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Chapati on a Home Pan

Chapati on a Home Pan

Atta, water and an even round
Author:
Austin Welsh-Graham
| Source:
The Toasty Book of Bread
Categories: The Toasty Book of Bread Bread Form Leavening Cooking Method Regional Route Collection Main Material
Tags: Flatbread No fermented rise Pan-cooked South and Central Asia The Toasty Book of Bread Wheat
Ingredients
270 g Fine wholemeal atta180 g Water (Initially.)25 g Water (Extra, if needed.)25 g Fine wholemeal atta (For dusting.)15 g Ghee (Optional, for finishing.)
Description

A chapati can be folded around a mouthful of vegetables or torn to gather dal. Its usefulness begins with softness. The bread should move with your fingers, and the last piece should be as welcome as the first. At the rolling board, that seemingly modest ambition gives the baker plenty to learn.

Wholemeal chapati rounds for a home pan, rolled evenly and kept soft beneath a clean towel. Makes 12 rounds, about 39 g dough each.

Recipe
Mixing and kneading
1
Mix flour with the initial water, adding more gradually for a soft dough. Knead 5-8 minutes until pliable. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
Shaping and layering
1
Divide into 12 smooth balls. Keep covered. Dust lightly and roll each to 14-15 cm, with even thickness and intact edges.
2
Heat the dry pan over medium-high heat. Shake off loose flour. Cook a round about 30 seconds, until small bubbles appear, then turn.
Cooking
1
Cook the second face about 30–45 seconds, until spotted. Turn again and gently press beside bubbles with a spatula to encourage puffing. Cook until both faces have brown spots and no raw patches.
Cooling and serving
1
Brush with optional ghee. Stack in a clean towel and serve warm, adjusting pan heat between rounds.
Notes

About 1 hour. Bowl, rolling pin, heavy frying pan or tawa, spatula and clean tea towel. Contains wheat. Optional ghee contains milk.

An even round

Aim for softness and complete cooking. A partial puff can still make a delicious chapati. Check the thickness of the next round before increasing the heat.