I learnt this roti puffing method only very recently and I consider it as one of this years achievements haha…sounds silly?! I wanted to post it before this year ends 🙂 Long back, I tried puffing roti but gave up as I didnt get it right. Few months back, when one of my friend asked how to make phulka / pulka the way they show in ads and asked me to post it…the curiosity again kicked up but this time I saw many videos, asked my North Indian neighbor and learnt that the trick is in rolling too….the rotis should be rolled thin even on all sides else the rotis will not puff up fully.
After few trials now I can confidently say I’m getting it right yes each time 🙂 Seeing the roti puff up takes chapati / roti making to a whole new level and mittu loves these phulkas is another added happiness.
Phulkas / Pulkas are nothing but Indian flat bread, which is normally dry and prepared without adding any fat.
Roti / Phulka Recipe – Ingredients
Preparation Time : 20 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Makes : 5 phulkas
Recipe Category: Main | Recipe Cuisine: North Indian
Recipe Category: Main | Recipe Cuisine: North Indian
Atta(Wheat flour) – 1 cup (I use homemade wheat flour, you can use any brand)
Salt – to taste
Water – 1/2 cup minus 2 tbsp
Oil – 1/2 tsp (optional)
Method:
- In a wide mixing bowl add wheat flour, salt and first give a quick mix for salt to be even. Then add water little by little, gather to form a soft pilable dough.Once it is gathered to a mass add 1/2 tsp oil and knead it once.The dough should not be too tight or too loose, it should be non sticky at this stage.
- Keep closed aside for 15-30 mins. Open and knead it again and form lemon sized balls(the size depends on your preference). Roll each ball into thin circles(rolling should be even).Dust flour if required but dont add more flour while rolling.
- Heat tawa, keep in medium flame – add the roti and wait till small bubbles appear, then flip to other side wait for few mins till golden spots appear. Then carefully transfer it to the flame(let it be in high flame)directly using a tong. Let it puff, then carefully transfer to hot pack. Repeat the same procedure for all other rotis. Brush it with oil/ghee if you prefer.
This way the rotis will stay soft for more hours.You can even use the chapathi/roti griller for making rotis this way.Hope the video will help beginners who want to try this.
My Notes:
- While transferring the rotis to direct flame, make sure the flame is high. Also the side that is not cooked to golden brown should be facing down under direct flame.
- I am sure this will come by practise but dont worry eventhough, if it doesnt not puff up like mine, am sure the rotis will be very soft.
- Make sure to roll thin and evenly. It should not be too thin as transparent to other side.
- While kneading make sure to add correct quantity of water and knead well to form a soft pilable dough.
- Dont be tempted to add in more flour while rolling…as we are not adding any oil and if you add more flour while rolling the rotis will be very dry and also taste raw.
- Use a tong and be very careful while taking out without tearing the roti 🙂 as I personally had this problem in the earlier days while I started makig them.
- The size of each roti is purely your preference but make sure the roti is big enough to fit inside the flame , the sides which are not exposed will not puff up so roll it accordingly.
- This way you can totally cut down oil and still the chapathi stays soft for hours and best for packing too.
- Once the rotis are done, brush it with ghee / oil and transfer it to a hotpack and wrap it in a kitchen towel / tissue which will keep it hot and soft until serving time.
adding milk while making dough..makes roti softer..
very helpful and informative post!!! thanks for sharing and your tips are soooo good!!!
Sowmya
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Super softy roti…
http://recipe-excavator.blogspot.com
very nicely captured !
super soft roti
http://great-secret-of-life.blogspot.com
Nice pics !
Very useful post. 1 small tip too..The rolled dough should be even without any holes or unevenness. This will make the phulka puff up well
Very healthy chapati…
I was from Madras when I got married a North Indian (Southerner moved & lived in North)49 years ago. Did not know how to roll the roti's even. With practice now I can make Phulka's that always puff, any kind of paratha's. The only trick that I know for sure is to keep trying & not give up. It becomes a habit that is hard to break. Good luck to all southie's like I was.
awesome dear…u did perfect on making THE perfect pulkas….congrats!!
