Chapatti Dough in Bulk

Home » Breads » Chapatti Dough in Bulk

If you are one of those busy people who just can’t find the time to make homemade chapatti or paratha, try making the dough (atta) in bulk. With the help of your food processor and freezer, you will be enjoying hot, fresh chapati in no time.

For the detailed recipe for Chapatti/Paratha dough, click here.

Prev Recipe

All Recipes..

Next Recipe

Pin It

Stay informed

Similar Recipes:

Paratha/Chapatti
Parathas are an Indian unleavened bread and an integral part of many Indian meals. Any subzi (vegetable) or curry dish can be fabulous when accompanied...
Paratha/Chapatti – Indian Bread How-to Video
Parathas are an Indian unleavened bread and an integral part of many Indian meals. Any subzi (vegetable) or curry dish can be fabulous when accompanied...
How To Make Masala (in bulk)
Every few months I get together with a friend and we have a ‘masala making session’! We spilt the cost of the materials, the work...
Spinach Paratha
Spinach Paratha is a perfect way to enjoy the goodness of spinach. This Indian recipe for unleavened flat bread is a little different from the...
Masala Egg Paratha
Looking for a hearty and healthy weekend breakfast idea? Running out of things to feed the kids after school, filling enough to keep them happy...

Other Interesting Indian Breads

Dhebra (Gujarati Snack) recipe	Bajra ki Roti (Millet Flat Bread Recipe) recipe	Focaccia - Easy Bread Recipe recipe	Makki Di Roti (Punjabi Corn Flour Bread) recipe
Garlic Bread recipe	Naan recipe	Phulka (Roti) recipe	Rotli (Roti) Indian Bread Recipe recipe
Homemade Pizza Crust (Dough) recipe	Tofu Paratha recipe	Paneer Paratha - Stuffed Bread recipe	Muli Paratha - Radish Stuffed Indian Bread recipe
Chapatti Dough in Bulk recipe	Banana Nut Bread - Whole Wheat Bread Recipe recipe	Masala Egg Paratha recipe	Missi Roti aka Daal Roti recipe
Tandoori Roti recipe	Spinach Paratha recipe	Sweet Indian Dosa - Vella Dosai recipe	Puri / Poori recipe
Pesarettu (Green Moong Dal Pancakes) recipe	Urad Dal Ki Kachori recipe	Besan (Chickpea flour) Paratha recipe	Rice Appam /Hoppers recipe
Rice Cheela recipe	Aloo Paratha - Potato Stuffed Flatbread recipe	Adai recipe	Spinach Paranthas recipe
Paratha/Chapatti recipe

Other Interesting Indian Odds & Ends

Lighter Side of Show Me The Curry - Bloopers recipe	Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! recipe	Around the World - Paris recipe	Around the World - Poland recipe
SMTC Cooking Class recipe	Flavored Homemade Butter recipe	Barbecue (with the guys) recipe	Oats Dosa - Healthy Dosa recipe
Sabudana Khichdi - Spiced Tapioca (Sago) recipe	Vegetable Broth or Stock recipe	Ginger & Garlic Paste recipe	Ghee (Clarified Butter) recipe
Basic Garam Masala recipe	Rava Pongal (Healthy Upma) recipe	Community powered bargain hunting! recipe	Tea Rusk - Perfect for Dipping! recipe
Paula Deen at BlogHer '09 recipe	Happy Independence Day! recipe	Cracked Wheat (Daliya) Khichdi recipe	Poha (Powa) Recipe recipe
Handvo Recipe (Handwa) recipe	Tofu Stir-Fry recipe	Homemade Pizza Crust (Dough) recipe	Kothu Parotta Recipe recipe
French Toast, Sweet or Spicy? recipe	12 Days of Christmas - Curry Style recipe	Medu Vada recipe	Idli recipe
Breakfast Burritos recipe	Egg Bhurji (Masala Egg Scramble) recipe	Chapatti Dough in Bulk recipe	Sevia Upma recipe
Desi Mac (Macaroni and Cheese) recipe	Masala Egg Paratha recipe	Suji Upma recipe	How To Make Masala (in bulk) recipe
Portobello Burger recipe	How to Sprout Beans recipe	Homemade Paneer - Indian Cheese recipe	Home-made Kahlua recipe
Homemade Yogurt (Dahi) recipe	Open Sandwich My Way! recipe	Hindustan Times' "K2K Food Court" recipe	Tandoori Masala recipe
Stocking your Pantry for Indian Cooking 101 - Part 2 recipe	Stocking your Pantry for Indian Cooking 101 - Part 1 recipe

113 Responses to “Chapatti Dough in Bulk”

swetha Says:
September 18th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
hi anuja&hetel
i saw ur video of chapati dough in bulk,can i do jowar dough in bulk.generally i boil water & then mix the dough in water till all water gets absorbed,so that gluten is produced in it,because the jowar flour is gluten free i follow the above process.

