JAMES ROPER

How to Make Chapatis

On the Indian table, where utensils are rare, flatbreads sop up soupy dishes and wrap morsels of food. The everyday flatbread is chapati, also known as roti, a pliant round made from whole wheat flour that is cooked on a dry skillet and then inflated and browned over an open flame. Here's how to make it.
See the recipe for Chapatis (Whole Wheat Indian Flatbread) »

Using your hands, mix 3¼ cups atta (durum wheat flour) with 1¼ cups water in a bowl until a soft dough forms. Knead dough until smooth, 1-2 minutes.

Divide dough into ten 3-oz. balls and roll in additional flour.

Working with 1 ball at a time, and using a rolling pin (and additional flour as needed), roll out each ball of dough into a 7" circle.

Heat a tawa (flat Indian skillet) or 12" cast-iron skillet over high. Cook dough, flipping once, until slightly puffed and golden, 2-3 minutes. Transfer chapati to a plate and remove skillet from heat.

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Using tongs, cook chapati 2" over an open flame, flipping once, until slightly charred in spots, about 1 minute. (Alternately, finish cooking chapati in the skillet.)

Return chapati to plate and brush with additional ghee if you like; serve hot.