Sourdough Starter with Atta (Indian whole wheat flour)

How to make sourdough starter with atta and troublshooting the starter.

I have earlier shared how to make a sourdough starter. While you can make a sourdough starter with any flour, high protein flours work best when making a starter. Rye flour is a preferred flour when it comes to making starters for the same reason. I have not been able to source rye flour of late and decided to make the starter with atta (or the Indian whole wheat flour).

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1 WHAT IS ATTA

2 KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN MAKING SOURDOUGH STARTER WITH ATTA

3 SOURDOUGH STARTER WITH ATTA

4 SOURDOUGH STARTER MADE WITH ATTA STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE WITH PHOTOS

WHAT IS ATTA

Atta or chakki atta is whole wheat flour used to make Indian flatbreads like roti, chapati, or paratha. It is popularly known as chapati flour outside of India. Atta is ground slightly coarse when compared to the western wholemeal flour. Atta is different when compared to all-purpose whole wheat flour and has high gluten content, making it very good for a sourdough starter.

I was super excited about how the atta starter turned out. I found it very similar to the rye flour starter. My atta starter fermented very quickly and very actively. The maintenance of my atta starter is also relatively easier than my other starter, although the process is the same.

I maintain a very small quantity of atta starter and use it to make the Indian version of sourdough bread – like plain or stuffed paratha, atta bread, ladi pav, etc. In fact, I prefer using my atta starter to make the Indian style bread as opposed to using my bread flour starter.

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN MAKING SOURDOUGH STARTER WITH ATTA

The process of creating the atta starter and troubleshooting is similar to creating a regular starter and I have shared the process here. However, there are a few key things that you should keep in mind:

Atta absorbs a lot of water. As a result, the starter will look relatively less hydrated.
My atta starter was ready by day 6. However, the time taken for the starter to mature may vary depending on the ambient temperature.
Use filtered water to make the starter.
While I prefer to wait for 4-5 days before using the bread flour starter discard, I have used the atta starter discard from day 2.
I have shared all the troubleshooting techniques here.
The maintenance of the atta starter is the same as a regular flour starter. Learn more about it here.
You can prepare the atta starter for baking in the same way you prepare the starter made with regular flour. You can find the technique here.

Atta starter is easier to make when compared to bread flour starter and is definitely easier to maintain as well. Check the detailed recipe below and create an atta starter that is good to go within days.

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SOURDOUGH STARTER WITH ATTA

Atta is different when compared to all purpose whole wheat flour and has high gluten content, making it very good for a starter.

Prep Time1 hr
Active Time0 mins
Fermentation Time7 d
Total Time7 d 1 hr

Equipment
Glass jar
Weighing scale
Wooden spoon

Materials
350 grams whole wheat flour (atta/chapathi flour)
350 grams filtered water

Instructions
DAY 1
Pour 100 grams of atta and 100 grams of water into a jar. Mix well making sure there are no bits of dry flour. The mixture will be slightly less hydrated. Add 1-2 tbsp water if required
Pop the lid loosely and let the jar sit in a warm spot away from direct sunlight for 24 hours
DAY 2
You will begin to notice some bubbles by day 2 as atta ferments quickly
Remove 100 grams of the starter from the jar and discard it
Add 50 grams of atta and 50 grams of water to the remaining starter. Mix well to make sure there are no dry bits of flour. Place it back in the warm spot for the next 24 hours
DAY 3
There are more bubbles and a small rise in the starter
Remove 100 grams of the starter from the jar and discard it
Add 50 grams of atta and 50 grams of water to the remaining starter. Stir well to make sure there are no dry bits of flour. Place it back in the warm spot for the next 24 hours
DAY 4
From day 4, you will need to feed your starter twice a day, 10 to 12 hours apart. Note the timing of your feed so that it is easy to track the next feeding time
In the morning, remove 100 grams of the starter from the jar and discard it
Add 50 grams of atta and 50 grams of water to the remaining starter. Stir well to make sure there are no dry bits of flour. Place it back in the warm spot for the next 10-12 hours
After 10-12 hours, remove 100 grams of the starter from the jar and discard it
Add 50 grams of atta and 50 grams of water into the jar. Stir well to make sure there are no dry bits of flour. Place it back in the warm spot until next day
DAY 5
You will notice a lot of activity in your starter and it will start to rise with every feed. If it does not, give it a day or two more to mature
In the morning, remove 100 grams of the starter from the jar and discard it
Add 50 grams of atta and 50 grams of water to the remaining starter. Stir well to make sure there are no dry bits of flour. Place it back in the warm spot for the next 10-12 hours
After 10-12 hours, remove 100 grams of the starter from the jar and discard it
Add 50 grams of atta and 50 grams of water into the jar. Stir well to make sure there are no dry bits of flour. Place it back in the warm spot until the next day
DAY 6
Your starter is getting mature with every feed. Some starters are good to go by 6 or 7 days, while some need a few more days to mature and be ready to bake
In the morning, remove 100 grams of the starter from the jar and discard it
Add 50 grams of atta and 50 grams of water into the jar. Stir well to make sure there are no dry bits of flour. Place it back in the warm spot for the next 10-12 hours
After 10-12 hours, remove 100 grams of the starter from the jar and discard it
Add 50 grams of atta and 50 grams of water into the jar. Stir well to make sure there are no dry bits of flour. Place it back in the warm spot until the next day
DAY 7
Your starter should be bubbly, active, and doubling every 6-8 hours after feeding. By day 7, your starter should be ready to bake; however, it will take a few more days to fully mature. If you are not planning to bake with it straight away, put it in the refrigerator and maintain it with weekly feeds.

Notes
Remember not all starters behave the same way and can take different times to mature. Your starter may take up to 14 days to be fully active and mature. Don’t give up on your starter if it is not ready by day 7. Just keep going with the discard and feed cycle.