Tandoori Roti is an Indian bread that was traditionally made in clay ovens or Tandoor. I am sharing a recipe using which you can make fabulous roti at home on a tawa. Here is how to make it.
Do you guys also fight over which roti tastes better – tandoori or tawa? We have team tandoori and tawa in our house.
I am team Tandoori. I have always loved the tandoori roti since I was a child.
While growing up, we had a community clay oven (tandoor) where all the women would get dough from their houses and make roti in the tandoor.
It used to be my all-time favourite to watch all the ladies making roti in clay oven.
But now I don’t have a clay oven or tandoor at home, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy my tandoori roti every now and then.
What is Tandoori Roti?
It is an Indian flatbread made of a mix of wheat flour and all-purpose flour (maida).
It is made in a tandoor or clay oven at a high temperature. The tricky part is to get the roti cooked inside out at a certain temperature, so you get a perfectly cooked roti.
How to make it on Tawa (Without Tandoor)?
The modern homes do not come fitted with a clay tandoor and the system of community oven is only functional in some small towns and villages.
But you can still make delicious Tandoori Roti in your modern kitchen using a simple roti tawa (Griddle) and a gas stove.
To make the dough, mix maida, whole wheat flour, curd, salt, oil, sugar and baking powder in a bowl.
Add water slowly and make a tight dough. Make sure the dough is not sticky or wet and is a slightly stiff dough.
Knead the dough for 2-5 mins until it is smooth. Cover the dough and keep aside for 1 hour. Drizzle 1 tsp oil on the dough and knead again for 2-3 minutes.
Now divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Make balls from each part. Dust and roll the dough ball to make a 5-inch circle.
The thickness of this roti is slightly more than that of phulka or paratha, so keep that in mind.
Heat a tawa. Use a slightly curved roti tawa for this recipe and not the non-stick pans.
If your tawa is very smooth from the use of oil before, make sure to wash it properly with soap.
Now apple water on one side of the roti. Transfer the roti on the hot griddle with the water side down. Tawa needs to be very hot before transferring the roti on to it.
Let the roti cook for 30 seconds. Invert the tawa and cook the roti on direct heat until brown spots appear. Keep moving the tawa so that all parts of the roti gets cooked.
Turn the tawa back and cook the roti for another 30 seconds.
Remove the roti from the tawa. Apply ghee on top and serve hot.
Tandoori Roti Vs Naan
Both tandoori roti and naan are cooked in a similar way. But they are not the same. There are a few things that make them different.
Tandoori roti is made using both wheat flour and maida or can just be made with wheat flour while naan is made of only maida.
The dough for naan is made softer while that of tandoori roti is made stiffer.
The dough used for naan is fermented with yeast. It is leavened dough whereas tandoori roti is made of plain dough which is unleavened.
Tandoori roti is healthier than naan as it is made of wheat flour instead of just maida.
Pro Tips by Neha
Don’t make big tandoori rotis at home as it will restrict even heating on the stovetop and you will get undercooked rotis.
While rolling, don’t use too much dry flour. Too much dry flour will not let the roti stick to the cooking surface. Shake off excess dry flour before cooking.
After rolling the roti, wet your hand with water and evenly spread water on one side of the roti. Put the moist side on the hot tawa. This will help the roti to stick to the tawa.
Make sure the tawa is not too smooth and it should be very hot before putting the roti on it.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this roti with vegetable curries, dals, or with chicken or mutton gravies.
I serve it with Paneer Masala, Chicken Tikka Masala, or Dal Tadka. You can also serve it with Indian style stir-fried vegetables and any dal.
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Step by Step Recipe
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Add water and knead of make a slightly stiff dough.
Cover the dough and keep aside for 1 hour.
Drizzle 1 tsp oil on the dough and knead for 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Make balls from each part.
Dust and roll the dough ball to make a 5 inch circle.
Heat a tawa (Griddle). Apple water on one side of the roti.
Transfer the roti on the hot griddle with the water side down. Let it cook for 30 seconds.
Invert the tawa and cook the roti on direct heat until brown spots appear.
Turn the tawa back and cook the roti for another 30 seconds. Remove the roti from the tawa. Apply ghee on top and serve hot.
Tandoori Roti Recipe
Equipment
- Tawa
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 and 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 2 tbsp Curd
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tbsp Ghee
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Add water and knead of make a slightly stiff dough.
- Cover the dough and keep aside for 1 hour.
- Drizzle 1 tsp oil on the dough and knead for 2-3 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
- Make balls from each part.
- Dust and roll the dough ball to make a 5 inch circle.
- Heat a tawa (Griddle).
- Apple water on one side of the roti.
- Transfer the roti on the hot griddle with the water side down.
- Let it cook for 30 seconds.
- Invert the tawa and cook the roti on direct heat until brown spots appear.
- Turn the tawa back and cook the roti for another 30 seconds. Remove the roti from the tawa.
- Apply ghee on top and serve hot.
Notes
Avishek Dan
Rotis are very tasty. Thanks 🙂
Neha Mathur
Thanks for trying.
shila
bahut achaa bna tha sabko achaa laga
Neha Mathur
Good to know 🙂
Renu
I tried the recipe
Rotis turned out crisp from outside and soft from inside. Perfect recipe. Thanks.
Neha Mathur
Very good to hear this 🙂
Venu
What is the cooking time in tandoor oven?
Neha Mathur
10-12 minutes.