Roti Cooking Tips: Soft, Fluffy Indian Flatbreads Made Easy

When you think of roti, a simple, unleavened Indian flatbread made from whole wheat flour, water, and salt. Also known as chapati, it’s the daily bread in millions of Indian homes—simple, nourishing, and surprisingly hard to get right. If your rotis turn out hard, dry, or brittle, you’re not alone. Most people overwork the dough, skip resting time, or cook on the wrong heat. The truth? Perfect roti isn’t about fancy tools or expert hands. It’s about three things: dough hydration, rest time, and heat control.

Whole wheat flour, the base ingredient in traditional roti needs just the right amount of water—too little and it cracks, too much and it sticks. Most recipes say "add water gradually," but few tell you that the dough should feel like your earlobe: soft, pliable, not sticky. And then comes the secret most skip: letting the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. That’s not optional. It lets the gluten relax and the flour fully hydrate, which is why your roti stays soft hours later. If you’re in a hurry, skip the rest, and you’re just setting yourself up for disappointment.

Tawa, the flat griddle used to cook roti matters more than you think. A cast iron tawa holds heat evenly, but even a nonstick pan works if it’s properly preheated. The key? Medium heat—not too low, not too high. Too low? Your roti turns rubbery. Too high? It burns before it puffs. And puffing isn’t just for show—it’s proof that steam is building inside, creating that airy, tender texture. Press gently with a cloth as it cooks to help it inflate. Don’t poke it. Don’t rush it.

And then there’s the finish. Many people smear butter or ghee right after cooking. That’s fine, but the real trick? Keep them covered in a clean kitchen towel while you cook the rest. The trapped steam keeps them soft. If you leave them out on the counter, they’ll dry out faster than you can say "next roti."

You’ll find plenty of roti recipes online, but the ones that actually work? They all follow the same rules: good flour, proper rest, even heat, and a little patience. The posts below give you the exact steps, ingredient tweaks, and troubleshooting tips used in real Indian kitchens—not theory, not Instagram hacks. Whether you’re a beginner who’s burned a dozen rotis or someone who’s been making them for years but still gets the occasional rock-hard one, you’ll find the fix here.