Phulka

Phulka (Puffed Whole-Wheat Flatbread)

The everyday single-layer puffed roti of North India, made from fine whole-wheat atta and finished directly over a flame so the trapped steam inflates it into a soft hollow ball.

Prep

20 min

Cook

15 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4 (makes 8 phulkas)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) whole-wheat atta flour, fine Indian whole-wheat atta, or null
• •2 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, optional; many home cooks omit it
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) water, lukewarm, plus extra as needed; a 2:3 water-to-flour ratio is typical
• •30 g (¼ cup) wheat bran or dry atta, for dusting; substitute fine whole-wheat flour if bran is unavailable
• •30 g (2 tbsp) ghee or softened butter, optional, for brushing the finished breads

Steps

1. 1 Place the atta, salt and about 175 ml (¾ cup) of the water in a wide bowl. Mix with your fingertips, adding the remaining water gradually, until a shaggy dough forms.
2. 2 Knead in the bowl for 8 to 10 minutes, pressing and folding, until the dough is smooth, soft and pliable; it should spring back when pressed and feel just barely tacky, not sticky. If it sticks to your hands, dust in a teaspoon of atta at a time.
3. 3 Cover the dough with a damp cloth or inverted bowl and rest 20 to 30 minutes so the bran fully hydrates and the dough relaxes.
4. 4 Divide the rested dough into 8 equal pieces (about 40 g / 1.4 oz each) and roll each between your palms into a smooth ball. Keep the balls covered with a damp cloth so they do not dry out.
5. 5 Heat a cast-iron or heavy flat tava (skillet) over medium heat; it should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly.
6. 6 Working one ball at a time, flatten it in the bran-dusting flour, then roll out with a light hand from the centre outwards into a round about 15 cm (6 in) across and 2 to 3 mm thick, dusting with bran as needed to prevent sticking. Pick up and flip the disc a few times so it does not stick to the board.
7. 7 Lay the rolled disc on the hot tava. Cook 25 to 35 seconds, until small bubbles form on the surface and the underside shows a few dry pale spots; flip and cook the second side 30 to 45 seconds, until light golden spots appear. The bread should be partly cooked but still pale and dry to the touch, not browned or crisped.
8. 8 Lift the partly cooked phulka with tongs and hold it directly over a medium gas flame (or over live coals) with tongs, top side up. Within 5 to 10 seconds the trapped steam will puff the bread into a ball; use the tongs to rotate it so it chars evenly without burning.
9. 9 If your stove has no open flame, place the partly cooked phulka back on the tava, press down briefly with a folded cloth to trap the steam and encourage puffing, then move it to the hottest part of the tava to char for 10 to 15 seconds per side.
10. 10 Transfer the puffed phulka to a cloth-lined plate or a roti warmer. Gently press the puffed ball between your palms so the steam escapes and the bread collapses flat (this prevents it from going soggy).
11. 11 Brush lightly with ghee if using, stack, and keep covered with a clean kitchen towel to stay soft. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, adjusting the flame if the tava runs hot. Serve hot with dal, sabzi, yogurt or curry.