Homemade

Khapli Atta Noodles

Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide

Quick Summary

Making noodles at home is fairly simple and requires just three ingredients, but with khapli atta in the mix, it might need a little extra help. Khapli atta is nutrient-dense, which makes great rotis. Using Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta, will give you 34% daily fibre, and 23% RDA of protein, if consuming  3 chapatis. So, trying out atta noodles at home, or simply by using your hands to knead, stretch, and cut the noodles is a good way to introduce variety to your meals.

Deep Dive

Using maida or all-purpose flour for making noodles is the norm, as these produce stretchy and whitish noodles, but khapli wheat atta noodles is another avenue to eat healthier. That is, if you are fibremaxxing, courtesy of the internet, or just trying to up your fibre intake, by modifying your meals. Khapli atta might be the last ingredient most people would expect to find in a bowl of fresh homemade noodles, but it might just turn out to be one of the best.

This guide is for anyone who has never made fresh noodles before but wants to try, while eating healthier too. With khapli wheat flour as the foundation, this guide covers every stage of making the noodles, starting with the crucial khapli atta dough hydration, resting, rolling, cutting, drying, storing, and cooking.

Fresh Noodles are Not Complicated

The reputation of fresh noodles as a weekend-project-only dish comes from a few specific anxieties, each of which is easier to resolve than it appears.

Myth 1: You need a pasta machine

You don't need a fancy machine, like the ones reserved for pasta-making to roll out noodles. Just your usual belan (rolling pin) and handiwork is enough. The dough also needs a flat surface, and a sharp knife. A machine is helpful, but not needed.

Myth 2: The dough will be too sticky or too dry to manage

If the dough is too dry, that might be the case with khapli wheat atta, it will be difficult to roll out and will likely crack. If it's too wet, which might happen if you lose patience with the dough, it will stick to your work surface and be difficult to manage. Adjust the water or flour accordingly, and make sure to give the dough enough time to hydrate while kneading and a bit more resting time than you would for whole wheat or maida.

Myth 3: It takes too long

Fresh noodles cook in about 3 minutes. Make the dough in the morning and cook the noodles later that day. The total active time of mixing, kneading, rolling, cutting, is under 30 minutes. The rest is passive resting time that requires nothing from you.

Myth 4: Whole wheat or ancient grain flours won't work for noodles

This is perhaps the most common misconception. The assumption is that only refined white flour produces workable noodle dough. Khapli atta has an earthy and nutty flavour with a distinct texture. Once you get a hang of it, you can make noodles in no time. The lower gluten content simply requires more carefulness, when it comes to hydration.

Khapli Wheat Flour is a Smart Choice for Homemade Noodles

Khapli atta stands out with its slightly coarse texture, golden-brown shade, and a mild, nutty aroma. That texture comes from the grain retaining its bran and germ, which makes it a fibre-rich atta that is also minimally processed. In noodles, it produces something with more bite and chew. It’s not heavy though and will be more filling because of its higher fibre content.

From a health perspective, the choice makes sense:

• Khapli wheat has comparatively lower gluten content and higher fibre content than modern wheat, making it easier to digest and causing less stress on the gut.

• Its low glycaemic index means the noodles release energy slowly. So, no mid-meal sugar spike, no post-lunch crash.

• Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta brings all of this in a stone-ground form: rich in protein, dietary fibre, iron, and Vitamin B1. Three servings provide approximately 34% of your daily fibre needs and around 23% of your recommended daily protein intake. So a bowl of khapli noodles is far more than just comfort food.

Khapli atta's gluten structure is less dense and easier to digest, making it a kinder option for people with mild gluten sensitivity, though it is not appropriate for those with a severe gluten allergy.

Dough Hydration with Khapli Atta

Hydration is the ratio of water to flour, and the single most important variable in noodle-making, given khapli atta, behaves a little differently from regular atta. Khapli atta absorbs water well, ensuring a good balance of elasticity and softness. However, because it is slightly coarser and richer in fibre than refined flour, it benefits from a marginally higher water ratio. When using khapli wheat flour, add 1-2 tablespoons of extra liquid per cup of flour compared to a recipe written for regular wheat.

