CHAPATI

      If there is a food taken for granted, then Chapati(Roti) & Rice comes on the top of the list. I have always wondered when and where this food originated, who created them - to be cooked with specific ingredients.  And I would convince myself that it would have travelled through the civilization to take twists and turns to suit the palate, region and taste buds.  But blogging has changed my perception towards food and has proved that my preconceptions about certain dishes were totally wrong.
     Western Countries has a noteworthy bread based Culture in their cuisine that every country has a local bread of their own. Though Asia is recognized as a Rice-based Culture, India has a mixed up culture of Roti(Bread) & Rice.  As Wheat and Rice being two major staple food spread throughout India, we can find a relatively unbiased society in the true sense of eating Roti & Rice. But we Indians are quite reluctant about our own Bread though we can claim our skill and versatility with the never-ending long-list of bread varieties virtually prepared from any kind of Grain/Pulse.
     Among the long list of Rotis, Chapati is considered to be the base of all Rotis & Parathas. No Indian meal is complete without this quintessential flatbread - Chapati that it has travelled to the length and breadth of Indian Sub-continent, and has taken its road throughout the world along with Indian immigrants.  Chapati is an Indian flatbread traditionally prepared with finely milled Whole Wheat Flour. Commonly called as Chapati/Pulka/Roti.  It takes an equally important place in an Indian Palate along with Rice.
     Chapati dough is prepared with Wheat Flour(Aatta), Salt and Water, kneaded into a soft dough with hands, left aside for at least 10 or 15 minutes to an hour for the gluten(the protein that naturally occurs in Wheat Flour) in the dough to develop.  The dough becomes softer and more pliable. Small portions of the dough are pinched off and formed into round balls that are pressed between the two palms to form discs. Then they are dipped into flour and rolled out on a circular rolling board called Chakla using a rolling pin known as Belan into a perfect circle. There are also automatic roti makers available on the market that automate the whole process. Even rolling Chapatis become easy with Chapati pressing machines.
     The rolled-out dough is cooked on a preheated tava/griddle on both sides. Some versions of chapatis, called PULKAS calls for partly cooking them over the griddle, and then putting them directly on a high flame, which makes them fluff- up. Good quality finely milled Whole Wheat Flour, well-kneaded dough, perfectly rolled Chapatis yield soft, fluffy and tasty Chapatis.  Rolling them into perfect rounds is a feat which can be acquired by practice. It is equally one of the easiest yet tricky dishes to prepare in terms of shape and softness.
      Chapati was one dish I learned during my early days of cooking, and I am not sure how I perfected it or maybe I was simply lucky enough to get it right every time I made them.  This is one dish I feel totally foolproof.  And all the more they remain soft even the next day. Chapati was one dish I used to frequent in my lunch box and I used to take a whole batch of Chapatis for my friends almost every day during my College days.
     I have a count of measurement for each and every item I use for cooking, though followed by habit rather than practice, I stick on to the measurements and increase/decrease it according to usage.until I finally figure out what works best for me. And if you ask people who make soft chapatis, they repeat the same method that you have already tried countless times to no avail. If you are one of those who can make soft rotis (chapatis) I would suggest not to read further. This recipe is for 'Beginners only‘.
     I use water at room temperature. I add few teaspoons of Oil while kneading the dough and no drizzling of oil/ghee while cooking them over the griddle, i.e because my husband doesn't like greasy Chapatis. Once, my neighbour, MAMI said we have to leave the dough aside to prove for at least 8-10 minutes, only then the gluten in the flour would develop which can yield you a soft and nutritious Chapati. And the most important factor behind soft Chapatis are adding Flour to water instead of adding Water to Flour.

 

 HOW TO MAKE SOFT CHAPATI

Cuisine - Indian
Course - Main Course
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 4
Yields - 25 Chapatis
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes
Leavening Time - 10-30 Minutes - 1 Hour
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

For more recipes on INDIAN BREADS, Click here...

