Indian Roti

Step 1

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add a bit of the warm water and the ghee. Mix with your hands to combine.

Step 2

Continue adding water, mixing constantly with your hands until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms.

Step 3

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and continue kneading until the dough is very soft and pliable.

Step 4

Divide the dough into 8, roughly even, sections. Roll each section into a ball.

Step 5

Flatten each ball and roll each section out, on a lightly floured surface, to 6 inches in diameter. (Keep the dough that you are not working with covered with a lightly damp tea towel to keep them from drying out.)

Step 6

Heat a cast iron skillet (or other sauté pan) over medium high heat.

Step 7

Place the rolled out dough onto the hot, dry skillet.

Step 8

Cook the roti on the first side just until the bottom is dry and the roti releases from the pan, roughly 1 min.

Step 9

Flip the roti and cook it on the second side for 2 min until brown spots start to form.

Step 10

Flip the roti back to the first side and move it in the pan as it cooks and puffs, pressing lightly with a towel on the area that is puffing, to encourage the air to spread out through the roti. Cook the roti for 30 sec - 1 minute, until fully puffed or until the bottom has brown spots.

Step 11

Remove the roti. Brush it with ghee or oil, if desired, and wrap it in a tea towel to keep it moist.

Step 12

Continue with your remaining dough. (You may need to reduce the heat slightly as you continue to cook your roti. If the bubbles in your roti are burning and popping, most likely your pan is too hot.)

Step 13

Serve the roti immediately or transfer the roti to a bread basket covered with a towel to keep them warm.

Step 14

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a cast iron skillet and cook the rolled out dough rounds in the skillet as directed above. (The bread may not be as likely to puff.)

Step 15

Fill the skillet with 1 inch of oil. Heat the oil to 350-370F and deep fry the flattened dough rounds, flipping once, until golden.

Step 16

Let the puri cool on a paper-towel lined plate.