Authentic Tandoori Roti Recipe (No Tandoor Needed)
Tandoori roti
Tandoori Roti is a rustic, earthy Indian flatbread cooked in a clay tandoor — crisp on the outside, soft inside, and full of smoky aroma. In this post, I’ll show you how to make authentic restaurant-style tandoori roti at home using a tandoor, oven or even using a simple tawa.
Tandoori roti is a unleavened flatbread, there is no need to use any leavening agents like baking powder, baking soda or curd. Being in hospitality profession for more than 10 years, I haven't seen or using baking powder, baking soda and curd to make tandoori roti. These ingredients are used to make tandoori Naan and kulcha.
At restaurants sometimes very little amount of maida is used in the dough to give some elasticity. As tandoori roti are flatten by the palm of hands at restaurant.
What is tandoori roti?
Tandoori roti is a Indian flatbread made from whole wheat flour (atta) and cooked or baked in an oval shape charcoal tandoor. Roti that is cooked or baked traditionally in tandoor is called tandoori roti
Its history can be traced back to ancient times when people in the Indian subcontinent began using clay ovens for baking bread.The word "tandoor" itself is derived from the Persian word "tannūr," which means "oven." If you want to know more about Parsley and it's benefits then here is a article for you Parsley in Hindi.
Tandoori roti gained popularity in the Indian subcontinent and is commonly associated with Punjabi cuisine. It is often served with various vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes such as curries, kebabs, and tikkas. The distinctive flavor and texture of tandoori roti, along with its smoky aroma, make it a favorite choice for many people and Chef's.
Benefits of eating Tandoori Roti
- Almost zero fats.
- Low in calorie only 75
- Rich source of vitamin B complex, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium.
- Helps in weightloss.
- Doesn't make blood sugar levels shoot up and then crash. Good for diabetics
- Has soluble fibre.
Time taken
Total time taken to make tandoori roti take about just twenty five minutes. This includes fifteen minutes of preparation time and ten minutes of cooking time.
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Tandoori roti ingredients
Flour : This tandoori roti is made with only whole wheat flour, gehu atta. Use of maida is optional generally not used.
Oil : Use any good brand's vegetable oil like Sunflower oil.
Salt : A small pinch of good quality salt.
Water : As required to knead the dough.
Ghee or butter : Use any good quality ghee or butter to brush the rotis after cooking. And for Vegan tandoori roti use vegetable oil.
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
Homemade tandoori roti 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 tawa directly. Let it cook for around 30 seconds or till some small bubbles start to appear on the roti.
Now flip the tawa and place the top side of the roti over the gas flame. Increase the flame a little bit and cook the roti till crisp golden.
Then place the pan or tawa back on 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. It is best to use iron tawa for the recipe.
Similarly make roti with the rest of the dough balls and serve hot with curry or gravy. This is how you can make tawa tandoori roti or tawa butter roti. And this is the best tandoori roti without curd.
Tandoori roti recipe 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 the baking tray from the oven and serve the roti.
While the rotis are baking inside the Oven, you can roll more roti for the next batch as the baking tray will remain hot after the first batch.
Tandoori roti in 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 Shewers and serve.
Serving suggestions
Dal roti is the best combination. Dal tadka or dal fry is the most popular and preferred choice for tandoori roti. Any other Indian gravies and curries like paneer butter masala, chicken kadai, butter chicken, bhindi masala are some good choice to serve with it.
Tandoori roti with yeast is known as khameeri roti, which is very rare now a days. A product of mughlai cuisine where yeast is used to ferment the dough to make soft and taste roti.
Remember, making perfect tandoori rotis requires practice. Don't be discouraged if your initial attempts are not flawless. Keep experimenting and adjusting the dough consistency, rolling technique, and cooking time to achieve the desired results.
Tandoori roti vs Naan
Here's a comparison between tandoori roti and naan:
1. Ingredients:
Tandoori roti is typically made with whole wheat flour, water, and salt. On the
other hand, naan is made with all-purpose flour (maida), yeast or baking
powder, yogurt, ghee or oil, salt, and sometimes additional ingredients like
garlic, sesame seeds, or chopped cilantro.
2. Leavening agent: Tandoori roti is unleavened, Naan, on the other hand, is leavened and contains yeast or baking powder, which helps it rise and become fluffy.
3. Texture and flavor: Tandoori roti is usually thinner and denser compared to naan. It has a slightly chewy texture and a nutty flavor due to the use of whole wheat flour. Naan, on the other hand, is softer, thicker, and fluffier. It has a lighter texture and a slightly sweeter taste, especially if ghee or butter is brushed on top after cooking.
Tandoori Roti
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.
🥗 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
👩🍳 Instructions
- Take the wheat flour in a mixing bowl, add the salt and one tablespoon cooking oil.
- Add water little by little and start to knead to make a soft palpable dough.
- Grease some oil, cover and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to set.
- Divide the dough into equal small parts and roll between the palm of hands to make round shaped balls.
- Take one dough ball and dust with some flour. Press the ball gently with finger tips.
- Using a roller pin roll the ball into a round shaped roti of about 5 to 6 inch diameter.
- Using tawa or griddle at home : heat a tawa over medium heat flame. When become hot enough, lower the flame to low.
- Now brush some water on one side of the rolled out roti and place that side on the tawa.
- Cook the roti for 30 seconds or till some small bubbles start to appear on the roti.
- Immediately flip the tawa and place the roti over the gas flame and cook till light golden brown spot appears and the roti get evenly cooked.
- Again place the tawa back to stove top and cook further 30 seconds.
- Thereafter remove the roti and serve hot. Similarly roll and cook the rest of the dough balls.
👨🍳 Chef’s Tips
- For best result use iron tawa to make the roti at home. In non stick pan or griddle, the roti fall off easily.
- While rolling the don't use much dry flour to roll the roti. Too much dry flour won't let the roti to stick to the tawa.
- If making the roti in a tandoor then use some all purpose flour in the dough.
📊 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 75 | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 6 g | Carbs: 36 g
❓ FAQs
Q1: Can I make tandoori roti without a tandoor?
Yes! Cook it first on a hot tawa, then flip it directly over the gas flame for that smoky flavor.
Q2: Why is my tandoori roti turning hard?
It usually means the dough is too tight or not rested enough. Keep it soft and let it rest 20–30 minutes.
Q3: Is tandoori roti healthier than naan?
Definitely. Roti is made with whole wheat atta and less fat, while naan often contains maida, butter, and cream.
I’d love if you’d leave a rating or review below!
Fantastic roti thanks