INGREDIENTS :

Whole Wheat Flour - 3 Cups
Water - 11/2 Cups(Approximately)
Salt - To Taste
Sugar - 3-4 Tspns(Optional)
Oil - 11/2 Tbspn

METHOD :

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR/ATTA :

     Whole Wheat Flour/Atta flour is probably the most commonly used wheat flour in the Indian cooking. It is a whole wheat flour made from a durum wheat which is a very hard wheat. Durum wheat has a high protein content, high gluten content, high bran content which makes it ideal for making healthy Indian Bread.
     Traditionally Atta is stone ground and is slightly creamy brown colour. It is quite a coarse flour but very tough so you can roll it out very thin. Atta flour is used to make Chapati, Pulka, Roti, Parathas and few other Indian Breads.  Atta Flour is also used to make Gothumai(Wheat Flour) Dosais and Puttus. At home, my MOM always buys large batches of whole Wheat, clean, wash and dry them in sunlight.  Then the whole wheat is finely milled in flour mills.  Finely milled Wheat Flours yield soft Chapatis.

KNEADING THE DOUGH :

METHOD :

• Take 11/2 Cups of Water in Bowl big enough to knead the dough.
• Add a dash of Salt and some Sugar(Optional) to the water.
• Drizzle few teaspoons of Oil over the water.
• Mix the ingredients well.
• Now Add 3 Cups of Wheat Flour to the water and mix.
• Do not knead at this point, just mix until there is no more water is visible.
• At this point, we could feel that the mix is no more sticky.
• Now knead the dough until it turns smoother and softer for at least 8-10 minutes.
• Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.

NOTES :

• Add Flour to the Water mix. This method will retain the softness of the Chapatis for a longer time.
• Add a little oil to the wheat flour and mix well.
• You will need approximately 1.5 Cups of Water for 3 Cups of Wheat Flour.
• Amount of water totally depends on the type of Wheat Flour used.  Adjust Accordingly.
• If you need more Water do not add directly to the flour mix.
• Instead, dip your fist into the water and apply to the mix and knead it.
• Longer you knead the dough, it tends to become soft and pliable.  

RESTING THE DOUGH :

     When Flour and Water are mixed to form the dough, two proteins (gliadin and glutenin) in wheat flour form gluten which are long chains of protein. The stretchy consistency of the Flour is developed by mixing, kneading and resting the dough. During these processes, the protein in the wheat becomes elastic and smooth. The starch in the flour holds onto the water to give Structure and Volume.  This also paves a way through to break the gluten chains, alternatively giving a softness to the dough.

METHOD :

• Wrap the well-kneaded dough with a wet kitchen towel/cling film/ plastic wrap or cover the bowl tightly with a lid.
• Leave the dough, aside for at least 8-10 minutes for the gluten in the flour to develop.
• Covering the dough traps moisture, otherwise, it will dry out forming a crust.
• And keep the dough covered all the time.
• If time permits rest the dough for an extra hour in cold weather conditions. 
• Warm weather softens the dough quickly.
• I usually rest the dough for an hour. If short of time, rest it for at least 8-10 mins.
• Resting time tenderizes the dough giving a soft and springy texture.

ROLLING THE DOUGH :   

METHOD :

• Divide the dough into equal portions.
• Roll out each portion into medium sized thin circles.
• Roll them with even thickness.
• Dust the rolling board with dry flour while rolling the dough.
• Can use well powdered Rice Flour to dust the rolling board.  This will yield Soft Chapatis.
• Do not use too much flour while you roll the dough. 
• Chapatis tend to become hard if you use more flour on either side of the dough when rolling them.

COOKING THE CHAPATIS :

• Heat a Tava/Griddle on a high flame.
• When the Tava/Griddle turns hot, lower the flame and gently place the Rolled Chapatis over it.
• Wait for the colour to change slightly and slowly it will start to fluff up.
• Now flip the Chapatis and cook the other side of the Chapatis.
• Make sure that it is cooked through with brown crispy spots.
• Do not cook Chapatis on high flame or allow it to burn.
• Once cooked remove the Chapatis from the Tava/Griddle.
• Place it on a plate or dish lined with a clean kitchen towel.
• Stack up the Chapatis one over the other
• Cover it up with the kitchen towel.
• Just before Serving, smear Oil/Butter/Ghee over the Chapatis.
• Serve Chapatis hot with your choice of Vegetarian/Non-vegetarian Side Dishes.
• Goes well with Raithas too.

NOTES :

• Do not overheat the Tava/Griddle while cooking the Chapatis.
• If adding Oil while cooking Chapatis do not overheat the Tava/Griddle until smoke forms.
• There will be condensation underneath each cooked Chapatis, Kitchen Towels absorbs the moisture and prevents from Chapatis getting soggy.
• Reverse the stack after piling up the Chapatis.
• If serving later, store them in an insulated casserole lined with a kitchen towel to absorb the condensation.