Atta means both flour and dough. So it can quickly get confusing if you’re not a native speaker. Atta (dough) is the base for so many of the Indian flatbreads, such as: roti, paranthas, and puris.
Atta (dough) is chewy, wheaty, and perfect for flatbreads. Try not to use all purpose as a quick fix – the rotis really won’t turn out correctly. Sadly, same goes for traditional whole wheat flour. You really do need to buy wholemeal hard wheat. Luckily, traditional atta is available at every Indian store and through outlets like Amazon.
It’s really easy to make in comparison with leavened dough. There’s no real heavy kneading, sitting, proofing, etc. needed. The higher gluten content in the dough really helps to make the flatbread chewy, flavorful, and flaky. It’s perfect whether you’re cooking it on a skillet, griddle, or frying it.
Like any dough, it won’t last more than a few days in the fridge, so plan accordingly. Also, it’s best stored in an airtight container. I don’t suggest freezing it – it never thaws out quite right. Also, don’t fall into the annoying blogs that talk about how this is based on ancient grains and a zeal to stay true to our heritage and blah, blah, blah. It’s what grows best in the country. We’ve eaten it for generations. It tastes great. So we keep eating it.