Reimagining The

Frankie Roll

With Five Khapli Atta Roti And Paratha Variations

Quick Summary

Mumbai’s Frankie rolls get a nutritional glow-up with khapli atta. Not only that, the parathas used to make the Frankies get swapped with hearty local flatbreads like khapli wheat thalipeeth, malabar parotta, kulcha and more. You can pack these for your usual lunchbox, have it for brunch, breakfast, or a quick dinner. There are certain things you need to keep in mind when it comes to handling khapli wheat, which can be turned into a tasty and filling roll.  

Deep Dive

Khapli wheat (Triticum dicoccum) used to be cultivated for the longest time in India until modern wheat took over. It is also known as emmer wheat, and has seen a rising interest recently because it is richer in fibre, zinc, and magnesium. Nutritional research shows that khapli atta has a lower glycaemic index than refined wheat flour, making it a thoughtful choice for everyday cooking. So, naturally, the Bombay Frankie, born in Mumbai's Tardeo neighbourhood in the 1960s, is the perfect street food to experiment with khapli wheat, and switching the crust as well as fillings.

Before everything, make sure to lick quality khapli atta like Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta. The key difference in working with khapli atta lies in its gluten structure, which is fragile. So, you get a dough which is not as extensible as whole wheat dough. For starters, you might need to mix khapli wheat with whole wheat or maida to make an elastic dough. As for the fillings, for khapli atta Frankies, pick staples like paneer, chicken or keema, with sauces, yoghurt, chutneys and more. Across all variations below, a few tips hold:

• Rest the dough for at least 10-15 minutes after kneading before rolling.

• Cook the flatbread on medium-high heat; khapli atta can scorch at high heat.

• Brush the cooked flatbread with ghee or butter immediately to keep it pliable for rolling.

• Warm the filling before assembling; cold fillings make the wrap harder to roll.

• Wrap in paper or foil for the first two minutes if eating on the go.

Khapli Atta Methi Thepla Frankie

Gujarat's everyday flatbread, thepla, is already plenty on its own, flavoured with fenugreek leaves, turmeric, yoghurt, and green chillies, worked right into the khapli atta dough. It is rolled thin and cooked on a tawa, with a vegetal taste that goes well with a lot of fillings.

Recommended Filling: Crumbled paneer bhurji with caramelised onions, red pepper strips, and a sweet and sour chutney like mango chunda.

Ingredients for the Thepla Dough:

• Khapli atta: 1 cup

• Fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves, finely chopped: ½ cup

• Yoghurt: 2 tbsp

• Turmeric: ½ tsp

• Red chilli powder: ½ tsp

• Ajwain: ½ tsp

• Salt: to taste

• Water: as needed

• Oil: for cooking 

Making the Thepla: Mix all dry ingredients, add methi and yoghurt, and knead to a semi-soft dough using water as needed. Rest for 10 minutes. Roll it out and cook on a hot tawa with oil on both sides. Brush with ghee off the heat.

Assembly: Lay the thepla flat on a dry chopping board. Spread tamarind chutney, place a line of paneer bhurji, top with raw onion rings and green chilli. Roll tightly from one side, folding the bottom edge in before completing the roll. For a non-vegetarian version, replace paneer with keema.

Khapli Atta Laccha Paratha Frankie

The laccha paratha's defining quality is its many buttery and flaky layers that make for a filling and indulgent Frankie. These iconic layers are achieved by rolling, folding, and coiling the dough before the roll-out. Made with khapli atta, those layers might be tighter and nuttier.

Recommended Filling: Grilled chicken tikka or tandoori strips with mint yoghurt, shredded cabbage, and pickled onions.

Ingredients for the Laccha Paratha Dough:

• Khapli atta: 1½ cups

• Ghee (for dough): 2 tbsp

• Extra ghee: for layering

• Salt: ½ tsp

• Warm water: as needed 

Making the Laccha Paratha: Knead khapli atta with ghee and salt into a smooth, slightly soft dough. Rest 15 minutes. Roll into a thin circle, brush with melted ghee, dust with dry flour, and pleat accordion-style. Coil the pleated strip into a disc, flatten gently, and roll out again to medium thickness. Cook on a medium-high tawa with ghee, pressing lightly and turning until both sides are golden and the layers separate visibly.

Assembly: Spread mint yoghurt on the warm paratha. Layer chicken tikka strips, pickled onion, and shredded cabbage down the centre. Roll firmly, wrapping the bottom in foil. Pair the non-vegetarian version with a cold Aam Panna or a salty lassi to cut through the fat.

