While naan (please don’t call it naan bread) gets most of the glory outside of India, there are many varieties of Indian bread, like aloo paratha, puri, and thepla. Chapati, an everyday flatbread sometimes called roti, is a staple of north Indian cooking and you’ll find versions across the cuisines of Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the Caribbean. Like tortillas, they are incredibly versatile.
Some chapati recipes call simply for water and chapati flour or atta, the Hindi word for finely milled wheat flour; others add a little oil or ghee and salt. This one from the late chef Rebecca Collerton, who served chapatis at her popular Brooklyn pop-up, Mr. Curry, uses a mix of flours and swaps the oil for yogurt to create a soft dough. If you keep conventional whole wheat flour on hand, it’ll work fine, but for authentic homemade chapatis, seek out sharbati atta, a high-gluten variety.
Collerton’s technique is simple: Letting the dough rest is an essential part of the prep time; it allows the glutens to relax, so don’t rush it. Chapatis are traditionally cooked on a griddle called a tawa, but a cast-iron skillet works well; if you have a stovetop griddle, you can make several at a time. When cooking chapatis, look for a few brown spots on one side before flipping the flatbreads over. For added richness, slick them with ghee.
Serve with Sweet-and-Sour Tomato Chutney, Curried Meatballs, Beet and Carrot Salad with Curry Dressing and Pistachios, Spiced Rice, and Scallion-Herb Yogurt Sauce.
Recipe information
Total Time
90 minutes
Yield
Makes 12 flatbreads
Ingredients
1
1
¼
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk 1 cup (120 g) whole wheat flour and 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add ¼ cup plain yogurt, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¾ cup water. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
Step 2
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more all-purpose flour as needed, until dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky, 8–10 minutes. Dust with more all-purpose flour, wrap in plastic, and let rest at least 1 hour at room temperature.
Step 3
Divide dough into 12 pieces. Working with 1 dough ball at a time and keeping the other pieces covered with plastic wrap, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 8" rounds (if dough springs back when rolled, let rest a few minutes before proceeding).
Step 4
Heat a dry large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Cook a round of dough until lightly charred in spots and browned in others, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining rounds.
Do Ahead: Chapatis can be cooked 45 minutes ahead. Wrap in foil and keep warm in a 250° oven.
Editor’s note: This recipe for chapatis was first printed in our January 2016 issue. Head this way for more of our favorite bread recipes →