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4.64 from 11 votes

Chapati: Traditional Indian Flatbread

Make your own authentic chapati (Indian flatbread) with this recipe below, then dip it in your favorite sauce or fill it with your favorite fillings!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Breads
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 8 chapati
Calories: 114kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour all-purpose, whole wheat or a mix
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup warm water
  • Oil non-flavored oil is best

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Pour in the water and stir until dough forms.
  • Poke holes in the dough and pour a little oil in the holes. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
  • After the dough has sat for an hour or so, knead it for a minute or two in the bowl to incorporate the oil into the dough.
  • Then divide the dough into 8 equal sections.
  • Take a section of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface. You will probably have to flip it over a few times. Make sure it doesn't get stuck to your rolling surface.
  •  After you've rolled the dough into a thin, large circle, cut a slit in the dough from the center to the edge. Using a pastry brush, brush a little oil all over the surface of the dough.
  • Then using your hands, start from one edge of the slit and roll the dough up into a cone. Take the last corner of the dough and push it into the center of the cone to seal the dough.
  • Repeat steps 5-7 for the remaining sections of dough until you have 8 little "flowers".
  • Place the "flowers" on parchment paper and try not to let them touch or they may stick together. Cover the dough with a towel and let them rest for another 30 minutes.
  • Prepare to cook the Chapati. Start by preparing your cooking station. Preheat a large skillet to medium heat. Have a small bowl of oil and a pastry brush nearby as well as cooking spray and a plate with aluminum foil and a towel.
  • Roll out the dough one section at a time on a lightly floured surface. Again, be sure to flip the dough over as you roll it out so that it doesn't stick to your rolling surface. Add more flour if necessary. Roll the dough as thinly as possible.
  • Spray your heated skillet with cooking spray. Place the rolled out dough onto the skillet and turn it a little with your hand so that it doesn't stick. Quickly brush the top surface of the dough with oil.
  • After you've brushed the top surface, flip the dough over and brush the top surface of the dough again with oil. Soon bubbles will begin to form in the dough. Let the dough cook for about 30 seconds while you use a fork to move it around and keep it from sticking. After about 30 seconds, or once you see some brown spots on the underneath part, flip the chapati over and let the other side cook for a while until brown spots form.
  • Remove, stack and cover. After you have cooked both sides, carefully take the chapati off the pan (I use a fork) and place it on your prepared plate with aluminum foil. Fold more aluminum foil over top of the Chapati and cover it with a dish towel. This keeps the Chapati warm and allows the oil to continue moistening the Chapati.
  • Repeat steps 12-14 until all the sections have been rolled out, cooked and are stacked on top of each other and covered with the aluminum foil and a dish towel.
  • Enjoy! Serve the Chapati warm or let them cool and store them in a zip-lock bag in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Notes

  • I don't recommend trying to decrease the amount of oil in this recipe. Adding oil at different steps of this process is what makes chapati, well, chapati! The oil keeps the bread soft and pliable.
  • To reheat these flatbreads you can wrap them tightly in aluminum foil and place them in an oven preheated to 200 degrees until warm through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1chapati | Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.05g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
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