Tandoori roti recipe is a special roti or flat bread typically cooked in a tandoor or clay oven . You can easily make these delicious restaurant style tandoori roti at home using a regular tava.
With some tips and tricks you can indeed make best tandoori roti with typical chars and smoky flavor at home 🙂 Here is how to with step by step photos!
For more special Indian breads please check butter naan, vegan naan, aloo paratha, lachha paratha recipes.
Next to butter naan, tandoori roti is our favorite flatbread while dining in a restaurant. It goes very well with navratan korma, paneer butter masala, palak paneer, paneer kalimirch, pindi chole types.
I got few requests from my readers for this stove top tandoori roti when I shared dhaba naan recipe. So here it is for you all 🙂
This is my keeper recipe for this whole wheat flour roti that I have been making for many years. It is always a hit with all those who taste it.
Piping hot roti topped served with a blob of butter is pure bliss. I make it extra special by topping the roti with finely chopped onions and cilantro leaves.
What Is Tandoori Roti?
Roti is the Indian name for whole wheat flour flatbread made in Indian homes. There are many varieties of it.
Tandoori roti is Indian flatbread traditionally made in a tandoor (clay oven) at very high temperature. Cooking in a closed oven at very high temperature imparts its signature chars and smoky flavor to the tandoori recipes.
It is a super popular dish in the restaurants, especially in Punjabi restaurants or dhaba, the roadside eateries. The tandoor in those restaurants are super hot and produce 100s of rotis in minutes.
At home as we do not own a tandoor these recipes can be made on stove top or an oven. With some tips and tricks we can indeed make restaurant style tandoori roti and other tandoori recipes at home easily.
Making tandoori roti is more of a technique than recipe. The dough remains the same as regular roti dough. With right kind of tava and some trial and error you can easily master this.
These are slightly thick soft rotis with signature chars,that taste wonderful when served hot. Smear them with butter just before serving.
I also top these rotis with finely chopped coriander leaves and onions. There are also more topping options, I have mentioned in the recipe.
These are wonderful variation to butter naan when you want something festive yest lighter. As these are made with wheat flour and not plain flour, these are lighter.
We love this roti with dal makhani, raita and a simple salad. Wonderful satiating meal.
This Homemade Tandoori Roti Is
Soft, with signature chars
Soy, nut, egg free
Made easily at home on stovetop or oven
100% whole wheat flour recipe
Vegetarian and can be made vegan easily
Delicious with dal and paneer curries.
Ingredients
To make this roti you need less than 6 ingredients. Yes, very less ingredients, as I said before this recipe is more of a cooking technique.
Flour– I have used whole wheat flour here completely. If you prefer you can also use a mix of plain flour and wheat flour. As another option you can also make this with plain flour alone.
Baking powder– A small pinch of baking powder will help the roti to get cooked thoroughly in brief time.You can also add a pinch of baking soda.
Yogurt- Adding yogurt will make your tandoori roti super soft and light. Use plain yogurt that is thick and fresh. You can also use plain greel yogurt.
Oil- Along with yogurt, oil is also added to make the rotis super soft. You can use ghee to in place of oil.
Salt– To season the dough.
Butter– to smear on the cooked rotis, while you can also use ghee here, I prefer to use salted butter for flavor.
Toppings- Topping are optional but they definitely add to the taste and flavor. Here I have used onions and coriander leaves. Your other options are
- sesame seeds
- nigella seeds
- kasuri methi
How To Make Tandoori Roti On Tava?
To make tandoori roti on tava you need a good tava with a handle. That is a flat griddle with handle.
I suggest that you do not use non stick tava for this recipe. A good cast iron or iron tava that heats up uniformly is required.
One side of the roti is cooked on tava and then we flip the other side over direct flame. Cooking on direct flame puffs up the roti and also imparts smoky flavor with chars.
Also do not add oil or butter while cooking. Just brush the roti liberally with butter while serving.
Oven Instructions
For making tandoori roti in oven first of all knead the dough as mentioned in the recipe.
Preheat your oven at the maximum temperature for 15 minutes.
Roll the rotis according to the size of your baking tray.
arrange the rolled rotis and place in the center rack. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
The rotis will puff up and slightly change color. Do not leave unattended as the rotis will burn fast. Brush butter before serving.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Tandoori roti tastes best when served hot.
- You have to apply water on side of the roti generously. This produces a smoky effect on the hot tava and as well as the roti sticks to the tawa while flipping it upside down.
- You can use regular roti dough in this recipe.
- Use a good sturdy tava for uniform cooking.
- Next do not use oil or ghee or butter to cook the roti on tawa. Brush the rotis liberally with butter just before serving.
- Serve tandoori roti hot with any Indian curry.
Variations- Tandoori Garlic Roti.
To make tandoori garlic roti, you can either add peeled and minced garlic to the dough or smear garlic butter to the cooked roti.
I often make garlic roti by adding 3-4 minced garlic cloves to the dough.
Step By Step Method
Combine 2 cups whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda if using, yogurt and oil in a bowl, mix well.
Add the warm water gradually and make a smooth and soft dough. Knead the dough very well just like we do for rotis.
Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and rest for 30-60 minutes.
Now divide the dough into 10-12 equal parts. Make each part into a small smooth ball.
Take a dough ball and roll into a oval or round shaped roti.
Do not roll it very thin though. Apply water on one side of the roti using a basting brush or fingers.
Mean time heat a iron tava. Once the tava is hot maintain medium flame.
Place the rolled roti on tawa, water side down. Cook for 40-60 seconds. Bubbles will appear on the roti now. Once bubbles appear flip the tava and cook the other side on direct flame.
Cook for a minutes till chars appear the edges turn very slightly crispy.
Remove the cooked roti from flame and apply butter liberally.
Serve tandoori roti hot.
Are you making this veg hakka noodles recipe and enjoy as much as we did.
Tandoori Roti Recipe
Equipment
- Cast iron tawa with handle or a sturdy fry pan with handle
Ingredients
- 2 cups wheat flour
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda optional
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon oil
- butter for serving
- 1/4 cup chopped onions
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Take 2 cups wheat flour, salt and oil in a bowl. Mix very well. Add warm water gradually and make a soft and smooth dough. Knead the dough very well just like we do for rotis. Rest the dough for 30 to 60 minutes, covered with a damp cloth.
- Divide the leavened dough into 10-12 equal parts. Make each part into a very small smooth ball.
- Take a dough ball and roll into a slightly thick roti. Brush one side of the rolled roti with water liberally. In the meantime heat a iron tawa. Once the tava is hot maintain medium flame.
- Place the rolled roti on tawa, watered side down. Cook that side for 40-60 seconds. Small bubbles will appear on the roti now. Once bubbles appear flip the tava upside down and cook the other side on direct flame.
- Cook for a minute till chars appear and the edges turn very slightly crispy.
- Remove the cooked roti from flame. Apply butter liberally and sprinkle . Serve tandoori roti hot warm with choice of side dish.
Notes
2. Make sure apply water well else the roti will off while you flip.
amar says
I always have tandoori roti in restaurants. I tied your recipe yesterday and it was very nice.