A few things before we start:
- It’s important to have a powerful enough motor to be able to knead dough since it’s a ‘tough’ job for a machine. Make sure you check manufacturer’s manual to make sure if you can make dough in your food processor
- Keep all ingredients ready before you begin
- I usually add a bit more water to the dough than needed, for smoother kneading, and then dust more flour and finish the final knead by hand
HOW TO MAKE CHAPATI DOUGH IN FOOD PROCESSOR
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Makes enough dough for 7 chapatis
INGREDIENTS:
1.5 cups of atta / Indian whole wheat flour
~ 1/3 cup of water
1/2 tsp of salt (or to taste)
2 tsp of oil, ghee, or butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Make sure your food processor comes with a dough blade. It will have blunt edges but will look the same as your regular chopping blade.
2. Add the atta + salt to the largest bowl in your processor (in case it comes with multiple bowls – mine has three).
3. Close the lid and start the machine. If there are speed settings, start at the lowest speed to make sure the salt is mixed properly with the flour. With the machine running, add water in a slow trickle through the opening on the lid. Adjust water according to how much you need. This depends on the flour quality, consistency, humidity where you live, etc.
You will start to see the dough forming slowly as you add water. Stop and go so you are able to control the dough consistency. It’s very easy to add more water so be careful!
4. Soon you will find the dough forming into a ball and ‘cleaning’ up the sides of the bowl. Add oil at this stage and let it run for a minute longer.
Done! The dough will be a bit sticky if you’d added the right amount of water. Take out, punch down, dust more flour if required, and let it rest for about 30 mins before proceeding to make chapati, roti, paratha, etc.
You can make pizza dough, bread dough, and even pie crust in your food processor. The method is pretty much the same, except that you would add the ingredients as necessary for what you are making. I plan to try pizza dough next and will update you on how that went.
You can also scale the quantities according to the capacity of your food processor bowl to make chapati / roti dough in bulk and store it in refrigerator up to 2 days for later use.
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I have a Cusinart food processor that came with dough blade and I use it to knead chapati flour. But I think chapati comes out softer when we knead with hand (based on personal experience). I’ve seen friends use stand mixer for this purpose. In your experience do you find kneading in one over the other to be better for making softer chapatis? Asking since you have both.
Thanks!
yes i know what you mean. i definitely feel stand mixer is better for the right consistency of dough
Thank you!
i make chapati for myself 6 for dinner and lunch daily and i feel pain in my hands for making chapati dough ,
I already have preeti grinder , can i use that ……..can i get dough blade …….i just need it for chapati , i dont make bread or other item . my reason to buy appliance is only pain and I dont mind about hands dirty by making dough with hands,
for my situation which one should i buy ……iam confused between food processor or stand mixer . …….which is better for chapati,…………..will it solve my problem hand pain .
either food processor or stand mixer will make good chapati dough. you can think about your other uses and pick the right appliance for you since both are not cheap and you need a good sturdy one to make dough
Never thought its so easy. Thanks for this post.
Hi,
This post is very helpful.
I’m planning to buy a food processor for mainly dough kneading besides other things.
Can you recommend one?
I do not intend to go very high-end.
Thanks in advance!
Hello Amy, I used a magimix and really liked it. You do need a powerful motor to make dough but I am not sure of all models and price ranges, you’d have to do some research online for wherever you live