Chapati


  • 375 g Atta flour or roti flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Ghee or oil
  • 250 ml / 1 cup Lukewarm water


Put the flour in a large mixing bowl, setting aside about half a cup for rolling down the chapatis.
Stir the salt through the flour, then add the ghee or oil and rub with your fingertips, like for shortcrust pastry.
Add the measured water all at once, moisten all the flour and mix to a firm dough.
Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Since there is no leavening agent in these breads, kneading is used to develop lightness.
Gather the dough into a ball, put into a small bowl and cover tightly with some cling film.
Leave for 1 hour or longer. This resting period is also vital to obtain a light and tender bread.
Divide the dough into balls of even size, about the size of a walnut. Roll out on a lightly floured board, lightly dusting the board and rolling pin with the reserved flour and keeping the shape as round as possible.

Start cooking those which were rolled first, since the short rest between rolling and cooking makes the chapatis lighter.
Heat a tawa, griddle or heavy frying pan, put the first chapati on the hot pan and leave for 1 minute on medium heat.
Turn it over.
After another minute of cooking, press lightly around the edges of the chapati with a folded tea towel to encourage the disc of bread to puff up and bubble. Do not overcook them or the chapatis will become crisp and dry instead of pliable and tender.

Wrap the cooked chapatis in a tea towel.

Serve warm with butter, curry or other dishes.

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