of, its elemental nature, roti remain one of the most commonly made flatbreads in India and across the diaspora. Calling for just atta, a finely milled whole wheat flour, and salt, mixed together with water, roti are astonishingly simple to make. The telltale sign of good technique is a roti that balloons as it’s cooked, pried apart by the steam trapped inside, creating a pocket not unlike those found in a pita.
A few pointers for success: It helps if the rolled dough is smooth, with no tears or rips that leak steam as they’re cooking. The second most important factor is the cooking of the roti. Roti require a two-stage cook, first to dry the outer surfaces (look for pale, opaque sides with no color), followed by a second higher blast of heat to generate that hardworking steam. Not every roti will puff, but every roti will be tasty, warm, and ready to swipe into whatever you place beside it, like an omelet curry or saucy, spiced meatballs.
In testing, we found a 50-50 blend of regular whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour to be an incredibly worthy substitute for atta or chapati flour. Use ¾ cup of each in the recipe below. You may require slightly less water. Hold back about a tablespoon of water as you mix the dough, adding more if needed to get a soft, elastic dough.
