Roomali Roti Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon fine semolina, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast so the semolina and yeast are evenly dispersed.

Combine wet ingredients

Combine 1 cup warm water and 1 cup warm milk (temperature around 100–110°F / 37–43°C) and stir in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or melted ghee).

Form dough

Make a well in the center of the dry mix and gradually pour in the warm liquid while mixing with a spoon or your hand. Bring the ingredients together to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. If needed add a tablespoon of warm water (up to 2) to achieve a soft texture; the dough should be more pliable than a regular roti dough.

Knead

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. The semolina makes it a little grippy but should be supple.

First rest & rise

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rest in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, until it puffs and increases noticeably in volume (not a heavy fermentation—just relaxed and aerated).

Divide and relax

Punch down gently and divide the dough into 8–10 equal portions for thin roomali rotis (about 50–60 g each for 8 rotis). Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Coat lightly with oil, cover and let rest 15–20 minutes to relax the gluten, which aids in stretching paper-thin.

Prepare workspace and tawa

Set up a large clean counter or sheet of parchment for stretching. Sprinkle a thin layer of the 1/2 cup extra flour for dusting. Use an inverted heavy tawa, large cast-iron skillet or a clean domed metal lid placed over a gas ring as the hot surface — preheat it over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Lightly oil the hot tawa with 1 teaspoon neutral oil and wipe so it’s just a sheen; the roomali cooks on the convex side.

Roll and stretch

Take one dough ball, press to flatten into a small disc, dust with flour, and roll out with a rolling pin into a thin circle about 10–12 inches in diameter. For paper-thin texture, stretch further by lifting the dough and tossing gently between cupped hands, pulling from the edges and letting gravity help. Continue dusting as needed so it doesn’t stick. Aim for a translucent, handkerchief-thin sheet (it’s okay if edges are slightly thicker).

Cook on upturned tawa

Working quickly, place the stretched dough over the convex (upturned) hot tawa. The hot surface will immediately start to set the dough. Cook for 20–30 seconds until small pale brown spots appear and the surface loses its raw sheen. Using a spatula or two, flip or fold the roti to press it briefly against the surface to ensure even contact and a few brown blisters form—total time on the tawa should be about 30–45 seconds.

Finish and keep warm

Brush the cooked roomali roti lightly with ghee or butter (about 1 teaspoon per roti) and fold into quarters or roll loosely. Keep finished rotis wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or in a low oven (around 90–100°C / 200–210°F) to stay soft and warm while you cook the rest.

Repeat

Repeat rolling, stretching and cooking with remaining dough balls, dusting workspace and hands as needed. Maintain the tawa heat: if it cools, increase the flame briefly; if it smokes, lower it slightly. Adjust cooking time by watching how quickly the rotis blister and brown.

To serve

Serve roomali roti immediately with kebabs, curries or as a wrap. They should be very thin, soft and pliable—perfect for wrapping.