Khapli Atta

Rumali Rotis

: A Beginner's Guide To Making The Softest, Paper-Thin Flatbreads

Quick Summary

Fancy a handkerchief that you can eat? Meet the ever-loved rumali rotis, which evolved as a hand-wiping device. If that does not sound fascinating enough, it might intrigue you to know these are akin to the handmade pizzas of India, their wheat crust, if you think about the theatrics associated with making either of them. The dough is kneaded, and then the magic with the hands begins, as it's rotated and stretched through the air. Rumali rotis are made from maida, so how about upping the nutrition and trying something a tad different?

Deep Dive

The hint is in the name: rumali or roomal is the term for a handkerchief used to wipe hands and face. This moniker comes from that exact use, and it is a roti that is so thin that it can be folded like a handkerchief, without leaving any marks that every roti tends to have. Rebuilding something similar with khapli atta can be a bit of a challenge, as it does not have a higher gluten content than maida, which gives rumali rotis their stretch and ability to be so thin. But before getting into why khapli atta and why even try making it, here’s a wee bit of a detour with its history.

Where Rumali Roti Comes From

Rumali roti’s origin can be traced back to the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire, where it's said to have been served alongside ghee-rich dishes like the nalli nihari, korma and kebabs. Rumali roti was functional, not eaten, back in the day, with its thinness intentional and used by the royalty. Royal chefs or Khansamas folded the rumali rotis, like a handkerchief, and put them on the dining table along with the ‘dawat’ of the kings. The kings would use the rumali rotis to wipe their hands after relishing a rich meal that left them greasy. 

Over the centuries, the roti moved out of royal kitchens and into the wider food culture of Lucknow, Hyderabad and the Awadh region, and today it's a fixture at Indian restaurants and hotel live counters, usually paired with thick gravies, kebabs, or rolled around grilled meat for kathi rolls. Pakistan calls their version ‘lamboo roti’, referring to the flatbread’s ability to stretch; some parts of Punjab also know rumali roti by this name. There’s also a version of rumali roti called dosti roti, which is made by cooking two rumali rotis together, and their size can be quite large.

Why Khapli Atta Needs a Different Approach

The OG rumali roti recipe is always made with  100% maida because maida's higher and more elastic gluten content is exactly what lets the dough stretch into a large and thin sheet without tearing. That same elasticity is also why pros can toss and spin rumali dough in the air to thin it out, something that takes practice and relies on the flour’s well-developed gluten, strong enough to stretch without ripping.

Khapli atta, on the other hand, has both the bran and germ content that maida lacks, hence its high fibre content. It might be higher in protein, but its gluten content is much less than that of maida, making it a brittle flour to bake or cook with. While this might make khapli wheat easier to digest, it is also what makes rolling it paper-thin more difficult. Try Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta in a blend if you are a beginner experimenting with ancient grains. This atta contains iron and vitamin B1, along with more fibre and protein. Coming down to facts, without maida to fall back on for elasticity, the technique for khapli atta rumali rotis has to shift toward hydration, kneading time, and careful handling instead of relying on gluten strength alone.

Ingredients for Khapli Atta Rumali Roti

• Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta: 2 cups

• Salt: 1/2 teaspoon 

• Oil or ghee: 1 tablespoon 

• Milk or yoghurt: 2-3 tablespoons 

• Warm water, as needed to knead

Making the Dough

1. Mix the khapli atta and salt in a wide bowl, then add the oil or ghee and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until it's evenly distributed.

2. Add the milk or yoghurt, then start adding warm water gradually, a little at a time, kneading continuously.

3. Knead the dough for a full 8-10 minutes, longer than you would for a regular chapati dough. Note: No amount of extra effort can compensate for the lower gluten, so if that sounds frustrating, use a maida and khapli atta blend. As for the rumali roti dough, it needs extended kneading to develop the gluten, which will also help khapli atta develop what little gluten it has and contribute to elasticity. 

4. Once the dough is smooth and slightly soft to the touch, cover it with a damp cloth and rest it for at least 30-45 minutes at room temperature.

Ways to Build Elasticity without any Maida

If you are a flour purist and taking maida off the table entirely, a few adjustments will help compensate for khapli's lower gluten strength:

• Use warm water rather than cold to knead the dough, as the former helps the flour hydrate fully and makes it more pliable.

• Add a spoonful of yoghurt or milk into the dough, which softens the texture and makes the dough easier to stretch.

• Don't skip the resting time. A longer rest period, well beyond what a regular roti dough needs, lets the khapli's fibre-rich structure fully absorb the liquid, which makes the dough more workable rather than stiff.

• Knead a second time briefly right before rolling, just 30-60 seconds, to redistribute moisture that may have settled during resting.

• Keep the dough slightly softer and wetter than you would a normal roti dough, since a stiffer dough is far more likely to crack at the edges when rolled thin.

Rolling it Paper Thin

1. Divide the rested dough into small, even balls, slightly smaller than you'd use for a regular roti, since khapli rumali rotis are rolled out much larger and thinner.

2. Ditch your chakki, and use your belan to roll out the rumali roti on a floured surface. Roll from the centre outward, keeping the centre a touch thicker and applying more pressure toward the edges.

3. Rotate the dough frequently as you roll to keep the shape even, same as roti, and roll with light pressure, since khapli dough is prone to tearing under heavy pressure far more easily than a maida-based dough.

4. As a beginner, skip the hand-tossing technique because khapli atta has a limit to its stretch.

Cooking on an Inverted Tawa

1. Heat a tawa upside down (or use the convex base of a kadai) over medium-high heat; dust the surface with flour. It should turn golden within a few seconds once it's ready.

2. Carefully drape the rolled-out dough over the inverted tawa, smoothing it with your fingertips so it sits flat without folds.

3. Cook for roughly 30-40 seconds, watching for small bubbles to form across the surface, then use a folded cloth to press the roti.

4. Flip and cook the other side, then remove promptly. Overcooking khapli rumali roti makes it hard and brittle rather than soft and foldable.

5. Fold the roti into quarters like a handkerchief and serve immediately, since rumali roti firms up and turns chewy once it cools.

Note: If the dough keeps tearing while rolling, it might not have rested long enough or not have been kneaded long enough. Regardless of the flour used, these steps are crucial for rumali rotis. If the roti turns hard, like a papad, rather than soft after cooking, you might have overcooked it. The thinner the roti, the less time it needs on the tawa.

Maida Rumali Roti vs Khapli Atta Rumali Roti

A Royal Roti Meets an Ancient Grain

From a roti that was used as a handkerchief, then popularised and actually consumed, to meeting your health goals with conscious eating, rumali roti has come far. Khapli atta is fairly new to the baking and cooking world, even though the grain has been around for ages. It needs a bit more patience, just like ageing parents, who might have taught you everything you know today.