What is the difference between a ‘roti’, ‘phulka’ and ‘chappati’?

Answer 1

A roti cooked in a tandoor, phulka is dry without oil, cooked in tawa, chapati is also cooked in tawa, with oil.

Answer 2

Is there a difference between a ‘roti’, ‘phulka’ and ‘chappati’?
On hind sight, all three terms seem to mean the same. Wheat flour mixture called ‘atta’, combined with a proportion of salt, oil and water to form dough. Small portions of the dough rolled out into thin discs, which are toasted on a griddle (tawa). This is the basic Indian bread, consumed in most Indian homes. So why the different names for the seemingly same things?

Roti is the universal term for all Indian breads. It might just be the most ambiguous term in the Indian cuisine terminology. Just plain roti can mean phulka roti, naan roti, double roti (bread make after double rising of dough), rumali roti, makki-di-roti, tandoori roti or any other form of desi bread.

Phulka is a thin roti, which is oil or grease free. The dough is made with just water, sometimes even omitting salt. Then portions of the dough is rolled out into thin discs about 6 inches in diameter and half roasted on a tawa, then on an open flame. The phulka puffs up into a ball due to accumulation of steam inside it. Once it puffs up, it is removed from heat and served sooka (dry) or without any added grease. This becomes a phulka (literally means swollen) roti.

Chappati can be a thin or a thick roti. It is called a chappati because it is traditionally made by patting the dough balls between the palms of the two hands and flattening it(chappat in hindi means flat). So some veterans would say that it is not a chappati if it is not flattened by hand, i.e. without the use of a rolling pin. A chappati may or may not puff up like a phulka. Some also cook it completely on a tawa, by applying slight pressure on the surface of the dough-disc thereby cooking it completely. But I have noticed that chappatis cooked this way tended to harden up quickly, atleast on my electric stove. I did get much better results on my gas stove at my previous abode. If you have an electric stove like me and are wondering how to puff up your chappati-phulkas, look no further.

http://spiceisright.blogspot.com/2006/03/frequently-asked-food-questions-about.html

Answer 3

generally all unleavened Indian breads are called roti ,one made in a tandoor would be a tandoori roti,others could be gahon-ki-roti ,if made from wheat,or the name would vary according to the grain used .A phulka is also a roti made differently,it is rolled thinly & placed on a hot gridle,called a 'tava',in hindi phulka means swell or bloat & that is what a phulka does ,puffs up,ballon like.A chapatti is dough rolled differently,oil or ghee is applied to the surface of rolled dough,it is folded in various styles & after rolling into a round,square or trianglr is baked on the gridle with oil smeared on both surfaces,ideally any of these are eaten hot,off the gridle.

Answer 4

there is no difference roti and chappati. on the other hand phulka is blown of version of roti or chappati.

Answer 5

well Roti is more thick and medium sized, Phulkaa is a Sindhi word for non-greesy roti and chappati is a thin roti cooked on high heat on a tawa that's placed upside down..........

Answer 6

They are all the same - it's only how they are referred to in different parts of India. There may be many more variations as more people start using them.

Like they say " A rose by any other name is still a rose"

Answer 7

all three are the same, a parantha is made with oil and a tandori roti is made in the tandoor.a romali roti is made on the convex side of a kadai or wok.......a batura is made with curd and fermented and deep fried so is a puri ,its made with refined flour and deep fried.

Answer 8

three different names for the same item

Answer 9

all r same

roti in M.P.
phulka in U.P
chappati in A.P

Answer 10

when poor man eats it is roti
when sardarji eats is is phulka
and when rich people it is chapati.........