[Reply]
indyana Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 3:04 am
I think you guys are fantastic! thank you so much for all your recipes…I’ve tried several and they have been great!One query is abt the aloo tikki…mine was too soft, what can I do to make the mixture firmer so that the tikkis are less soft/ Pls do help me out!

Thanks so much for this wonderful site!!!

[Reply]
Lejing Han Says:
September 19th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Thank you for the show. Where can I get 25# flour?

Thanks,
Lejing

[Reply]
Sumar Says:
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I wanted to know which company’s food processor are you using to make the chapatti dough in bulk???
Thanks
Sumar

[Reply]
Fabienne Reply:
April 23rd, 2009 at 5:42 pm
La trovi a Bologna da Asian Food v. Emilia 241

[Reply]
anuja Says:
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:16 am
Hi Lejing,
A 25lb bag of Atta flour can be bought at most Indian/South Asian grocery stores.
Hope that helps!

[Reply]
anuja Says:
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:18 am
Hi Sumar,
Our Food Processor is a Black and Decker, Powder II.
It is very good.

[Reply]
Ash Says:
September 25th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
HI Hetal & Anuja,
U guys are doin a great job! This is a great video of makin the dough in bulk… i normally make the dough in the food processor but i dunno for what reason? my chapttis dont come out soft n they dont puff up all thru. Can u guys plzz help me with that??
Also m soooo happy for u guys, i saw the featured video from CBS 11 news. Both of u are doin an excellent work, also makin “us” Indians proud! M soo proud of u, i can go around n tell my friends that its an Indian cuisine n these are Indian ladies (tho i guess Hetal is born n bread here in USA!.. Anuja no offense plz )U guys rock!
Thank you soo much for ur efforts.
Ohh.. lemme kno if this comment was encouragin… i’ll make sure to put in more effort to write on ur every new video from now on, i can def. afford to contribute that much. Thnx…

[Reply]
Isha Says:
October 17th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Hi Hetal n Anuja,

You guys are doing a great job. U made every Indian proud.

Making chapati dough in bulk and freezing it is a great advice. I used to make chapati dough in bulk but just for 3-4 days and kept it in refriderator. Which used to oxidize the dough towards the 3rd-4th day. But this is a great idea to freeze it. Last week to begin with I made ahead for 5 days and today I made ahead for 10 days I use Sujata atta. My dough this time seemed more stretchy. Is it because I used warm water? I used to use cold water before. Is it because Sujata atta is already so fine?

Thanks,
Isha.

[Reply]
hetal Says:
October 19th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Hi Isha,

We have never experienced warm water making the dough strechy. We use Laxmi brand atta with great results. Try making a small batch with cold water again and see if that is what cause the Sujata brand atta to re-act that way.

Keep us posted!

[Reply]
hetal Says:
October 19th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Hi Ash,

Sorry for the late response, we must have missed your comment. The key to soft chapatis (especially if you eat them a little later than right off the stove) is oil in the dough. The next important thing to do is to keep the chapati in a covered container (preferably an insulated dabba) immediately as you take if off the tava. Regarding puffing, the chapati has to be rolled evenly all around for perfect puffing. This takes some practice. While rolling, run your hand over the chapati and you can feel where it is too thick or too thin.

[Reply]
Urvashi Says:
October 30th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Hello,

Your recipes are amazing. I made the veg biryani and trust me I haven’t ever tasted anything like that!! The best part are your measurements and proportions – they are so exact (which I think is the toughest part). I have a question about the making roti dough in bulk. Can this be done without a food processor? Can I make the dough by hand and then freeze it or will it not work.

Thanks,
Urvashi

[Reply]
hetal Says:
October 30th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Hi Urvashi,

Making dough by hand is absolutely fine. We suggested using a food processor because we are making so many batches and prefer to let the machine do the work for us . You can definitely freeze dough which has been made by hand.

[Reply]
Jaya Says:
November 5th, 2008 at 1:44 am
Hi
You both do a great job!! Your videos are great….
I have an Indian food processor ” Preethi” brand, How do i make the dough using that?
Thank you for your time & response

[Reply]
hetal Says:
November 5th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Hi Jaya,

We’ve never used a “Preethi” food processor, but as long as it is not a blender or mixie, it should work. Food processors have a large and wide blade, unlike blenders which have a smaller 4 prong blade.

[Reply]
Anonymous Says:
November 18th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Hi,

Great website to learn cooking delicious food. Could you tell me the exact model of food processor u r using IN detail like capacity, watts, model etc.

