How to make chapati soft?

by Pooja
(Bangalore)

Question about How to make chapati soft?

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Hi
I would like to know how one should make chapatti so that it stays soft and edible. If it is made in morning and consumed in the afternoon.
Specially for kids in tiffin-box.

I have been told one needs to put many spoons of oil for chappatis to be soft ! Again am not convinced cos from health point of view one needs to consume least of oil in diet

Kindly advise

Regards
Pooja Bhatt
Bangalore
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Answer by Admin-(Nayana)

How to make and keep chapatis soft without using too much oil?

Hi Pooja,

You do not need to add too many spoons of oil to keep chapaties soft. You need to add only a little.

For chapaties to stay soft for a long time, the following things should be done. Whole process of making chapaties matters. A wrong step can result in not so soft chapaties.

The ingredients

- It is important to use good quality wheat flour.
- Using lukewarm water to make chapati dough helps in keeping chapaties soft.
- Using only milk or a mix of milk and water to make chapati dough helps in keeping chapaties soft.

The consistency of the dough

- Use just enough liquid/water to make soft and pliable dough. Too hard (tight) dough will make it difficult to roll and the chapati will be hard too.

- If the dough is loose (contains more water than necessary, you will need to use more dry flour while rolling which can make chapati hard.

- Resting dough for 20-30 minutes is a must to make soft chapati.

- Knead dough well after it has rested for

20-30 minutes and before making balls.

- Keep dough balls covered till you are ready to roll them. You may cover them with a wet cloth or keep them in a box.

- Once a round is rolled out, add a few drops oil onto the circle and spread it. Fold the circle in half and again to form a triangle.

- Roll again to form a circle or a triangle (your preference).

- While rolling, remember to roll the edges thinner than the center. This helps in puffing up of the chapati while cooking.

Important points while cooking chapati

- The heat while cooking chapati is important.

- The tava(girdle) should be heated well before you place the rolled chapati on it. Once the tava is heated, you can keep the heat medium.

- Maintain the heat where you get the chapati to puff up and get light brown spots.

- Too high heat will cook the chapati too quickly and burn the chapati.

- Too low flame will take longer for the chapati to cook and make the chapaties stiff and hard.

- Press the chapati lightly with a spatula while it is on the tava. Press at the point where you see the steam escaping. This will help the chapati to separate the layers and puff up nicely.

How you store chapati is important too.

As soon as the chapati is made, store it in a container. That way, it will not dry out and become hard.

There are special chapati boxes available. You may make use of them.

You may visit the page below to read the step by step instructions with photos.

Making chapati

Hope this helps.

Comments for How to make chapati soft?

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Sep 08, 2017

Request additional info
by: Anonymous

Request to clarify the proportion of wheat flour to milk.

thx

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You may use milk and water 50/50. Or you may use only milk to make wheat flour chapati dough.

Feb 15, 2017

One little trick to make chapati soft
by: Gloria

One little trick is to add a little mashed potato to the flour and knead all together - this makes chapati stay soft until next day!
(Maybe longer, but there is never any left for me to know past day two)

Dec 24, 2015

thanks for your tips
by: Anonymous

thanks you very much

Jun 23, 2015

Good post
by: Norwood Nicolas

Hi! Thanks for your site!

May 03, 2014

Your reply on how to make soft chapatis
by: Roshan

Thanks a lot Nayana for the detailed explanation that you have posted in response to Nina's query from Bangalore. I must compliment you for the step by step process in your reply. The pictorial link that you provided in your reply is much appreciated! I now know where my mistake is in making soft chapatis as I used to get the same kind as Nina's. I shall now follow your tip the next time that I make them.
Good luck n Regards :)
Roshan

Apr 03, 2014

Your suggestions for making chapati soft work.
by: Nina

Hi DT Rangarajan,
I tried all your suggestions about making chapati soft and they all work well.

So I can choose according to what I have at hand to add to make dough soft.

So it is good to follow them when you have milk or extra bread to add to dough.

Apr 03, 2014

Thank you for Soft chapati instructions
by: Nina

I had the same question about making chapaties soft.
I am newly married and having not had much experience in the kitchen, my chapati was coming hard or elastic or chewyee.
My dough was sometimes watery and sometimes very hard. I am getting better after following the instructions give here. I feel confident that I can be the mistress of my kitchen after all. Even though it may take some time.

Thanks!

Mar 07, 2014

Suggestion to make Soft chapathi
by: Dt Rangarajan

1) add 1/2 cup of milk while mixing wheat flour
2)add little sugar while mixing wheat flour
3) add little hot oil and hot water while mixing and mix slowly To make soft dough
4) add soft bread soaked in water while making flour

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