How to Freeze Chapati Roti

Chapati roti, a flat bread made of whole wheat, is a staple of Indian cooking and other South Asian cuisines. While chapati roti is relatively easy to cook, the preparation can be time consuming. Many South Asian chefs choose to make large batches of chapati roti and freeze them for future use. Freezing roti is not difficult, and if you do it properly they will taste as good as freshly baked flat bread.

A basic chapati roti recipe calls for nothing more than whole-wheat flour, water and ghee, which is a type of clarified butter commonly used in Indian cooking. While basic water-based roti can be frozen, the roti may become tough when thawed. Substituting dahi yogurt for water during the kneading process will keep roti softer and more more supple. Yogurt can be substituted for water when making fresh roti, but makes an even more pronounced difference if you're planning on freezing them.

Roti can be fully cooked before freezing and conveniently thawed when needed. To freeze fully cooked roti, prepare the roti in the same way you would if you were serving them immediately. Allow the roti to cool and stack them in groups of six with a piece of wax paper placed in between each roti. Wrap each stack of six with aluminum foil. Place each foil-wrapped stack in an individual freezer bag, squeeze out any air and seal the bag. The bags of roti can be left in the freezer for up to three months.

If you want the convenience of a frozen roti, but prefer the taste of a freshly cooked piece of bread, you can freeze uncooked roti dough. Make a batch of roti dough and roll out the roti in the same way you would if you were preparing to cook them. Stack the roti as you would if they were cooked, wrap them in aluminum foil and put them in plastic freezer bags. When freezing uncooked roti dough, ensure that the freezer bags are laid flat so that the roti don't lose their shape.

Whether you use cooked or uncooked frozen roti, it's important to thaw them properly before serving. For the best results, thaw a stack of frozen roti in the refrigerator overnight. If you need to thaw the roti quickly, place them in a covered dish and thaw them on the defrost setting. Do not thaw frozen roti on the counter top, as leaving them out at room temperature for several hours can encourage the growth of harmful bacteria. Once the roti are fully thawed, either cook the raw dough in the same manner you would cook fresh dough or warm up precooked roti in a hot non-stick pan.