🙂
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Perfect phulka.. u make it look so easy 🙂
Perfect,,i get it right sometimes .As u said its on rolling too :)Nice post & video too 🙂
Healthy and comforting phulkas…
looks soft and we always love this a lot compared to the oily chapathi.
Perfect rotis. I too make phulkas on stove top. Your step by step pics are very helpful. Thanks for sharing.
http://myexperimentswithfood.blogspot.in/2012/12/banana-loaf-cake.html
Love this soft phulkas, my fav..But unfortunately i dont have gas stove here,mine is electric:(missing it.
Lovely looking rotis. Absolutely great with any kind of curry!
Nice video Sharmi. I remember how excited I was when I got the pulkas to puff up initially 🙂
Vardhini
Event: Bake Fest
useful post.
very informative.
Found this recipe just browsing the web but sounds great will be trying this one,
Thanks , it is so easy to understand by your videos and pics along with.
Thanks a lot
All ur recipes are awesome n mouth mouth watering
Dear Ms. Sharmilee, Please also post how to cook Daal (tuar daal)and rice in a pressure cooker (together). This is also one of the basic step required to be understood by beginners
Sure will do it in future…
Dear Sharmili, please post how to cook daal, rice , and steam chick peas, palak, potatoes in pressure cookers. I am waiting for your post. I am not able to steam potatoes, spinach or chickpeas, nor can I cook rice or daal in cooker, have to depend on microwave for that.
Sure will do that in future
I m gonna try this now…
Hi Sharmilee ,
Love your blog ! Thank you for sharing all your recipes with us.:)
The title on top of the recipe says Paneer Butter Masala without saying Soft phulka. Hope you did't mind me pointing out to you.
Oh np at all… thank you for notifying…yes that was a typo…corrected it now 🙂
Hello Ms. Sharmilee I have trying many recipes frm your blog…… many tips and informative ……. easy to understand and eager to try out……. I have been trying looong time to make puff rotis …… my question is will this work only in gas stove tops …… wht abt coil ones ….. pls reply.
What is coil tops? not sure Kalpana…may be you can get that roti making wirerack kind
Coil top is a kind of electric stove. Yes, like you said we can get wire rack kind but the one I got from India almost burns the phulka. So what I did is, we get good steel racks in the microwave oven and used that on the coil top. If not, better to turn it on the same pan and I have seen my friend doing it!
Wow very nice tips thank you so very much, me being an european maried to an indian I like to know how to cook indian dishes, as I love them too. Thanks a lot for your post 🙂
I want to make phulkas for lunch box and no time to knead the dough in the morning.. i tried doing it in the previous night and storing in tight polythene covers/tupperware etc…. but its does not remain soft and always hard.. any idea for this??
Havent found such an issue so far….As for mostly for travels I knead the dough prev night itself and make phulka in the mrg…may be add little ghee while packing the phulkas
I really like tricks. I hope it would help me next time.
Yesterday first time I tried to make chapatis. But most of them didn't puff fully.
I got tiny black spots in my roti than usual golden brown like yours. Other than that it came out really good. Thank u so much. Can u pl tel y I got black spots and how to rectify it.
Just few seconds, you should take it out….else it will get burnt
I have tried doing pulkas as you have did..
was being successful in making them out fluffy..
But my only concern and doubt is that we shouldn't cook chapathi directly over gas flame. It seems it may lead to cancer and other toxic effects in our body.. is that true?? do state the truth..
I have the same concern too but not really sure as some say its not healthy but when I asked my north indian friends they say, they do it for so many years…so its our wish to continue making or not
I learned to make phulkas last year only and mom tought me with very ease… It's not actually how rolling goes but rolling evenly is also important along with a well kneaded dough … I enjoy making phulkas ever since I learned.
Nice Blog thanks for sharing. I made chapati by using Surabhi atta. Which is very tasty.Best atta for chapathi
Hi,
your recipes are very informative and thanks for sharing with us.your images are making me mouth watering.i have a small tip too.use hot water instead of cool water resulting very soft chapati.
hai.can u plz tel me d method 2 keep d dough for 2 3 days .if we keep it in fridge it gets hard and tight.incase if we have extra dough how shd v preserve
thank you
You can keep in a dry airtight container and keep in fridge.30mins before rolling keep the dough outside then use it.
thank u so much…:)