Fluffy Roti: How to Make Perfect Indian Bread That Puffs Every Time

When you roll out a fluffy roti, a soft, unleavened Indian flatbread made from whole wheat flour and water. Also known as chapati, it's the everyday bread that pairs with curries, dals, and vegetables across India. But if your roti comes out flat and tough, it’s not the flour—it’s the technique. Getting that perfect puff isn’t luck. It’s heat, pressure, and timing.

The secret to a fluffy roti lies in three things: the dough, the rolling, and the cooking surface. The dough needs to be soft, not stiff—like your earlobe. Too much flour while rolling kills the puff. And the tawa or skillet? It has to be hot enough to create steam inside the dough in under 30 seconds. If it’s too cold, the roti just dries out. If it’s too hot, it burns before it lifts. Many people skip the key step: letting the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. That rest lets the gluten relax, so the roti stretches evenly and traps air when it hits the heat.

Related to this are the tools and tricks that make or break your roti. A rolling pin, a cylindrical tool used to flatten dough evenly should be smooth and light—not heavy. A tawa, a flat, heavy griddle used for cooking Indian breads made of cast iron or thick steel holds heat better than thin pans. And don’t forget the flame. Direct gas flame after flipping the roti gives it that charred, puffed look—but you need to flip it at the right moment. Too early, and it won’t puff. Too late, and it burns.

These aren’t just tips—they’re fixes for the 7 most common mistakes that turn roti into cardboard. Over-kneading. Skipping the rest. Rolling too thin. Using cold water. Not preheating the tawa. Pressing down with the spatula. And flipping too many times. Each one kills the puff. Fix just one, and you’ll see a difference. Fix all seven, and your roti will rise like a cloud.

What you’ll find below are real solutions from people who’ve been there. Posts that break down exactly why your roti won’t puff, what heat level works best, how to test your tawa, and even how to fix dry dough with a splash of warm water. No fluff. No theory. Just what works in a home kitchen. Whether you’re making roti for the first time or you’ve been at it for years, the answers here are simple, tested, and straight from Indian kitchens where bread is eaten with every meal.