How to Make Restaurant-Style Tandoori Roti

• Asianfoodsdaily
• August 1, 2025

You want that charred, smoky Tandoori Roti from your favorite Indian restaurant, but you don’t have a clay oven. This post shows you exactly how to make authentic tandoori roti at home using just a regular tawa or skillet—no fancy equipment needed.

I’ll never forget the first time I tried making restaurant-style tandoori roti at home. My mother-in-law was visiting from Delhi, and she watched me struggle with regular chapatis that turned out flat and boring. She laughed—not meanly, just that knowing laugh—and said, “Beta, you’re missing the magic.” She pulled out a small bowl of yogurt, added a pinch of baking soda to my dough, and suddenly everything changed. The rotis puffed up beautifully, got those gorgeous brown spots, and actually tasted like the ones from the dhaba down her street. That was five years ago, and I’ve been making them this way ever since.

At a Glance

Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes resting)
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Servings: 8 rotis
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Key Ingredients: Whole wheat flour, yogurt, baking soda
Best For: Weeknight dinners, meal prep, impressing guests

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe for tandoori roti works because it mimics what happens inside a traditional tandoor without needing one. Here’s why it delivers:

• Yogurt creates the magic – Adds moisture, tenderness, and that slight tang you taste in restaurant rotis. The acidity also helps develop those soft layers.

• Baking soda makes it puff – Creates tiny air pockets throughout the dough. When it hits high heat, those pockets expand and give you the signature bubbles and char marks.

• Softer dough is the secret – Most recipes online skip this detail. The dough needs to be noticeably softer than regular chapati dough. That’s what gives you the pillowy texture inside.

• The water method changes everything – Lightly wetting one side helps the roti stick to your tawa when you flip it over the flame. It also creates steam that helps with puffing.

• Proper resting time matters – 30 minutes minimum lets the gluten relax and the baking soda activate. Skip this and your rotis won’t turn out right.

You get those signature brown spots, the slight crispiness on the outside, and the soft layers inside. It’s the closest thing to dhaba-style tandoori roti you can make at home.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Tandoori Roti Dough:

2 cups whole wheat flour (atta) – This is your base. Whole wheat gives that authentic taste and texture. Don’t use all-purpose flour if you want the real deal.

2 tablespoons plain yogurt – Creates tenderness and adds a subtle tangy flavor. The acidity also helps the dough rise slightly.

1/2 teaspoon baking soda – This is what makes your roti puff up and creates those characteristic bubbles.

3/4 teaspoon salt – Brings out the flavors. Don’t skip it.

1 teaspoon sugar – Balances the slight bitterness from baking soda and helps with browning.

2 tablespoons oil or melted ghee – Makes the dough pliable and adds richness.

3/4 cup warm water (approximately) – The amount varies depending on your flour. You want a soft, slightly sticky dough.

For Cooking:

Extra ghee or butter – For brushing on hot rotis. This is non-negotiable for that restaurant finish.

Bowl of water – The water method is key for getting rotis to stick to your tawa properly.

Equipment I Use

You don’t need much. A large mixing bowl, a heavy-bottomed tawa or cast-iron skillet, a rolling pin, and a clean kitchen towel. That’s it. The heavier your tawa, the better it holds heat, which means better charring. I use my grandmother’s old cast-iron tawa—it weighs a ton but makes perfect rotis every time.

How I Make It

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Put your whole wheat flour in a large bowl. Add the salt, sugar, and baking soda. Mix everything with your fingers so it’s evenly distributed. This takes maybe 30 seconds.

Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients

Make a well in the center of your flour. Add the yogurt and oil. Start mixing with your fingers. It’ll look clumpy and weird at first. That’s fine.

Step 3: Knead the Dough

Slowly add warm water, a little at a time. You might not need all of it, or you might need slightly more. Every flour absorbs differently. Knead for about 5-7 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. It should be softer than regular chapati dough—almost like earlobe softness is what my mother-in-law says.

Here’s the thing: if your dough feels too firm, add water one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too sticky, dust with a tiny bit of flour. But err on the side of softer.

Step 4: Rest the Dough

Cover your dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This is when the gluten relaxes and the baking soda starts working. Some people skip this step and wonder why their tandoori roti doesn’t turn out right. Don’t be those people.

Step 5: Divide and Roll

After resting, divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each into a smooth ball. Take one ball, flatten it slightly, and dust with a little flour. Roll it out into a circle about 6-7 inches across. Not too thin—about 1/8 inch thick works best.