[Reply]
shweta Says:
November 25th, 2008 at 3:18 am
hetal and anuja

Can dough be blended with a hand held blender.
thanks

[Reply]
anuja Says:
November 25th, 2008 at 5:10 am
Hi Shewta,
No, a blender will not work. You can either use a food processor or knead by hand.

[Reply]
shweta Says:
November 25th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Thanks a lot for the prompt reply Anuja , I was going to go out and buy the hand blender .
I am so glad I asked first .
THanks again.

[Reply]
Shikha Says:
January 21st, 2009 at 11:38 pm
How long will these last if I keep them in the freezer?

[Reply]
Deepa Says:
January 28th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Thanks for this great idea!I had a doubt…after puttinf it in the freezer and then transferring it to the fridge a night before,Can we take it out and warm it in the microwave for 25 seconds?Or should i just take it out an hour before?Its because if i get up a little late and have to make rotis quickly,then what should i do?You said somewhere that rotis getting microwaved makes them chewy..so im doubtful.

[Reply]
hetal Says:
January 28th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Hi Deepa,

From the fridge, you can use the microwave but use the “defrost” button. If you use “cook”, it will ruin the dough. Even on defrost, it takes very little time (15-20 secs), but can vary from microwave to microwave. Once you remove it from the microwave, give it a good kneading.

Rotis or chapatis which are already cooked and then re-heated in the microwave, become chewy.

[Reply]
sneha Says:
February 6th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Hi Hetal and Anuja,

Thanks for the great site! I have to apologize to you guys.I have been using your site for long but never really got down to writing comments.I have started making chapati dough in bulk. It works great but my dough is turning black.What am I doing wrong??

[Reply]
Ashish Bhatt Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
How did you resolve your atta turning black issue? Please call me at 716 691 7088 or 716 465 0030.

Thanks in advance.

Ashish Bhatt.

[Reply]
anuja Says:
February 6th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Hi Sneha,
We forgive you but on a condition – you have to post the recipe for your Sabudana Khichidi;)
Regarding the atta becoming black:
1. there are some brands that tend to turn black faster (depends on how much the atta has been processed).
2. The atta has been exposed to air too long or the saran wrap was not airtight.
Let me know if this helps. Also, the atta is not spoiled if it gets dark, as long as it does not turn slimy, you can use it. The chapatis will be a darker color but other than that the taste shd be the same.

[Reply]
Ashish Bhatt Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
How did you resolve your atta turing black issue? Please call me at 716 465 0030.

Thanks in advance.

Ashish Bhatt.

[Reply]
anuja Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 5:25 am
Hi Ashish,

When wrapping the atta in the saran wrap make sure that it is air-tight and double wrap if needed. Also do not allow the atta (once made) to sit exposed for too long, wrap it as soon as it’s made.
We use Laxmi brand of atta and have noticed that it does not dark as fast as Golden Temple.
Hope that helps

[Reply]
sneha Says:
February 19th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Thanks Anuja…u are right..it was a airtight problem…that worked:)
Sure will post the saboodana khichdi soon…

[Reply]
Ashish Bhatt Reply:
April 27th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
How did you resolve your atta turing black issue? Please call me at 716 691 7088 or 716 465 0030.

Thanks in advance.

Ashish Bhatt.

[Reply]
Prasanna Says:
March 9th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
This a reply for sweta, if jowar roti is made in the process you mentioned, it has to be rolled out when the dough is still warm or else the rotis are going to break.

Hey Hetal and Anuja,
I love your recipes, I usually check your website first for North Indian recipes. It will be nice if you can post recipe for jowar roti. Thanks.

[Reply]
Hareni Says:
March 15th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Hi,

I recently bought a Hamilton Beach 6 Cup food processor, hoping to use it for making chapathi dough…(amongst other things)

But, the instructions says “Do not use it for making bread dough or cookie dough”.

I understand that the bread dough needs much more kneading than chapathi dough and hence not as intensive on the processor like making bread dough. So can we use this one ? What has your experience been ? Do all food processors come with such disclaimers ?

Thanks

[Reply]
priya Says:
March 22nd, 2009 at 6:18 am
Hi Hatel and Anuja,

I love your all receipes and your website. Very fantastic recipes posted on your site. Thankyou so much. Do you have a book or video for purcahse containing all your recipes on this site?

Thanks,
Priya

[Reply]
hetal Says:
March 22nd, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Thanks Priya!

Right now, we have the “Stress-Free Party with SMTC” DVD available on our website. It gives a complete menu plus tips and time-line on how to entertain for a party.

