How to Make Roti: Simple Tips, Common Mistakes, and Best Practices
When you make roti, a soft, unleavened Indian flatbread made from whole wheat flour, water, and a pinch of salt. Also known as chapati, it’s the backbone of countless Indian meals—from dal and curry to sabzi and yogurt. It’s not just bread. It’s the tool you use to scoop, wrap, and savor. And if it’s tough, dry, or burns too fast, you’re not alone. Most people think roti is simple. But getting it right? That’s where the real skill lies.
The secret isn’t in fancy ingredients. It’s in whole wheat flour, the coarse, high-fiber atta that holds moisture and gives roti its chew. Store-bought refined flour won’t cut it. You need the kind that feels gritty when you rub it between your fingers. Then there’s the rolling technique, the way you press, turn, and flatten the dough without lifting the rolling pin too high. Too much pressure? The roti tears. Too little? It stays thick and doughy. And don’t even get started on the tawa, the flat griddle that needs to be just right—hot enough to puff, but not so hot it chars. A cold tawa gives you flat, rubbery roti. A too-hot one turns it into charcoal.
People skip steps they think don’t matter—like letting the dough rest, or pressing the edges while rolling. But those small things? They’re what turn good roti into great roti. You don’t need a fancy kitchen. Just clean hands, patience, and a little practice. The posts below show you exactly how to fix common problems: why your roti won’t puff, how to store dough overnight, what water temperature works best, and even how to make roti without a rolling pin. You’ll find tips from home cooks who’ve made thousands of rotis—and learned the hard way what works. No fluff. No theory. Just what actually gets you soft, warm, pillowy roti every single time.
