Rotli (rort-lee): the everyday Gujarati bread
Rotli, also known as chapati, roti or phulka, is the soft flatbread that many Gujarati families make fresh every day. It's light, easy to eat and goes with everything: curries, dal, shaak and spicy stews. This is how we make it in our kitchen.
Rotli recipe
Makes: 25–30 | Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups white flour
- 2 cups wholemeal flour
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 cups boiling water
Method
- In a large bowl, combine both flours. Make a well in the middle and pour in the oil and boiling water.
- Using your hands, knead into a soft dough for 1–2 minutes.
- Portion the dough into balls about 1½ tablespoons in size.
- Flour a patli (wooden board) and a ball of dough. Press lightly with the palm of your hand to make a flat circle.
- Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a circle about 15 cm across.
- Heat a tarvi, flat plate or non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat. Cook one side of the rotli for 30 seconds, then the other side for 1 minute.
- Finish by cooking the first side again on a hot grill or jardi for about 1 minute, until it puffs up.
- Serve hot with butter.
A little about rotli
Rotli has a history as rich and diverse as India itself. Flatbreads like it go back to the ancient Indus Valley civilisation, and over the centuries the recipe has adapted to different regions and ingredients.
The beauty of rotli is its simplicity. Rolling perfectly round, thin rotlis takes a little practice, but the reward is a soft, airy bread that puffs up on the heat. It's perfect for scooping up curries, dal and vegetable dishes.
In many households, making rotli is a tradition passed down through generations. Rolling the dough, cooking the rotlis and sharing a meal together is something that brings the whole family into the kitchen.
Made this recipe? Tag us on Instagram @the.gujarati.kitchen. We'd love to see your rotli!
Love this recipe? You'll find more of our family favourites in our award-winning cookbook, A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That.
Over 100 Gujarati dishes Mum has cooked for our family for decades, finally written down with exact measurements.
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