Buttery Indian Roti (Indian Flatbread) Recipe
This buttery Indian flatbread recipe for roti delivers soft, pliable, and flavorful breads perfect for pairing with curries and rice. Made with simple ingredients like bread flour, butter, salt, and water, this easy recipe includes detailed steps to knead the dough, roll it thin, cook on a hot skillet with butter, and steam for ultimate softness. Perfect for any meal, roti is a versatile and comforting staple in Indian cuisine.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 rotis 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 2/3 cup warm water
For Cooking
- 1/4 cup butter (for frying, or more as necessary)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together 2 cups bread flour and 1 teaspoon salt using a fork until combined.
- Add melted butter: Mix in 2 tablespoons melted butter with the flour until crumbly, breaking up any large lumps.
- Add warm water and knead: Pour in 2/3 cup warm water and mix until dough begins to form. Knead by hand or using a dough hook on a stand mixer until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
- Rest the dough: Shape dough into a ball, cover with a tea towel, and let it rest for 20-45 minutes to develop softness and pliability. Note: This dough does not rise.
- Roll out the dough: Divide dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a thin circle approximately 8-9 inches in diameter.
- Preheat cooking surface: Heat a cast iron skillet, griddle, or large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat for several minutes.
- Cook the roti: Add about 1 teaspoon butter to the pan, swirl to coat. Place a roti on the pan, fry about 6-7 seconds, then flip. Cook for 30-50 seconds, adjusting heat to avoid burning. Flip again and cook until light brown spots appear, about 20-30 seconds, using more butter as needed.
- Steam the roti: Place cooked roti inside a ziplock bag lined with paper towels, layering with additional paper towels between rotis. Seal the bag to allow steam to soften the bread as you cook the remaining rotis.
- Serve: Enjoy roti hot with curry and rice for a delicious traditional meal.
- Store leftovers: Keep extra rotis in a ziplock bag lined with paper towels at room temperature or refrigerate.
- Freeze and reheat: Freeze rotis layered between parchment paper in a ziplock bag. Reheat by thawing and microwaving gently or grilling from frozen using the same cooking method.
Notes
- Resting the dough longer makes roti softer and easier to roll.
- Using bread flour gives a slightly chewier texture than all-purpose flour.
- Butter is essential during frying for softness and flavor; do not skimp.
- Steaming cooked rotis in a closed ziplock bag or tortilla warmer keeps them moist and pliable.
- If stacking rolled rotis before cooking, separate with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Adjust heat carefully to ensure rotis cook quickly without burning.
- Freezing rotis is a convenient way to store leftovers for future meals.
Keywords: Roti, Indian flatbread, bread recipe, frying, Indian cuisine, butter roti, homemade bread
