Chapati is a super soft multi-layered unleavened flat bread. Very Common in India and Africa (East Africa), although they might have slight differences in ingredients or methods of cooking.
It's very versatile and serves as a side dish to many dishes. This is so easy to make with ONLY 4 INGREDIENTS and doesn't need proofing. I love homemade Chapati because the act of folding and making those beautiful layers is fun and satisfying. They are mostly served with soups, stews, or grills. Get the full Video here.
This tender, flaky bread is the perfect accompaniment to a variety of dishes, including our boldly spiced pan-seared tandoori masala fish, which offers a flavorful contrast to the chapati's subtle taste]. For a complete meal with a mix of textures, serve these chapatis alongside our crispy, savory samosas filled with aromatic spiced vegetables or meat.
Important tips to achieve Soft Chapati:
- Knead your dough perfectly, don't hurry up. Rub oil evenly and fold. Also, to tell if the dough is kneaded enough, it will spring back up when pressed.
- Oil makes it stay soft, so apply often as you cook the chapati.
- Also, the dough can be made ahead of time, feel free to let it rest in the refrigerator for at least a day in an airtight container.
- Don't overcook, because it will be hard.
- Temperature is very important here, heat shouldn't be too low or too high but medium.
- Lastly, the temperature of your water should be warm to the touch! Little water will lead to a hard chapati, you wouldn't like that.
How to store Chapati:
- Immediately after cooking, put it in a bowl or plate and cover with a kitchen towel so it stays warm and soft.
- Put leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze.
- If frozen, let it thaw on a kitchen counter, then microwave for 30 seconds or heat in a skillet for about a minute.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Team up these soft chapatis with a meaty dish of your choice! I love serving them with my oven baked meatballs.
East African Chapati (4 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Warm water
- 4 tbsp Oil or Ghee
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Mix well.
- Add water to the dry ingredients and mix until a well-combined dough is formed. You can sprinkle flour on the working surface and knead. Please watch the video for more demonstrations.
- When the perfect dough is formed, add 1 tablespoon of the Oil and knead the dough till the oil is well incorporated. The dough has to be supple or smooth. Save the remaining oil to cook chapati.
- Cover with a cloth, let it rest for 10mins.
- After 10 mins, transfer the dough to the working surface, divide it into 8 -10 pieces, and form into balls using your palms.
- Lightly flour working surface. Flatten each dough into a circle using a rolling pin and apply oil. You can fry at this point, but if you want layered Chapati, proceed to next step.
- After applying oil, roll it till it meets the other end, then fold it in the form of a coil. See the Picture below.
- Use the rolling pin to flatten the spiral dough into circles, then go ahead and fry in a lightly preheated pan on medium heat.
- While in the pan, keep applying the remaining oil on both sides of the chapati and cook for about 2-3 mins, flipping sides halfway through.
- Keep flipping sides and applying oil occasionally until the chapati is golden brown. Remove and store covered with a towel so it stays moist.
- Serve warm.
Edna
Can I use butter in place of oil?
Yes you can, melt the butter.