[Reply]
Heather Says:
April 16th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
I’m so glad our found your website!!! I have recently become completely in love with Indian food, and have tried many times to make some items, with both good and bad results. But I’ll not be deterred! This make and freeze is a wonderful idea and I look forward to trying it…can I use plain white flour, whole wheat flour, besan, or does it need to be chapatti/atta flour? Also, loved the cilantro storage tip!!! Very useful. Keep up the great tips and recipes!!!
Thanks!! ~ Heather of Colorado

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
April 16th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Hi Heather,

Chapati flour or atta is basically whole wheat flour but is somehow just a little different in texture and color than what you get at American grocery stores. It is available at all Indian grocery stores. You cannot use white flour (all-purpose) or besan for this recipe.

[Reply]
Ann Says:
May 11th, 2009 at 2:32 am
What food processor do you use?

[Reply]
HJ Reply:
May 18th, 2011 at 12:56 am
Yeah me too want to know what food processor they use. Please could you tell us which kind food processor you guys use and where to buy it.
Thanks
PS:LOVE YOU SITE AND ALL THE RECIPE.

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
May 18th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
Hi HJ,

The food processor in this video is a Black and Decker Power II…not sure if they make it anymore.

[Reply]
Sofia Says:
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Hello,

Great recipes !!!. I wanted to ask what is the brand of the non stick pot that you guys use for making curries and subzis?

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Hi Sofia,

The non-stick wok style pan we use is from Bed, Bath & Beyond.

[Reply]
sandy Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Hi,

I am very impressed with your efforts and work in making our life easy.

I saw this comment and wanted to ask same question.
It will be great if you will also suggest food processor which are good for chpathi dough.
********************************************
I also recently bought a Hamilton Beach 6 Cup food processor, hoping to use it for making chapathi dough

But, the instructions says “Do not use it for making bread dough or cookie dough”.

I understand that the bread dough needs much more kneading than chapathi dough and hence not as intensive on the processor like making bread dough. So can we use this one ? What has your experience been ? Do all food processors come with such disclaimers ?
**************************************************
Thanks
Sandy

[Reply]
anuja Reply:
July 31st, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Hi Sandy,
Thank you for the compliment!
I had never read the instruction booklet of my food processor, after reading your comment I went in to check. Mine says the same and I have had this one (Black and Decker) for about 8 years now and have been making Chapati dough in bulk. So far, so good.
I know that bread dough is tougher and reaquires more mixing so that it is lighter.
If anyone has any suggestions, I am sure they will speak up. I would go ahead and use it (just hold on to the reciept)

[Reply]
Anamika Says:
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Hi Guys,

I have been watching your websie for a while now and mus surely admit that you guys are doing a great job especially in terms of using less oil in your recipes. \keep up the good work.
It would be nice if you can show the method for making jowar roti. ( I am guessing jowar flour is the same as corn flour that is used for making this jowar roti).

Thanks.

[Reply]
rashna Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 1:18 am
This site is useful i have found so many ideas . thank u very much

[Reply]
ruwani Says:
August 20th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Hi guys,

Thank you for the idea of freezing the dough. but I would like to know how long can we freeze the dough?. please let me know . Have a great day

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Hi Ruwani,

The dough should be fine up to 4 months.

[Reply]
Hayley Says:
October 10th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Bread dough (yeast bread dough, the kind that makes sandwich bread) is an entirely different thing from this, which would be more of a quick bread. Food processors built for this kind of recipe, so you should be fine.

[Reply]
Dipti Mahapatra Says:
October 11th, 2009 at 2:12 am
Hi Anuja/Hetal,

Thanks for the all your wonderful recipes!

I have a quick question regarding the food processor brand you use. You said you have Black and Decker Powder II, however, I am not able to find any such model from Black & Decker. Do you think they might have stopped making this model (but I guess even then I should get some result on google)? Please suggest!

[Reply]
drashti Says:
October 12th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
HI Hetal and Anuja

i saw your chapati dough. it is really a nice. but i have query regarding this.up to how many days we can use this frozen dough??

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
October 14th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Hi Drashti,

The dough will freeze for up to 4 months.

[Reply]
gitanjali Says:
October 28th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Hi Anuja / Hetal
I’ve just seen your video of ‘how to make chapati atta/dough’ in you tube and found it very interesting. I would like to know how long can I keep uncooked rolled chapati in the freezer?

Regards Gitanjali

[Reply]
Sweta Says:
November 17th, 2009 at 2:13 am
Thank you so much for all of the fantastic recipes! I also want to know how to roll and keep rotis in the fridge and freezer and use them when needed. I have bought rolled and ready to cook roti packages and really want to be able to make them myself and have them ready for hungry kids and husband. Thanks!

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
November 17th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Hi Sweta,

You can roll out the rotis and place a small piece of wax paper (or parchment paper) in between the rotis. Then, place the stack in a freezer zipper bag. You can just take them out and leave them on the counter for a while to defrost and cook as normal. Try out a small batch to get the hang of if before you do it in bulk.

