How to judge atta quality-I think most here seem to judge atta by fluffiness of chapati. I don't know if that's a good way to judge atta. Here is how we judge atta quality - i.e. no preservatives, no maida and good grain quality-

1. Keep doughed atta in refrigerator. Atta with with most bleaching, chemical preservatives will be first to have a black sheath on top

2. There is thise bhuna (roasted atta) thing that's given in North Indian temple along with prasad and banana. Anyway just roast the atta and after it turns pinkish/brownish taste it. The maida/chemical atta will be bitter. Good quality atta will be bland.

Only Swad passed my test. Now I don't remember if it was bhalia or what but I had bought a Punjab and Maharashtra edition. Both were good.

Now since Swad is not available I take Nature's Best. While Nature's Best was also not available I used to take Sujatha. Sujatha atta is quite bitter after roasting. Nature's Best is sort of bitter after roasting. Still we take both.

I wonder if there is a way I can buy wheat grains from somewhere in US and then find chakki somewhere as well.
regards,
Vikram

None of the stores near my house sell Aashirvaad atta. Can I buy it online?

hi all

I stay at santa clara, ca. Can anybody tell me where can i get annapurna or ashirwad atta.... we are desparately searching for them.
thank you

aravinda

I use Aashirwaad atta and would say by far thats the best I have ever used. Golden Temple is the worst of all. My husband had got it when I was not in town and I had a tough time finishing that bag. I used to literally throw the chapathis like frizbees on to my hubby's plate. One tip I would like to give to our friends here is when you are making the chapathi dough please add some COOKING OIL they help them stay soft for a long time after we make rotis.

My husband is from Maharashtra, and over the years I have learned to make chapatis. I was diligently trying many brands to get them perfect. Finally I found Nature's Best, Sujata(Pilsbury), and Swad Bhalia Atta (not chapati atta). I was buying chapatis made for some time due to work schedule, but am making them again. I bought my typical Nature's Best and Sujata, but they changed the mix....yellow or hard now. So, when I went to Chicago I bought 5 bags of Swad Bhalia Atta.....was still perfect. Now I cannot find it. I too wish there was some sort of regulation on atta. If it says whole wheat it should be whole wheat, no yellow color. I think they mix maida and/or corn flour to save money.

I would look for Swad Bhalia specifically. Be carefule because Swad has about three types of atta, and Bhalia is the best one.
Good Luck all. I am also glad to not be the only one having this trouble with atta. Some of the women in my community where I live look at me like I am crazy when I say that.

Sujatha/Pillsbury is the best.

I have not seen a better atta than Sujatha which is nothing but Pillsbury. Its perfect for phulkas, they always fluff up so well.
I have seen my friend using Golden temple, I totally agree that it sucks. Its more maida than atta. Worst I have ever seen!

I have tried a lot of atta brands in the US. Swad(Bahaliya) is the best. Even my husband makes perfect rotis with Swad. Real fluffy ones.

pillsbury chakki atta is the very perfect flour to make chapathi because of its taste and easy to make dough and comes up fluffy a, so soft chapathis and there is no need to add oil . very rich and tasty . I advise everybody to use this brand.

Hello,

Is there anything we can do as a consumer to eliminate these flour mixing activities by these guys. To me it's clearly a fraud if they are selling mix flour with bag labeled as 100% wheat flour. I am sick and tired of changing brands because every now and than they tend to mix stuff. I have filed a complaint in a local county's health administration about these products but not very hopeful of receiving positive response from them.

-P

Golden Temple is the worst atta we ever used. It should be sold as MAIDA not as atta.
If you are looking for wheat atta, do not buy Golden Temple atta.

Any idea if "SWAD Bhalia Whole wheat flour" is available in any of the stores in Dallas area. This is the best atta I have ever seen in USA.

Hai venuani,
I too live in Losangeles.Could you please post the address of kavita stores,Los Angels

Sailaja

Hi all, I was using annapurna atta, it was so good. Chapathi's will be very soft and come like a puri. We started having chapathi everyday instead of rice. Its very very good.

This is time i thought of giving a try for Swad Chapathi Flour, it is not good. The flour is pale yellow in color. Even if u have hot also chapathi seems to be hard. I found on the pack that it is made of Durum Atta Flour and Wheat Barn. Is that the normal atta or something different?

Can anyone help me out in making soft chapathi's with this swad chapathi flour, because i bought the whole 20lb pack :-( ???????

Sujatha is Pillsbury. They're both from General Mills and marketed under different packagings. So Sujatha comes out real fine too. But Ashirwad's also good.

Anyone use "Nature Best" Atta? It seems a bit coarser than most, but does mostly work, although seems to require more effort to get it to act right.

Hi All,

I tried this Lakshmi brand atta.It cmes vry soft n tastes good.
Do gve it a try

i don't know whether u get these brands in US .two of my fav brands r minar-20lbs and MR gaudas-8kg.try this out!!!!!

hi! i live in delaware have been using golden temple atta, i just dont like it, i want to know if patel's chapati atta is good, please reply.

