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Chapatis

Indian flatbread.  It’s quicker than bread, but more involved labor-wise.  But absolutely worth it.  I can scarcely imagine having curry without it.

The basic ingredients are flour (whole wheat if possible), yogurt (or water in a pinch) a little salt and a bit of oil (optional).  I measure everything by the yogurt.  That is to say, one cup of yogurt yield 6 or 8 breads, or enough for 2 bread lovin’ curry eaters.  You add scant amounts of salt and oil, you add enough flour to make a kneadable thickness.  Then you knead.  If you have time, let it sit for an hour.  Or don’t.  Make into balls, no larger than ping pong balls.  Roll out thin — not flour torilla thin, but thinner than a fluffy pancake.

In a hot pan or skillet, ungreased, they do about a minute on each side.  After the first flip, you can push around down on it with a clean dishtowel, to get it to puff up.  Sometimes you flip too early then you can do this on a third flip.  Being the dude I am, I don’t always have a pile of clean dishtowel to put in direct contact with my food, so I opt for a large spoon.  On YT, you can find an indian lady deftly doing it this way.  But really, the towel approach is much more forgiving. 

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