[Reply]
Anitha Says:
December 4th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Thank you Anuja and Hetal. I have become a fan of you both and visit your site more often now. I recently came across the link. I have been trying to cook for some years not but some simple things always seems complicated. Your videos are helping me a lot. Hope to make better food now.

Someone asked about Black and Decker. I recently (couple months may be) bought mine at Target for $50. It is good.

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Hi Anitha,

Thanks for posting about the Black & Decker! Glad you’re enjoying SMTC.

[Reply]
Ami Dwivedi Reply:
April 29th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
Hello Anitha,

I am interested in finding out what model you bought at Target of your Black and Decker food processor for making chappati atta in bulk? I am considering buying one – and your information would be very helpful. Please reply, if possible, to my email addy: peacelily2025@gmail.com. Thanks!

[Reply]
Raina Says:
January 13th, 2010 at 8:57 am
Hi Hetal and Anuja,

Great work! Thanks for posting the freezing dough recipe. I have a question: Is it possible to freeze home made rolled out chapatis and also if u cud post more freezing techniques for subjis/soups/daals etc

Thanks a lot!
Raina

[Reply]
Bhakti Says:
January 26th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Hi Hetal and Anuja !

Lovely website and fantastic work !

This is a great idea of making the dough and keeping it handy. I will be going to India for a few weeks. Will surely make chapati dough ready for my husband! He cannot knead the dough and does not have the time to do it.

Two Questions –
1. How long can this frozen dough be stored?
2. Can I roll out chapatis and then freeze them? If yes, can they be cooked on Tawa directly from frozen?

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
January 27th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Hi Bhakti,

You can freeze the dough for about 4 months. You can also pre-roll the chapati but you would have to place a small piece of wax paper between each of them so they don’t stick and then put them in a freezer bag. When ready to use, you can either defrost them or put them directly on the tawa.

[Reply]
helen Says:
January 31st, 2010 at 10:39 am
thank you sooooooooooooo much for this tip….very useful…
tahnk you

[Reply]
Smitha Says:
March 4th, 2010 at 5:04 am
i am enjoying more chapatis now. What a wonderful tip this is..we save so mcuh time. Thanks a lotttttttttt Hetal n Anuja.

[Reply]
Aru Says:
April 3rd, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Thank you for process for making dough in bulk and freezing it. Previously when I tried to freeze the dough, it got freezer burns in the container. And I couldn’t use the dough at all.

After seeing the video, I thought I should try it again. I tried freezing the dough and then taking it out the night before from the freezer and putting in in the fridge and then taking the dough out from the fridge a couple of hours before making the chapatis ( what we call poli ). One thing I observed is that when rolling chapatis, the dough becomes a little like maida – i.e. After rolling, the chapati contracts. If I use this method to make the dough, the chapatis are not as thin as when I make them with the fresh dough. I wouldn’t think it is due to the brand of dough as I do not have this problem with fresh dough from same atta. I use Swarna atta. I tried both making the dough using a food processor as well as making it by hand the way I usually do and then freezing it. Both behave the same way when making chapatis.

Any suggestion on what I should do so that the frozen and then thawed dough doesn’t become more elastic when making chapatis. BTW, I used enough oil in both the methods – when making the dough and while kneading it before keeping it in the freezer.

Thank you

[Reply]
Ami Dwivedi Says:
April 29th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Hello Hetal and Anuja,

I would like to know exactly what brand of food processor did you use while making the chappati atta dough in bulk? I tried to find Black and Decker, powder II and I can’t find anything remotely similar! Please let me know as I would like to buy one, just to make this dough in bulk. I am using your recipes and my family loves the way they taste, and I love how easy it is for me to make even a complex recipe – step by step, so easy to follow!

Keep up the good work, ladies! Kudos to both of you!

[Reply]
anuja Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 4:52 am
Hi Ami,
That Food Processor of mine is soooo old, I am sure the Black and Decker folks have no recollection of it either
This seems to be the newer (and nicer) version of my old model:
http://www.blackanddeckerappliances.com/p-115-wide-mouth-food-processor.aspx
Shop around and then get it…

[Reply]
Blahnik Says:
July 8th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Dear Hetal & Anuja,

This is indeed a great time saver. I have one question though.

Usually when you guys make the chapatti dough, after getting all well incorporated and kneaded, you let it rest for 15-20 minutes right?(with a light oil coating).

What I’ve noticed is that in this video, you did not let the dough rest and straight away clingwrap and store it in the freezer.

Now the question is, after the dough is thawed, do I knead it and give it a rest with oil coating or is it already good to roll after thawing?