Step 6: Apply Water (The Magic Step)

This is the best tandoori roti recipe trick. Dip your fingers in water and lightly wet one side of the rolled roti. Not dripping wet, just moist. This helps it stick to the tawa and creates steam for puffing.

Step 7: Cook on High Heat

Heat your tawa until it’s really hot—like, smoking hot. Place the roti water-side down on the tawa. You’ll see bubbles forming within seconds. Good sign. Let it cook for about 30-40 seconds until you see the surface starting to dry and bubble.

Step 8: Flip and Char

Flip the tawa upside down over your gas flame (or use tongs to hold the roti directly over the flame if you’re brave). The roti should stick to the tawa because of the water. Let it char for 15-20 seconds until you get brown spots. Flip and char the other side lightly.

If you don’t have a gas stove, crank your electric burner to high and press the roti gently with a cloth to help it char and puff.

Step 9: Brush with Ghee

Remove from heat, brush immediately with melted ghee or butter. Stack them in a container lined with a kitchen towel to keep them soft.

Tips That Make a Difference

The water method is everything. Without it, your roti won’t stick properly to the tawa when you flip it over the flame.

Don’t roll your rotis too thin. Thicker rotis (compared to chapati) give you that authentic tandoori texture—crispy outside, soft inside.

Keep your tawa screaming hot. Low heat won’t give you those brown spots that make tandoori roti special.

If your first roti doesn’t turn out perfect, don’t panic. The first one is usually a test. Adjust your heat and timing for the next one.

Fresh yogurt works better than old, sour yogurt. You want mild tang, not overpowering sourness.

You can make the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Just bring it back to room temperature before rolling.

Easy Variations

Garlic Tandoori Roti: Mix 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. After rolling out the roti, press this mixture onto one side before cooking. So good with dal.

Butter Tandoori Roti: Double the butter brushing at the end. Some restaurants do this, and honestly, if you’re not counting calories, why not?

Multigrain Version: Replace 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour with a mix of millet, oat, or chickpea flour. Changes the texture slightly but adds nutrition.

Stuffed Tandoori Roti: Roll out two small circles, place spiced mashed potatoes or paneer between them, seal the edges, and cook as usual. Makes it a complete meal.

Storage and Reheating

Tandoori roti stays fresh for about 2 days at room temperature if wrapped in foil or stored in an airtight container. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month.

To reheat, sprinkle a few drops of water on the roti and warm it on a hot tawa for 20-30 seconds per side. You can also microwave for 15-20 seconds, but the tawa method brings back that fresh texture better.

Never stack them when they’re hot unless they’re in a covered container—they’ll get soggy from the steam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make tandoori roti without yogurt?

Yes, but it won’t be quite the same. You can substitute with 2 tablespoons of milk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes before adding to the dough. The texture will be slightly different—less tender—but it works.

Why isn’t my tandoori roti puffing up?

Three common reasons: your dough is too tight (needs to be softer), you didn’t rest it long enough (needs 30 minutes minimum), or your tawa isn’t hot enough. Also, make sure you’re not rolling the rotis too thin.

Can I make this on an electric stove?

Absolutely. You won’t get the direct flame charring, but you can still make great tandoori roti. Use a heavy cast-iron skillet, get it very hot, and press the roti gently with a cloth-covered spatula to help it char and puff.

How is tandoori roti different from regular roti or chapati?

Tandoori roti uses yogurt and baking soda in the dough, making it slightly thicker, softer, and with more layers. It’s cooked at higher heat for less time, giving it those characteristic brown spots. Regular chapati is thinner, doesn’t have leavening agents, and cooks differently.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat?

You’d be making naan at that point, not tandoori roti. Whole wheat flour is essential for the authentic taste and texture. If you must, you can do a 50-50 mix, but pure whole wheat is best for traditional tandoori roti.

Final Note

Making restaurant-style tandoori roti at home isn’t complicated once you understand the technique. The yogurt-baking soda combination, the soft dough, the water method, and high heat—these are your four pillars.

My kids now request these over regular chapatis every single time. They’ll eat vegetables they normally avoid if tandoori roti is on the table. That’s power.

Start with this basic recipe. Once you’ve made it a few times and get comfortable, try the variations. The garlic one is my personal favorite for weekend dinners.

The best part about this easy tandoori roti on tawa recipe? You can make it on a Tuesday night without planning. The ingredients are probably already in your kitchen. And that moment when you pull a perfectly puffed, spotted roti off the flame and brush it with ghee—that’s when you’ll feel like you’ve cracked the code.

Now go make some. Your family will think you’ve been secretly training at a dhaba.

 

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