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.
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