Thank you =D

[Reply]
anuja Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Hi Blahnik,
Great point. The oil is there so that it does not dry out the dough and it does not form an outer crust. We knead the dough because it gives the dough time to further mix in well and if you have added salt, it allows the salt to mix and melt and the final kneading incorporates everything.
Now when we freeze the dough, we do not coat any extra oil because it will not be in contact with air, so no crust. But when you defrost, allow it to defrost in the cling wrap, so you don’t need to coat it with oil. The kneading right before you start making the chapatis is a must, whether you are making the dough fresh or using it after a few days !

[Reply]
Blahnik Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
waaaaaa, just 15 minutes ago I’ve actually let the whole thing rest with the oil coating before finally wrapping it in and store. anyway, thank you for your reply =D

[Reply]
anuja Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
No harm done! Enjoy the chapatis
Lydia Says:
July 11th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Hi Anuja and Hetal,

Very informative site. Enjoyed watching your video. Great idea to make the dough in advance and freeze.

Lydia

[Reply]
veera Says:
July 24th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
You guys are awesome! love the tips from you AND your viewers!

I was wondering if you guys have experimented with rolled out rotis. I would like to roll out my rotis once a week on the weekend to be used for the rest of the week. Should I partly roast them? Or is there some other way I can achieve this ? Since I am looking at just one week I am looking for options that hopefully dont involve freezing.

Also, I would like to (wet)grind my masalas in advance/bulk and freeze them as I have this huge wet grinder in which its not possible to grind less quantities of masala. Any tips to this end would be great!

[Reply]
Sunitha Says:
August 13th, 2010 at 12:54 am
Is there any way to store cooked chappatis in a similar way while still retaining the freshness. I mean freeze the cooked ones so that i can just preheat and eat it right away when i am too busy to cook.

[Reply]
emi Says:
August 17th, 2010 at 8:49 am
can i just roll out the chappatis straight away after p0rocessing it and cook?

[Reply]
anuja Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Hi Emi,
It is best to allow the dough to rest for about 10-15 minutes before you roll out and make chapatis

[Reply]
veera Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:19 pm
I was wondering if you guys have experimented with rolled out rotis. I would like to roll out my rotis once a week on the weekend to be used for the rest of the week. Should I partly roast them? Or is there some other way I can achieve this ? Since I am looking at just one week I am looking for options that hopefully dont involve freezing.

Also, I would like to (wet)grind my masalas in advance/bulk and freeze them as I have this huge wet grinder in which its not possible to grind less quantities of masala. Any tips to this end would be great!

[Reply]
anuja Reply:
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Hi Veera,
Sorry, we did somehow miss your question.

I have tried rolling out the (uncooked)chapatis and then cooking them a little later. Here is the conclusion, when you roll them out and freeze them (with a plastic sheets/parchment paper/wax paper between them)), they stay and hold better and when you are ready to use, you just pop them straight out of the freezer and cook them on the tawa.

When you do not freeze them, just refrigerate them, they tend to stick to the paper and to avoid that you have to add a lot more dry flour or oil – so they end up being either too dry or like a paratha.

I do roll them and freeze them with a wax paper (reuse it a few times) and slide them in a gallon size zip loc. When I am ready to use, just pull 1 or 2 at a time and make them (straight to the tawa).

The above is for uncooked chapatis, but if you don’t want to use the freezer at all, then you can pre-make your chapati or roti for the whole week and just keep them in the fridge (in a container with a tight fitting lid, or ziploc bag). They will definitely stay fresh and you just have to lightly heat them on a tawa or just flip them a couple of times over an open flame.

Regarding the wet masala grinding – which masala are you talking about? Onion, tomato, ginger & garlic?
We do have a video on how to make Masala in Bulk:

http://showmethecurry.com/odds-ends/how-to-make-masala-in-bulk.html

Hope that helps

[Reply]
veera Reply:
September 3rd, 2010 at 7:00 pm
This will definitely help! Thanks so much, Anuja.

BTW, yours is the only website i turn to now for new recipes. They always turn out very good. Love the fact that you find shortcuts and make our life so much easier.

Thanks again guys.

[Reply]
veera Says:
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Hey Hetal and Anuja
Some time back I had posted some questions. I kept coming back and checking whether my queries hv been answered. Finally I re-posted them thinking that you probably somehow missed them.

Pls do respond. If there is a good way to work around making rotis daily and still hav homemade rotis everyday, it wud be great!

Thnx in advance.

[Reply]
nidhi Says:
September 27th, 2010 at 10:02 am
The dough will not become blackish in colour. normally ot becomes blackish when we keep in fridge.

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
September 28th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Hi Nidhi,

No, in the freezer, it does not become blackish.

[Reply]
Anonymous Says:
October 12th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Wow!!!!That’s great.I loved it.

