How To Make

Khapli Atta Taco Shell

? Find Recipe, Shell Variations, And More

A taco shell is a U-shaped tortilla that can be fried or unfried, made with corn flour or wheat flour. The traditional Mexican version refers to a crunchy, fried taco shell made from corn flour, but soft flour shells have become increasingly common as well. The shell is usually filled with seasoned meat (or beans for a vegetarian version), cheese, lettuce, and topped with various dips and garnishes, from salsa, sour cream, or guacamole to chopped onions and tomatoes.

While typically made from wheat flour or corn flour, tacos can also be made with khapli atta. These are more gut-friendly, higher in fibre and protein, and have a slightly nutty taste. Here are the ingredients you need: 

• Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta: 1 cup

• Warm water: ⅓ cup (added gradually)

• Oil or Ghee: 1 tablespoon

• Salt: ½ teaspoon

These are the basic ingredients. Depending on the taco shell variety, you may need to add specific ingredients or adjust quantities. But first, let’s understand how to make a basic khapli atta taco shell.

Combine the ingredients to form a soft, smooth dough. Drizzle in the oil (or ghee) and slowly add warm water, kneading continuously until you form a soft, pliable, and smooth dough. Cover and let the dough rest for 20–30 minutes, then divide it into small balls and roll each into a thin circle. Cook the circles on a hot tawa for about 30–45 seconds per side until lightly spotted and cooked through; these can be used immediately as soft taco shells.

For a hard taco shell, brush the cooked tortilla lightly with oil and drape it over the bars of an oven rack or fold it into a taco shape using a baking tray for support. Bake at 180°C for 8–10 minutes until crisp. Alternatively, fry the cooked tortilla briefly in hot oil while holding it in a taco shape with tongs until golden and crunchy. Allow it to cool slightly before filling and serving. The baked version is healthier, but the fried version is crunchier. 

Puffy tacos are made by frying a rolled tortilla until steam trapped inside causes it to balloon slightly, creating a light, airy pocket. With khapli atta, the puff won't be as dramatic as with refined flour, but you'll still get a shell that is crisp on the outside and tender inside. The key is rolling the dough thinly and frying it in medium-hot oil while gently pressing the centre with a spoon to encourage puffing. The result sits somewhere between a soft taco and a hard shell taco.

This version is closer to traditional Mexican tacos, made by mixing 70% Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta with 30% fine corn flour (makki atta). The khapli provides the gluten and elasticity needed to roll and fold the dough, while the corn flour contributes the characteristic sweet, earthy flavour associated with corn tortillas. Be careful of the proportions, though. If the quantity of corn flour is too high, it can make the dough prone to cracking and harder to shape. The hybrid version gives you a taco shell that feels familiar to Indian kitchens while retaining some of the flavour profile of traditional corn tacos.

Tostadas are crisp, flat tortillas that are topped rather than folded. To make them with khapli atta, prepare and roll the dough as you would for a soft taco shell. Cook the tortilla briefly on a hot tawa, then bake at 180°C for 8–10 minutes or fry until completely crisp and golden. Once cooled, top with ingredients like refried beans, spiced rajma, paneer tikka, avocado, salsa, shredded vegetables, or even chaat-style toppings. This version allows for more toppings than a traditional taco.

Different taco styles pair best with different fillings. Soft tacos work well with juicy fillings like grilled chicken, fish, paneer tikka, or pulled mushrooms because the flexible shell can hold moisture. Hard taco shells are best with drier fillings such as spiced mince, shredded vegetables, beans, or crumbled paneer to prevent breakage. Puffy tacos suit saucier fillings like birria, slow-cooked meats, or rajma because their airy interior absorbs flavour. Tostadas are ideal for layered toppings like beans, salsa, avocado, sprouts, or chaat-style mixtures.

Depending on your filling, you can pair tacos with wines (Reds or smoky mezcal with seasoned meats; crisp whites for seafood; cucumber-mint margaritas for vegetarian versions), coolers, or traditional drinks like iced tea, lemonade, virgin mojitos, etc. For a complete spread, include a variety of dips, side salads, and snacks. You can even set up a DIY taco stall by pre-arranging the fillings and lining the tacos.

It’s not as tricky to make a khapli atta taco shell because the process is similar to making rotis. You can opt to keep your tacos soft and simple, or bake them for a crunchy delight. But before moving on to more complex shell variations, master the basics of soft and hard taco shells. The next time you crave tacos, skip ordering them off an app, heading to a restaurant, or even going for a store-bought version of the shells. Just give this taco shell recipe with khapli a try at home!