The best whole wheat atta milled out of premium wheat at a resonable price. JENAN Chapati Aata.
We are looking for distributors in USA. please feel free to call me at +971502845843 or write to me at Faizel.S@alghurairgroup.com (you could also visit us at www.alghurairgroup.com
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Last time I got "SWAD Bhalia Whole wheat flour". Its the best. you can make nice soft chappathis.

Hi Guys, Today i tried chapathi using "Nirmal" atta. Wonderful i couldn't imagine that even i could prepare so fluffy chapathis. I have tried Annapurna and Sujatha. Was thinking Sujatha was best but after today, my vote is for "Nirmal". I purchased this from Kavita Store, Los Angeles. Thanks to my husband who got the advice from the Store owner.

hi mullai,
even i am using aashirvaad and a big fan of it.thank god and i am getting it here.
in india we use hot water and one fourth teaspoon of dalda and make soft but the consistency should belittle bit soft than the dough we make for puri.
and roll it in small circle like puris and heat non stick tawa cook lightly on both sides and keep on the gas flame.i am sure chappathis will puff like puris..no oil.

I recently bought organic whole wheat flour from whole food and tried to make chappati. It didnt look like chappati. It was hard and my kids didnt like it.

Anybody tried this flour ?

Uday

I have been using Swad. Its really good.

Thanks for all ur responses frenz.. i guess i will go with the pillsbury atta for chapathis.. Can anyone plz suggest what brand of atta to use for nice Puris and soft Phulkas... my phulkas always become lil rubbery when i store them for later..

I read all your responses frenz.. thank u all very much ! guess i will go with Pillsbury atta..
Can anyone please suggest what brand to use to make nice Puris and also soft phulkas..
my phulkas always turn rubbery when i make and keep them for later..

The Brand ShreeBhog is the best atta.This is produced in a Hi-tech Plant with traditional chakkis.Wheat aroma is superb with a higher absorption of water.The dough never turns black as a most efficient cleaning of wheat is done.In cleaning process even the upper layer of wheat is cleaned to get it free from all dust & pesticides.Use it once and you will become a Fan of it.

I buy Gold medal stone ground whole wheat flour from any US grocery ..It has brans visible in it . and chappathis will not be as soft as we get usually out of other flours.

Mullai maam,

Pillsbury chakki fresh atta is very good, even my mother uses it in India.It makes real soft chappathis.But I could not find it in the indian store here.

Shan,

Is pillsbury available in subzi mandi?

I completely agree with u Mullai for this golden temple's atta ,as u said it turns rubbery after a while and today after reading ur comments i came to know about the maida content in it and i have been using it for about 4 years and didnt know the reason.Thanks to you,iam going to change the brand and let u know about the new brand ...

regards,
Abigail.

Basically I was told you want to stay away from anything that has been bleached because some of the goodness has been removed. I have been told that the wheat grain that has a lighter hue requires more treatment to produce a shade of flour that is identical to that of bleached flour. So your better off buying 100% Whole Wheat or 100% Whole Grain products. You should avoid Bleached Flour, wheat flour, enriched flour etc. So as long as we buy chappati flour that is 100 % whole wheat I think it will be best. I was told Sujatha atta was 100% whole wheat flour and made by General mills and was of good quality. Likewise Pillsbury too is made here and is good. All this is hear say....but hope this helps. Mullai let me know what you buy I would like to be sure before I buy next time.

Hi Mullai,
I am in Toronto.Here i got diffrent brand atta flour.But I prefer Pillsbury,annapurna.The flour is good.

hi mullai usually we consume chapathi immediately so i didnot have the problem.

Mullai,

I agree I too have been asking around and they told me they have discontinued sujatha atta. The store owner said that they have discontinued gettingatta from India & even annapoorna and such brands will not be sold no more. After a big discussion with him it seems that Chakki fresh style is the best (its nice and fine) and also he felt pillsbury atta was teh best coz it was 100% whole wheat. But i think its a bit pricey. However he says it has no maida etc in it. They now have a atta with soy flour added instead of maida. Looks like if I have to buy now I will buy the pillsbury atta. I hear its noce adn fine and is 100% whole wheat. Apparently if it doesnt says so it isnot 100%. Then there is a maida or soy flour etc mixed in. Not so healthy!

Sharmilla

Dear ma'am, i used to buy 'Aashirvaad Atta' (indian make) it cost about $7 for 20lbs, but we get only in Subzi Mandi. It absorbs more water and just a drops of oil is enough (at the final stage) to make a smooth dough for making Chappathi's. I'm sure it stay soft for a week, if we refridgerate the chappathi's.

Some of my friends used to buy homemade chapathi, that Lady use 'Pillsbury Chakki Fresh Atta' that is also good. She makes soft and tasty chappathi. They will buy in 100's and it will even stay good for more than 3 weeks if we covered it properly and refridgerate.

swad &golden temple is good for making chapathi.