A chapati is like a tortilla. Unlike a corn tortilla, it is made out of wheat flour. Unlike a wheat tortilla, it is made out of whole-wheat flour known as ata or chapati flour. You may use a tortilla press or a chapati press (they are almost the same) instead of rolling each one out with a rolling pin. Small thin chapatis (about 5 inches in diameter) are considered much more elegant than large thick ones, though you will find all sizes in the cities and villages of India. Those who eat chapatis daily eat them with everything at lunch and dinner. You break off a piece and enfold a piece of meat or vegetable in it. If you want to spice up the morsel a bit more, you brush it against a chutney or pickle. You could also roll up some food inside a whole chapati, to make a kind of “wrap,” though you would not do this at the table, only with leftovers to make a snack.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Make a soft dough using all the flour and about 1/2 cup water. Knead well for 10 minutes. Make a ball and put it in a plastic bag or in a bowl covered with a damp cloth. Leave for at least 15–30 minutes or refrigerate it for future use.
Step 2
Set a cast-iron frying pan (an iron crepe pan is also good) over medium-high heat and allow to heat up.
Step 3
Knead the dough again and then divide it into 6 balls. Keep 5 covered. Dust your work surface with the extra flour when needed and roll the sixth ball out evenly into a 5 1/4-inch round. Pick the chapati up and slap it around between your two palms to dust off some of the extra flour. Now slap it onto the hot pan. Cook for 10 seconds. Flip it over. Cook the second side for 10 seconds. Flip it over a second time and cook for 10 seconds. Flip it a third time and cook 10 seconds. Now pick up the chapati and put it in your microwave oven. Blast it for about 30 seconds or until puffed. (If you have no microwave, press down on different parts of the chapati with a small wad of cloth as you give it a slight turn in the pan.) Remove, brush with butter or ghee, if desired, and keep covered while you make the rest.
Step 4
Using a slightly damp paper towel, wipe off the frying pan. Turn the heat down to medium low while you roll out your second chapati and proceed as before, turning the heat up again before you slap the next chapati onto the hot surface.