[Reply]
Anonymous Says:
October 12th, 2010 at 11:10 am
You guys are awesome………

[Reply]
Mona Says:
November 6th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Ladies – how many portions does a 20-pound bag make? Thanks!

[Reply]
shani Says:
November 23rd, 2010 at 5:50 pm
hi i have a question. i made fresh atta last nite, n put it in the fridge. in the morning time, i took it out 2 make my rotis n it was soooooo difficult to roll it out. my parathas came out hard n crispy. so this time, when i woke up in the morning, i took the atta out of the fridge n left it out for an hour or so to let it go soft again. when i made a paratha, it was nice n soft (not hard this time). why does my atta do this? is this normal? i’ve seen others take their atta right out of the fridge n make rotis n their rotis are soft.

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
November 25th, 2010 at 1:00 am
Hi Shani,

It is completely normal for the dough to become hard in the fridge. You can speed up the process of making it come to room temp by using the defrost button on your microwave. Be careful though, it only takes 10 – 20 secs.

[Reply]
Nandani Says:
November 28th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
Hey
This is a very nice idea. I just had a few questions..how long does the atta stay good in the freezer ?and also does it quickly soften up once you take it out of the freezer?

Thank you

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
November 29th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
Hi Nandani,

The atta will stay fresh in the freezer up to 4 months. It does not soften quickly unless you defrost it in the microwave. If you move it to the fridge the day before, you can leave it on your countertop for an hour or so.

[Reply]
psp0410 Says:
April 1st, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Hi,

I make some extra dough and just place the unused batch in the refrigerator for the next day. When I try and use it the next day, the dough would be really soft and sticky. As I generally use the dough the very next or a few days later, I don’t see no point in freezing them in the freezer. How do I prevent it from getting sticky?

Thanks

[Reply]
Abi Says:
August 25th, 2011 at 12:22 am
Hi Hetal and Anuja,

I use 1 tsp of curd while making dough.. that way i feel roti’s are really soft!! is that fine to add curd? also, do i have to sift the flour for better result? i use aashirwad atta..

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
August 30th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Hi Abi,

We have not tried aashirwad brand atta but there is nothing wrong with adding curd to your dough if you are using it right away. Some people add milk to make the dough soft. We have not tried adding curd and freezing the dough. You may want to try it out on a small batch.

[Reply]
Anonymous Reply:
October 28th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
Thanks hetal..

[Reply]
langlang33 Says:
September 11th, 2011 at 6:19 am
You should take component in a contest for one of the best blogs on the internet. I will suggest this website!

[Reply]
Shashwati Says:
October 9th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Is there a way to freeze subjis as well similar to atta…would you please show one of the video to freeze dry or wet subjis…..
It will be great if I can freeze every thing on sundays and be free for rest of the week…

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
October 11th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Hi Shashwati,

Things like palak paneer, chana masala, rajma and most daals freeze really well. Choose an airtight container for the freezer. Some things like potatoes, cauliflower, okra, etc don’t freeze well because the texture changes when you defrost it.

[Reply]
Gayathri Says:
February 17th, 2012 at 5:14 am
Hetal/Anuja,

I was so impressed by this idea that I ended up ordering a Farberware Food Processor, but ended up seeing the Q&A here only now. I am still wondering if I ordered the right brand (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Farberware-reg-12-Cup-Food-Processor-w-4-Cup-Nested-Workbowl-Stainless-Steel-Base/16816452). It was difficult to narrow down on one, considering all the features and price! It will be great if you can let me know your feedback on this

Keep up the gr8 work!
I keep coming back to your site because every time I try your recipes for the first time, they turn out so perfect! Can’t thank you enough

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
February 24th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
Hi Gayathri,

There are so many makes and models of food processors out there that it is almost impossible to figure out which one you need. As long as your’s has a metal blade and has a pretty good motor, it will work fine. When it comes to deciding which one to buy, we always say to buy the most powerful motor you can afford.

[Reply]
Geetanjali Says:
February 24th, 2012 at 8:28 am
Hi Hetal, Anuja,
This idea is such a life saver.
To start trying we prepared for 2 weeks, and it worked very well till the ends of 2 weeks. We are going to try this every time.
Thanks so much!!
~Geetanjali

[Reply]
jackie Says:
February 26th, 2012 at 6:39 am
Dearest Anuja and Hetal,
Thank you for the wonderful site. I enjoy seeing you daily. Can I bother you for a site to buy a steel Chalka and wooden Belan. I live in Arlington TX but could go to Houston. I am looking forward to spring and finding a Curry tree in one of the shops. I have seeds saved but am not very confident. Thank you so much for sharing.
Sincerely,
Jackie

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
March 1st, 2012 at 3:25 pm
Hi Jackie,

I got my steel chakla from India but you may be able to an Indian store in the DFW area that carries it. I know that the wooden belans are available at stores like Taj Grocers.

