Search
Login
Foodies Only in your inbox
By clicking "Subscribe", you agree to ourPrivacy Policy and to receive marketing emails from Foodies Only
SearchLoginSearchLoginCopyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
23/01/2026
This guide describes how to achieve restaurant-style fluffy bhatura at home through adherence to certain principles of dough handling (hydration balance, gluten relaxation, controlled fermentation, and heat management). The key to achieving fluffy bhatura is to focus on techniques rather than ingredients, ensuring predictable, repeatable results every time.
Restaurant-style bhatura has a very distinct identity (inflated, light, somewhat chewy, and consistently puffed). It is one of those dishes that most home cooks find difficult or intimidating, since bhatura falls somewhere between bread and a deep-fried flatbread. Having a paratha-based approach to dough handling helps make bhatura less of a "black box" and more of a flatbread, with an emphasis on technique. By applying basic principles for hydration, rest, fermentation, and heat control, it is possible to achieve consistent, fluffy patters at home.
Hydration is, in many ways, the first technical difference between a dense bhatura and an airy bhatura. Bhatura dough should be very soft, unlike paratha dough, which is firm and elastic. The higher the hydration level of bhatura dough, the quicker steam forms during frying, which creates the puffiness. Soft but not sticky is an important aspect of bhatura dough. The hydration level of bhatura dough should be sufficient to allow the gluten strands to stretch without resistance to expansion.
The position of leavening agents in bhatura’s fluffiness builds off controlled fermentation as opposed to typical methods of leavening for flatbreads like parathas. Controlled fermentation creates the structure and texture needed for flatbread by aiding the expansion of the gluten network and introducing micro-air pockets as it cooks. Over- or under-fermenting the dough for bhatura will result in an inferior texture compared with the traditional recipe. Restaurant cooks use consistent fermentation conditions rather than a hit-or-miss approach.
Resting is required to make bhatura, as with parathas. Resting allows gluten to relax, making it easier to roll out and ensuring even inflation of the bhatura. Many home cooks want to skip resting and do not understand how it is an important step in producing restaurant-quality flatbread.
Using a rolling pin to roll bhatura is less about creating a thin flatbread and more about creating an even surface with as much reduced pressure or kinetic energy as possible when rolling it out. Too much pressure when rolling out the bhatura will push out the fermentation gases, and uneven rolling will create uneven puffing. By applying light outward strokes and limiting the amount of flour when rolling out the flatbread, you preserve the bhatura's internal structure, which will expand evenly once placed in the hot oil.
The method for puffing bhaturas is not based on luck, but rather on the laws of physics. If the oil is too cold, the bhaturas will absorb oil rather than generate steam; conversely, if the oil is too hot, it will harden the surface quickly. Therefore, steady heat at a moderate to high temperature creates steam immediately within the dough, causing it to puff like a balloon. Gently pressing down while frying helps direct the puffing process, a technique used by many restaurants based on their understanding of heat transfer.
Bhaturas seem to be much lighter than you would assume for a deep-fried item because they hold their moisture (the water evaporates rapidly during cooking) and because they are properly stretched (the gluten in the dough gets kneaded out). When made with the correct techniques, much of the oil stays on the surface and does not get absorbed into the dough. This shows how critical timing and structure are in determining a dish's success, rather than shortcutting recipes with the wrong ingredients.
Fluffy bhatura, as seen in many restaurants, is a flatbread that relies on water for hydration, yeast for fermentation, resting time and controlling the temperature of the cooking oil. Thinking of bhaturas as similar to parathas builds confidence. Following all the technical steps for making bhaturas will allow people to make high-quality flatbreads with the same puffiness, softness, and structure as those made in restaurants.
