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Indian Chapati
Chapati is a type of Indian flat bread, it’s very popular in India. It is a staple and made of really simple ingredients: wheat flour, salt and water.
This easy and authentic Chapati recipe is from my friend Reem. I have personally tried her homemade chapati; I was instantly hooked on the soft, fluffy wheat bread.
How to Make Chapati?
It’s all about techniques when making chapatis. In the recipe below, you will learn the exact techniques to make your homemade chapati bread soft, light, puffy, airy, and fluffy.
Here is the step-by-step picture.
How Many Calories per Serving?
Each piece of the bread is only 68 calories.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
You can eat the chapati as is, with some butter (my favorite), or with chutney or chicken biryani.
For a wholesome Indian meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Chapati (Indian Flat Bread) Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour or drum-wheat “Atta”
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons wheat flour (for rolling and dusting)
Instructions
- Sieve the flour, add salt to it and mix well. Place the flour in a large bowl and add 3/4 cup of the water. Stir gently with fingers in a circular motion until the flour starts to gather. Add 1-2 tablespoons more flour if the dough looks too sticky. Add more water if it looks too dry and firm.
- Knead the flour until it becomes soft and pliable and doesn't stick to your fingers. You can put a little oil on your hand while kneading the dough to help with kneading. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 1 hour, at room temperature. You may store the dough in refrigerator. Just thaw to room temperature before using it.
- Once ready to make chapatis, heat the griddle over medium-high heat. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal-sized dough balls. Working on one dough ball at a time. Roll a dough ball in the flour and flatten it a bit with your hands. Transfer the flatten ball to a clean flat surface, roll it with a rolling pin into a 6-7 inch (15cm-17cm) disc. If the dough sticks to the surface, dust the surface with more flour.
- Place the chapati on the hot griddle and cook for 30 seconds or until tiny golden dots appear on the surface, flip over and cook the other side. Flip over again and soon the chapati will start to puff up. Use a folded kitchen towel and press gently on the puffy chapati to push the air to the flatten part of of the chapati. The whole bread should puff up into a round ball.
- Transfer the cooked chapatis to a serving platter. You may baste it with a little butter or ghee. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I have a friend (yes she’s Indian) and does make her own chapati. She’s brought me some and the are delious. I prefer them over regular white bread. The only bread I like better is good old fashion crusty on the outside chewy on the inside (I’m italian). Thanks for the recipe. I can’t wait to try it. #rasamalaysia
Awesome you should try this chapati recipe, it’s very good.
Beautiful recipe.Thank you for posting this recipe. I think this is the best one I have found so far with easy step by step instructions. I am waiting for more such recipes.
You can try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Thank you for sharing this recipe. This is the best one I have found so far with easy step by step instructions. Can’t wait to try it and I’m sure I will like them, but I will leave a comment on my experience making them.
Hi Beverly – thanks for trying this chapati recipe.
I am bachelor and I tries to make chapati for dinner. we roommates are enjoying chapati and cari . thank you for this recipe.
Fabulous recipe. Is it possible to freeze these? If so is it better to freeze cooked or uncooked ?
Freeze cooked.
Easy recipe for great chapatis. Love the photos. I always make them now but I admit I use my stand mixer. Perfect result every time.
Awesome thanks Lynn for trying the Chapati.
I’d love to hear how you used your stand mixer.
Nice recipe very simple. I am fade up of eating stored breads and burgers at least i can try some special and fresh. Thanks a lot.
How do we store chapatis (serving for one person)? Would you recommend making the dough and storing the dough (hence rolling it out as needed) or storing the made chapati? I’m a student here and would like to have chapatis on daily basis.
Storing made chapati is better.
Wow! This is the first time I have made chapati and it came out perfectly!!I was very nervous as I wasn’t sure how the dough was supposed to feel or how long to knead it, but it all came together. I let the dough rest more than an hour because I was running around doing other things. It rolled easily and actually puffed just like the pictures! Best of all, it tastes delicious. I used Aashirvaad whole wheat flour with multi-grains from the local Indian market. I will never but flat bread from a store again.
Going to make this recipe tentatively tonight. My dear I noticed a typo… “Place the bowl in dry flour” I’m sure the recipe should say place the ball. Thanks !