How To Make Khapli Atta

Bechamel Sauce

& Top 5 Dishes To Try Using It

If you’ve been reading recipes, cooking a storm, and generally making your way through the pots, pans, and ingredients in your kitchen, then you’ve probably already heard the phrase “mother sauces of French cuisine”. It’s essentially the group of sauces that form most of the dishes and lead to other sauces. Bechamel sauce is one of the mother sauces – a creamy, white-coloured mixture made by combining butter, flour, and cream (or milk) with seasoning.

The ancient, nutritious khapli atta made a resurgence in recent times, and home cooks put it into everything, from flatbreads to desserts. Bechamel sauce, traditionally made from all-purpose flour, wasn’t left behind either. To make this, first make the roux by whisking 2 tbsp of Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta with melted butter (also 2 tbsp). Cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly roasted and fragrant. Then, gradually whisk in 2 cups warm milk, stirring continuously until smooth and thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg, then simmer for 2–3 minutes before using in dishes. 

A khapli atta béchamel won't taste exactly like the classic French version. Unlike maida, khapli atta contributes a toasted, nutty, wholegrain flavour that becomes more pronounced if you roast the flour well while making the roux. Rather than tasting heavy, it gives the sauce a rustic character that complements savoury dishes and hearty bakes. Let’s see some dishes where you can use this sauce.

You’ll be “grateful” for this cauliflower gratin because it tastes better than this pun. By leaps and bounds. Gratin is a cooking technique where food is baked (or broiled) with a crispy top. A cauliflower gratin is one of the easiest ways to showcase a good bechamel sauce because the tender cauliflower florets are coated in the creamy sauce, topped with grated cheese, and baked until bubbling and golden. That’s it. Serve it with crispy and aromatic garlic bread for a hearty lunch. 

Did your mind just go to "winner winner, chicken dinner"? This is certainly a winning dish that combines tender chicken pieces with vegetables and a creamy sauce. What makes the bechamel sauce particularly useful here is that it keeps the filling moist as it bakes, preventing the chicken from drying out while binding all the ingredients together. It’s also an excellent way to sneak vegetables into a dish. For a vegetarian version, you can replace chicken with soy curls. 

Earthy mushrooms and spinach naturally pair with the toasted, nutty notes of a khapli atta bechamel sauce. However, to make this, you first need to sauté the mushrooms and wilt the spinach. Then, combine with the sauce and cheese in a baking dish and bake until lightly browned. The result is rich, savoury, and deeply comforting without feeling overly heavy. This is a good vegetarian main that can be served with a crisp salad or simple, toasted bread.

Whether you're making baked penne, macaroni, or fusilli, creamy bechamel sauce transforms a simple pasta bake into a comforting meal. Toss cooked pasta with the sauce, vegetables or chicken, and plenty of cheese before baking until golden. The khapli atta adds a mild wholegrain nuttiness that balances the cheese's richness and makes every bite more flavourful. Top tip: Mix a few spoonfuls of béchamel into your cooked pasta before putting it in the dish. This prevents the pasta from falling apart when you cut it.

Lasagne is built on layers of pasta, rich ragù or vegetables, cheese, and bechamel sauce. Unlike the silky but neutrally flavoured traditional sauce, the khapli atta bechamel sauce adds a subtle, nutty flavour that complements the savoury filling rather than simply blending into the background. Its slightly heartier character pairs especially well with mushroom, spinach, or meat-based lasagnes. Bake until the top is deeply golden and bubbling.

Since khapli atta absorbs liquid a little differently than maida, the sauce may need slightly more milk to reach the same silky consistency. Whisk continuously as you add the milk to avoid lumps, then simmer the sauce for a minute or two longer to fully cook the flour. Now that you know how to get the perfect mix and all how you can use it, it’s time to put the theory to the test.