Khapli Atta Malabar Parotta Frankie

The Malabar parotta is Sri Lanka and Kerala's answer to the laccha paratha and is made using a stretching and folding technique rather than a pleating one. The result is a web of thin, almost translucent, coiled layers that crisp on the outside while staying cloud-soft within. Khapli atta demands slightly more hydration than maida here, and a 20-minute dough rest is non-negotiable, but the payoff is extraordinary.

Recommended Filling: A regional scrambled egg masala with tempering including curry leaves, and a spoonful of coconut chutney.

Ingredients for the Parotta Dough:

• Khapli atta: 1½ cups

• Oil (for dough): 3 tbsp

• Extra oil: for stretching

• Salt: ½ tsp

• Warm water: as needed

Making the Parotta: Knead into a very soft, pliable dough. Rest for 20 minutes covered. Divide into balls, oil generously, and stretch each ball on an oiled surface into a thin sheet. Fold lengthwise into a narrow strip, then coil into a spiral disc. Flatten gently and cook on a hot tawa with oil until golden on both sides. While still warm, crush between both palms to separate the layers.

Assembly: Spread coconut chutney on the crushed parotta. Add egg masala down the centre, top with thinly sliced green chillies and curry leaves. Roll and serve immediately. For vegetarians, replace egg with a banana blossom and chickpea masala. 

Khapli Atta Kulcha Frankie

The kulcha is Amritsar's leavened, oven-cooked flatbread, which transforms the Frankie with a doughier wrap that has a fermented taste to it with a charred outside. You can use naan to make this wrap, too, which has a different taste to it. You can make both on your tawa. 

Recommended Filling: Amritsari chole (chickpea masala) with pickled carrots, raw onion, and a generous amount of imli chutney.

Ingredients for the Kulcha Dough:

• Khapli atta: 1 cup

• Whole wheat flour: ½ cup

• Yoghurt: 3 tbsp

• Baking powder: ½ tsp

• Sugar: a pinch

• Salt: ½ tsp

• Water: as needed

• Butter: for finishing 

Making the Kulcha: Mix khapli atta, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add yoghurt and knead with water to a soft dough. Rest for 30 minutes covered. Roll into an oval, place on a hot tawa, cover with a lid, and cook for 2 minutes until the surface bubbles. Flip, cook for 1 minute on direct flame if possible. Finish with butter.

Assembly: Cut the kulcha across the centre (not fully) and stuff with chole, pickled carrots, and raw onion. Close gently and press for 30 seconds on the tawa to meld.

Khapli Atta Thalipeeth Frankie

Maharashtra's thalipeeth is a multigrain flatbread made from a custom flour blend called bhajani that features roasted and ground rice, lentils, jowar, and bajra. Replacing the wheat bit with khapli atta adds more depth and a complex flavour. Thalipeeth is patted directly onto the tawa rather than rolled, so it produces a thicker, heartier flatbread that holds chunky fillings with ease.

Recommended Filling: Spicy bhuna potato masala with roasted peanuts, green chilli, coriander, and some peanut chutney.

Ingredients for the Thalipeeth:

• Khapli atta: ½ cup

• Jowar flour: ¼ cup

• Besan (chickpea flour): ¼ cup

• Rice flour: 2 tbsp

• Onion, finely chopped: 1

• Coriander seeds, crushed: 1 tsp

• Cumin seeds: ½ tsp

• Green chilli, minced: 1

• Fresh coriander: as needed

• Salt: to taste

• Water: as needed

• Oil: for cooking 

Making the Thalipeeth: Mix all flours with onion, spices, chilli, and coriander. Add water gradually to form a moist dough; firmer than a batter, softer than a standard roti dough. Wet your palm, take a ball of dough, and press it directly onto a lightly oiled hot tawa, spreading to a circle with your fingers. Make a small hole in the centre. Spoon oil around the edges; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Flip, cook for 2 more minutes uncovered.

Assembly: Lay the thalipeeth flat. Spread peanut chutney, place mashed potato filling, top with raw onion and fresh coriander. Roll carefully as the thalipeeth is thicker, so use a tighter, burrito-style roll. For non-vegetarians, replace the potato with a dry mutton keema cooked in Kolhapuri masala.

Frankies Reimagined with Khapli Atta

Take these baby steps to reimagine Mumbai’s beloved Frankie right from its crispy shell that ranges from theplas to thalipeeth. You can play around with the fillings and experiment with egg, mutton, chicken or go all vegetarian and load on the vegetables with protein sources like tofu, paneer, soya or tempeh. Make sure to add your favourite sauces too.