How to make Chapati/Chapathi: Indian Whole wheat flat bread

Do you think there is a difference between roti and chapati/Chapathi? Some would say both are same, and some would argue no they are different.  I was in the first group until I seriously read about both of them. As you know India is famous for its diverse cuisine, northern part of India prefers whole wheat while south prefers rice.

 In south India we call whole wheat flat bread ‘chapathi’. Until my father diagnosis with high blood pressure, chapathi was an infrequent visitor in our house, and mom made it only during the weekends for breakfast. After his diagnosis, she would make it every day with less salt for dad’s dinner menu. She would ask me and my sister do you want chapathi or rice, we always say we are fine with rice. Then as she starts making them we will start eating chapathi and neglecting the rice. Later on Mom skipped asking us and would make chapathi for us too. Our way of eating chapathi was to dip in bowl of milk with some sugar. Now my princess likes to eat chapathi that way.   She and her little brother start mimicking my childhood everyday in one or other forms.

 My hubby likes to eat chapathi too; you can serve him three times a day with no problem. I start making chapathi only after marriage; still I haven’t mastered making exactly round flat bread. Earlier days it will resemble the various continents, mostly Australia or New Zealand. Now it is getting better still not more to go. In Mumbai in my in-laws house, a maid named Sulekha who used to come every day evening and within 30 minutes, she would make 25 chapathi, starting from dough, spreading, and cooking that too in perfect round shape. She would increase and decrease the flame of gas burner to get perfect cooking. I always would stand near the kitchen window and watching her cooking. We will chat about each other’s life. Unfortunately next time when I am visiting I won’t see her, she passed away due to gastric cancer two months ago. My mother-in-law has other helpers but she was  one who gave  advance notice of absence and did the job without any complaint.

Okay I come back to our discussion of Roti V Chapati:

 Chapati is typically made with whole wheat flour, water, oil and salt to make soft dough. . Sometimes dough is allowed rest for some time, and then it is rolled into disc.  Gluten formation makes it pliable and soft. The dough is spread using roller to round disc and it is cooked in heated griddle, some will cook half way in the griddle and then cook rest into the direct heat with the help of thongs. I don’t do two steps only cook them in heated griddle. Also I skip adding oil in the dough, just use a little to coat the dough and once it is cooked I brush one side with oil and keep the next one no greased side on the top of oiled surface of chapathi.

When whole wheat flour, water and salt is mixed and formed into flat bread it is called Phulka, my sister is really fan of this. She thinks this healthier version. Phulka also cooked in heated griddle and then into direct heat.

 Roti is a thicker version of chapati.   Roti can be made with whole wheat flour or with addition of  makki/ corn flour or bajra/ pearl millet flour to wheat flour will give makkii or bajraeki roti. You can make roti gluten free, using chana dal/ chick pea flour( missi roti) amaranth (Rajgira roti), Sorghum flour( Jowar roti)  etc. Usually roti are thicker than chapathi.

 However when whole wheat flour( atta) and all purpose flour ( Maida) is also combined to form thin bread called rumali roti. Here is you tube video where a guy is making biggest roti.. If you want to know 15 types of roti then take a look at this you tube video.

 So chapati is sister to phulka and cousin to roti. Hope you agree with me. 

 After seeing all these you tube video, you will be thinking I am going to make something that artistic, sorry, I can’t touch their expertise. 

I will make simple chapathi, easily made with trusted Kitchen Aid mixer. Dump whole wheat flour, salt and hot water first with paddle attachment combine everything. Change to dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes. Lightly grease your bowl rest the dough for about 15-20 minutes.

Divide the dough into small portion about size of lemon. Spread it into a round disc using roller; when you are ready to make chapathi/chapati, heat a griddle/tawa.  cook it in hot griddle, when small bubbles appears  in top part, turn the other side cook until both sides gets brown spots.  Slightly press the sides with spatula then it will help the chapathi to puff up. It takes about roughly 2 minutes.   Transfer to container, I store it in tortilla container.

Serve warm with curries, yogurt, pickles,

Chapati itself tastes bland so you need sides.  Or just put it in a bowl of milk and sugar and eat.

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How  To Make Chapati/Chapathi: Indian Flat Bread

Prep Time    26 minutes

Cook Time    15 minutes

Serves    12

Ingredients:
2 cup whole wheat flour + ¼ cup extra for rolling
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup to 1 cup Hot water
2 tablespoon olive oil

Steps:

In a bowl of kitchenaid stand mixer attached with paddle attachment, add whole wheat flour, salt and water and combine well to form a dough.

Change paddle attachment and with dough hook  knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until they become smooth.

Set aside in lightly greased bowl rolling the dough so that dough get  coat with oil , this will prevent dough from drying. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll them into round ball. Dump it into a bowl with ¼ cup flour you kept aside for rolling.

Using a roller, spread the dough into 6 inch thin round. Make sure to spread really thin, with a thickness of  credit card or around  ½ inch.  Also dust the  extra flour , so that  you won’t see any burnt flour in the griddle.

Once you spread   half of the dough  heat a griddle or tawa. When you sprinkle water it will sizzle and jumps that is sign that your girdle ready.

Carefully place  the spread disc and cook for a minute or until you will blisters or bubbles on the top, flip and cook the other side too for another 1 minute or until you see brown spots on both side.

While cooking the second side make sure to press the dough with a spatula that will help to retain steam inside the dough and chapati will puffs up.

Remove from the fire and transfer to a tortilla container with brushing both sides of first chapati with olive oil.  Close the lid immediately this will  make steam to trap inside and make soft chapati.

From next  one onwards you needs to brush only one side which spacing upward. Continue to cook chapati until you finish the entire dough.

You can store chapati at room temperature for  2 days  and reheat  in microwave for 15 seconds before serving .

Enjoy chapati with side dishes.

Variations:

• You can use butter or ghee to  make it more tasty.

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