Griddle-Baked Whole Wheat Bread: Chapati
Adding a touch of salt to the chapatis before serving.
Chapati is a type of ‘roti’ or flatbread from India. In Plenitud PR we love chapati because it is very easy to make, and is an excellent companion for various types of vegetarian dishes. Every week, our teammate Duncan Anderson prepares the chapatis with lots of love to share with the Plenitud team. In this blog post he shares his experience and the recipe, thank you Duncan!
Duncan Anderson, VISTA Service Learning Designer at Plenitud, smiling while rolling out the chapati dough.
Duncan: Before coming to serve at Plenitud, I had never made bread by hand before. I was a bit intimidated at first, but as I began to practice I was surprised by how dynamic the process is. It's so much more than making a side dish for a meal- to me, it's a meditation on the elements of nature as well as an exercise of the mind. You use everything for the process: earth, air, water, and fire all go together to make the final product. In addition, it's a very intuitive process: yes, you have ingredients and a set of instructions to use, but the best tasting chapatis are made through your mental and emotional connection with the process as a whole. You have to be very present to it and trust your instincts. You can't be distracted! It's important to be patient with it. You need your senses in order to determine what's right. Making chapati is a process of learning about yourself, finding trust in your hands and faith in working with what's right in front of you.
Griddle-Baked Whole Wheat Bread: Chapati
Ingredients (Makes about 15-20 Chapati):
1.5-2 cups of sifted whole wheat flour (most ideal is chapati flour specific for this recipe)
1 tbsp of melted ghee or butter
1-1.5 cups of water (room temperature or slightly warm)
1/2 tsp of salt (optional)
Melted ghee or butter for brushing on the finished flatbreads (optional)
Materials:
Large mixing bowl
Bowl to hold chapati pieces
Rolling pin
Clean, dry towel
Tongs
Griddle or cooking pan (preferably cast iron)
Pastry brush
Dish for melted butter or ghee, salt for finishing
Small knife
Dish with cover for holding finished chapati
Directions:
1. Begin by measuring 1.5-2 cups of whole wheat flour and sifting it into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add 1 tbsp of ghee or melted butter (and 1/2 tsp of salt if desired), and work it through the flour with your fingertips until it is integrated.
3. Add water to the flour, quickly at first so that it mixes. As you pour with one hand, work the water into the flour with the other to create a kneadable dough.
4. As the dough begins to take shape, add water or extra flour as needed and continue to knead. The ideal dough is moist but not too wet, and smooth to the touch with few wrinkles. Be observant of how it's turning out: only use as much water as needed.
5. Once you are satisfied with the dough, shape it into a ball with your hands and place the mixing bowl upside down on top of it, to protect its moisture. Leave sitting for anywhere between 20 min-1 hour, depending on when you wish to make the chapati.
6. When ready to begin rolling, lay out your materials: small bowl, rolling pin, towel, tongs, griddle, and dishes.
7. Fill the small bowl with about a 1/2 cup of flour.
8. Pull out the dough, knead, and divide into approximately 15-20 sections. There are many ways to do this, but for reference this is my method:
9. Pull a palm-sized piece of dough off the mass, and knead briefly. Roll between the palms to lengthen the piece, and then divide into 3-4 pieces with a knife. Roll each piece into a ball, and then press between the palms to flatten slightly. Place within the small bowl and repeat until all the dough has been used.
10. Place chapati pieces into the small bowl. Make sure that the pieces are covered in flour in the bowl (this will prevent them from sticking together). Cover the top of the bowl with the towel.
11. Sift some flour out onto your rolling area. Set the griddle over low heat to prepare it for cooking.
Duncan Anderson with Omar A. Torres Calvo from Ama Pachana, having fun while preparing the chapatis.
Note:
For this part of the process, it can be helpful to have someone else in the kitchen helping you. For me, I find that it saves a lot of time (and it is more fun) to have a friend help out! Experienced cooks will be able to roll out and cook chapati at the same time on their own.
12. Take a chapati piece and dust both sides with sifted flour. Flatten onto the table with the heel of your hand.
Take the rolling pin and roll it out as evenly as you can into a thin cirlce about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter, dusting with flour from time to time, just enough to keep it from sticking to the work surface (excess flour will make the chapati brittle).
Roll with even, gentle pressure, easing the dough into a circle rather than stretching it. Rotate the dough as you roll to prevent creating an uneven circle.
13. Follow your breath and stay relaxed as you work. Be patient with the process and avoid getting frustrated (chapati that retain frustrated energy will not turn out well). Practice will develop a more consistent product. I'm still learning every time I make this!
14. Turn the heat up on the griddle. Pick up the chapati and slap it back and forth between the palms to shake off excess flour. Slip the chapati onto the griddle (it should lie flat without wrinkles).
15. Cook for about 1 minute on the first side. When the top of the chapati lightens in color, small bubbles begin to form, and the bottom has small brownish spots, turn it over with the tongs. Cook the other side for about 30 seconds.
16. If you are using gas, pull the griddle back and place the chapati over the flame with the tongs. In seconds, the chapati will swell, fill with steam and puff into a balloon. Continue to cook, turning it once, until as charcoal-black flecks. This should only take about 10-15 seconds. Do not hold it over the heat for too long or else the chapati will begin to burn.
17. Slip the chapati into the dish, brush with melted butter or ghee, sprinkle a small pinch of salt, and cover. Set the griddle back over the flame and repeat steps 13-16.
Note: If working alone, roll out a chapati while another is cooking in the griddle. This can be tricky to master right away. My preferred method if I'm working by myself is to roll out about 5-10 chapati at a time, cooking them, and then repeating the process with another batch. If working with a partner, have one person roll out the chapati while the other cooks and finishes them.
If you find that your chapati do not balloon, make slight adjustments to your ingredient ratios, kneading time, or rolling process. It will take practice and observation to determine what's best!
Blessings!
¡Buen Provecho!