[Reply]
Minto Says:
February 27th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Hi..
Great recipes !!!. I wanted to ask what is the mixing spoon/ladle that you guys use for making curries and subzis?

[Reply]
kavita Says:
March 15th, 2012 at 6:05 am
hi hetal & Anuja! I have one question. how many days can I freeze the chapati aata? thanks for shearing a good recipes. bye.

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
March 21st, 2012 at 11:33 pm
Hi Kavita,

In the freezer, the dough will last for up to 4 months.

[Reply]
SN Says:
April 3rd, 2012 at 8:08 pm
Hi,

Great website and you both rock. I have two questions.
1) Where can I get wax paper?
2) Where can I get silver paper for sweets?

Thank you so much

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
April 4th, 2012 at 11:23 pm
Hi SN,

Wax paper is available right next to the aluminum foil and plastic wrap at the grocery store. Silver for sweets may be available at larger Indian grocery stores, but we get ours from India.

[Reply]
Ritu Says:
July 23rd, 2012 at 10:18 pm
Just saw this video. Will be a huge life-saver ! Thanks !

[Reply]
ria Says:
August 19th, 2012 at 8:49 am
Hi H & A
This is a great tip to store bulk of atta dough.Can i also keep the roti(the raw one, rolled atta) and keep it in freezer and thaw the rolled atta before making chappati. Pls reply to me. Because i am in such a condition that can’t stand long for rolling the dough and making roti out of it.

Thanks
Ria

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
August 24th, 2012 at 2:27 am
Hi Ria,

Yes, you can roll chapatis and freeze them if you put a layer of wax or parchment paper in between each one and then put the whole stack in a freezer type zipper bag. They may not be exactly like fresh ones, but great when you are pressed for time.

[Reply]
vinati Says:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:16 pm
Hi guys,

I must say that you are doing a great job, and i am also sure u have heard this before, and chapati dough in bulk is SUCH a life saver, i hated making the dough, and now i dont have to more than 1ce in two weeks. I have been following your site and recipes since a year now…KUDOS to you both !!
I have a request, Can you please share some low/no carb vegetarian dinner recipes, also if you have already posted than tell me which ones (also if possible-with ways to use to them again and again and again !!..PS: because I am a real lazy cook)..thanks a bunch !

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
September 6th, 2012 at 1:57 pm
Hi Vinati,

Its hard to think of specific low/no carb recipes off hand, however, most of our subzi (vegetable) recipes are pretty low carb. The daals do have some carbs but are also good for protein (so a good balance). Try to stay away from the breads as this is where most of the carbs come from.

[Reply]
Anupama Says:
February 20th, 2013 at 2:43 pm
Hi Anuja&Hetal,
I’m fond of ur recipes and tried almost all veg recipes.As I’m on a vacation to India leaving hubby and kids behind I want to know how I can freeze rolled rotis for them.can you plz help me get those covers which we get with store bought frozen rotis bcos my kids don’t like store bought rotis as its too oily.

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
February 21st, 2013 at 4:51 pm
Hi Anupama,

You can freeze cooked rotis by making stacks of about 10 and putting them in a freezer style ziploc bag. The only problem with this is that they sometimes dry out while reheating. You also roll out the rotis and place either wax paper or parchment paper in between the raw rotis and freeze stacks of them in freezer type ziploc bags. The frozen raw roti can be placed directly on a tawa and cooked. Wax or parchment paper is found in the same aisle as foil or plastic wrap.

[Reply]
Apeksha Says:
May 1st, 2013 at 6:08 pm
Hi,

I am using Aashirwaad Multigrain flour. and i wanted to know what i should do to make frozen chapatis. I want to keep them to freeze for around 3 months. I have tried once with the dough kneaded with milk and half cooked the chapatis, then froze them air tightly. but when i cooked them again to eat, it didnt come put soft. it became hard like Bhakhris.

Please suggest me something.
Waiting eagerly.
Thanks in advance

[Reply]
hetal Reply:
May 8th, 2013 at 4:59 pm
Hi Apeksha,

Frozen chapatis will never taste as good as fresh — no matter what you do. A really good method to try that yields decent results is to roll the chapatis and layer them between wax or parchment paper. Put the stack in a freezer type zipper bag and freeze them. You will still have to cook them but the texture will be much better than freezing half cooked or fully cooked chapatis.

[Reply]
usha Says:
May 8th, 2013 at 7:26 pm
I love this site guys!
amazing tips and recipes…
Excellent job Hetal and Anuja!
I never tried doing atta is bulk but old grandmas tip for avoiding atta from turning black is by just taking 1/2 to 1 tsp oil in your palm and spread all over the dough and refrigerate it..

[Reply]