Hydration guidelines for khapli noodle dough:

• Standard noodle dough needs 30-35% hydration (roughly 1/3 cup water per 1 cup flour), khapli wheat noodle dough, and 38-42% hydration. slightly softer and more supple than you might expect.

• Add water in small increments, 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing and kneading and then checking if the dough needs more water.

• The dough should feel smooth and barely tacky.

• If the dough sticks to your fingers, dust with a small amount of khapli flour

• If it crumbles or cracks at the edges when folded, add a few drops of water and knead again.

The resting period allows the water to fully hydrate the flour, resulting in a smoother and more pliable dough. Getting the hydration right before resting means the dough will be significantly easier to roll out. The dough will not leave a thumb impression like a typical maida dough.

Basic Khapli Wheat Noodle Dough Recipe

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

• Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta: 2 cups

• Eggs: 2-3

• Warm water: 3-4 tbsp

• Oil: 1 tbsp

• Salt: ½ tsp

• Extra khapli flour: For dusting

Method

• Mix khapli atta and salt in a bowl, then make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs and add oil into the well. Whisk the eggs and oil with the flour until a dough begins to form. The dough should be slightly sticky.

• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes to hydrate it. After resting, knead for at least 5 more minutes until smooth.

• Wrap the dough tightly in a plastic film and rest for 30-60 minutes.

• After resting, press the dough. It should feel noticeably softer and more pliable.

Rolling Khapli Wheat Noodles

• Divide the dough into 3-4 equal portions. Keep unused portions wrapped.

• Clean a work surface and dust with khapli wheat flour.

• Take one portion of the dough and thinly roll it out (rectangular. not circular). Sprinkle flour on each side if it starts to stick. Aim for around 2-3mm thickness.

• Roll from the centre outward in a single motion, not back-and-forth, to maintain even thickness.

• Hold the sheet up and blow on it lightly. If the dough ruffles, it is thin enough.

Cutting Khapli Wheat Noodles

• Once rolled out, sprinkle both sides of the uncut noodle sheet, liberally with flour. Fold the dough into layers, either in thirds like a letter, or in S-shapes.

• Cut across the folds with a sharp knife to create noodles or use a noodle machine. As for the width:

  • Broths and gravies: 2-3mm produces thin noodles (like hakka noodles)

  • Stir-fries and sauces: 5-6mm for medium-width noodles (like pad thai)

  • Creamy sauce-based noodles like pasta: 8-10mm for flat, wide noodles

• Shake the cut noodles gently to unravel them. Dust with khapli flour to prevent sticking.

How to Dry Khapli Wheat Noodles

Drying is optional if you plan to cook the noodles immediately. But if you want to make a large batch in advance, proper drying is essential to prevent clumping and spoilage.

Short drying (30 minutes to 2 hours):

• Spread cut noodles in a single layer on well-floured baking sheets and allow them to dry for 1-2 hours. 

• Alternatively, drape the noodles over a clean rack, a clothes drying rod, or even the back of a wooden chair.

Full drying (for long storage):

• Dry noodles using a hanging rack or spread in a single layer. You can tell when the noodles are fully dry by bending them in half – they should snap easily. Do not store noodles that still bend; they will develop mould.

• Full air drying can take 2-4 hours in dry weather, or overnight in humid conditions.

• For humid kitchens (especially in monsoon or coastal regions), dry the noodles in a low-temperature oven (60-70°C) for 45-60 minutes rather than air drying.

Tips for drying khapli wheat noodles:

• Dust generously with dry khapli flour before hanging or spreading. The extra fibre in khapli atta means the noodles can feel slightly sticky, when freshly cut.

• Once fully dry, store in an air dry container. Noodles can be folded into nests for optimising space, during storing, as well as for drying.

• Make sure the noodles are completely dry before sealing them into a container, or they will go soft.

Khapli Atta Noodles Made Easy

Making noodles with khapli atta can feel intimidating, but it does not have to be. With its nutty and earthy flavour and nutrient-dense nature, noodles get the healthier upgrade. More protein, iron, fibre and vitamins in the same noodles that are made into stir-fries, gravy noodles and more. Once you try making khapli atta noodles from scratch, packaged versions might never hit the same again.