Tandoori roti 

Learn how to make tandoori Roti with step by steps and video. Tandoori roti recipe at home using stove top and also using tandoor.

What is tandoori roti?

The roti that is cooked or baked traditionally in an oval shaped clay tandoor is called tandoori roti.

Roti is a flatbread made by using whole wheat flour ( atta) and tandoor is a traditional cooking oval shaped earthen pot. So the roti which is cooked  in a tandoor is called tandoori roti.

Tandoori roti is considered as a healthy food due to its numerous benefits. I always prefer a tandoori roti over Naan whenever visited any hotel or restaurant. The best thing about this roti is that it is made with only wheat flour, salt and water. 

I have read many recipes for tandoori roti and surprised to see that people uses baking powder, baking soda and curd to make this roti. Crispiness is the main character of a tandoori roti. 

Using baking soda and baking powder makes a roti soft and fluffy. And it is regarded as a unleavened flatbread so why should I use curd.

Being in the hospitality professional for more than 10 years I haven't seen using baking powder, baking soda and curd to make tandoori roti.

These ingredients are used to make tandoori Naan not tandoori roti.

At restaurant very little amount of maida( all purpose flour) is used to make the Dough to give it some elasticity. As tandoori roti are flatten by the palm of hands at restaurant.

Tips to make perfect tandoori roti at home

• The dough should be kneaded very well and make sure there is no moisture in the dough.
• Don't make large tandoori roti at home. Keep the size small. As heating over stove top is not  much possible resulting an undercooked roti.
• While kneading the dough use little amount of oil with other ingredients. This will make the dough malleable while rolling.
• Try to avoid too much of flour to dust the dough while rolling.  Shake off any excess flour after rolling.
• Make sure the tawa is hot enough while placing the roti on it. And don't forget to brush water on one side of the rolled roti. 

Steps to make tandoori roti

Dough making

Take a mixing bowl and add the wheat flour, salt and cooking oil. Give them a nice mix and then pour water little by little.

Start to knead everything and make a soft palpable dough.

Grease some oil over the dough and knead further for 1 minutes to make the dough smooth.

Cover and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes to set.

While making tandoori roti at home on stove top using tawa, pan or griddle I only use salt, water and wheat flour to make the dough. Nothing else.

But at restaurant we mix very small amount of all purpose flour ( maida) to give the dough some elasticity. In restaurants tandoori roti are flatten by using the palm of hands so the dough need some elasticity.  And all purpose flour gives that.

Yogurt, baking powder or baking soda are not used while making the dough for tandoori roti at restaurant. These are often used while making the dough for Naan.

In some dhaba or hotels, baking soda is used only to cut the cost. 

Rolling the dough

Take the rested dough and divide into small equal parts. Roll them in between the palm of hands to make round shaped dough balls.

Now dust one dough ball with flour and lightly press and roll with a roller pin. Roll the dough ball according to the desired size of the roti generally 5 to 6 inch diameter.

Making tandoori roti

At home using pan/ tawa

Heat a pan or tawa over medium heat flame. When it become hot enough lower the flame to low.

Brush some water on one side of  the rolled roti  and place that side on the pan directly. Let it cook for around 30 seconds or till some small bubbles start to appear on the roti.

Now flip the pan and place the top side of the roti over the gas flame. Increase the flame and cook the roti till crisp golden. 

Then place the pan over the stove top and cook for another 30 seconds.

Remove and serve hot. You can apply some butter or ghee over the roti before serving.

Similarly make roti with the rest of the dough balls.

Using tandoor

To make tandoori roti in tandoor, you can use the same soft palpable dough.  The temperature of the tandoor should not be very high or low. 

In a medium hot tandoor you can make soft and we'll cooked tandoori roti.

In restaurant rolling pin are not used to make tandoori roti or naan. The dough balls are first pressed lightly by the tips of fingers.

Then further flatten by using the palm of both hands. 

Finger tips are greased with some oil before pressing the dough balls..

The flatten roti is then place over a roti pad (gaddi).

Now the roti is placed inside a preheated tandoor with the help of the pad. Allow the roti to get cooked till light brown and crisp.

Therefore remove the roti by using a pair of Shewer and serve.

Tandoori roti in oven

Preheat an Oven to 250°C to 300°C for about 15 minutes. Leave a baking tray at the centre of the oven at the time of heating. The baking tray need to be hot enough to cook the underside of the roti.

After rolling the dough balls, bring the baking tray from the oven and place the rolled out rotis over the tray one by one depending on the size of the tray.

Now place the tray back inside the oven and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. When the top side become light brown with some brown spots, flip to check the other side is cooked.

Remove them and serve.

Tandoori roti with yeast

Tandoori roti with yeast is known as khameeri roti, which is very rare now a days.

It is a product of mughlai cuisine where yeast is used to fermentate the dough to make soft and taste roti. 

Tandoori roti vs Naan

• Tandoori roti is a unleavened flatbread made mainly with wheat flour (atta). But sometimes all purpose flour (maida)  can also be used. Whereas Naan is  a leavened flatbread made from all purpose flour only.  
• Roti is light and not chewy or rubbery but naan is heavier and fancier than roti.
• Roti is originated in India whereas Naan is of Iranian origin.

Tandoori roti recipe

Tandoori roti is a unleavened indian flatbread made from whole wheat flour (atta). You can make this restaurant style tandoori roti recipe at home on stove top with a tawa. It is low in calories and almost zero fats.

Prep time 15 min, cook time 3 min, serve 4

Author Mobasir hassan

Ingredients

• 200 gm wheat flour (Atta)
• 1/3 tablespoon salt or as per taste
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil
• 10 gm all purpose flour (maida optional)
• Water as required
• Ghee or butter for greasing

Tandoori roti recipe video