Indian Whole Wheat Griddle Breads Chapatis Food

CHAPATIS

Steps:

• You will need a medium-sized bowl, a rolling pin, a castiron griddle or heavy skillet, and a small cotton cloth or a paper towel.
• In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the salt and the flour. Make a well in the middle and add just less than 1 cup warm water. Mix with your hand or with a spoon until you can gather it together into a dough (depending on the condition of your flour, you may need a little extra water or a little extra flour to make a kneadable dough). Turn out onto a lightly floured bread board and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth or a plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes or for up to 2 hours. The longer the dough stands, the more digestible the breads.
• Divide the dough into 8 pieces and flatten each with lightly floured fingers. Continue flattening with a rolling pin until each piece is 8 inches in diameter. Once you have started rolling, roll out each bread without flipping it over. To keep the bread from sticking to your bread board, make sure that the bread is lightly floured underneath. Cover the breads with the damp towel or plastic wrap as you roll out others (make sure not to stack the rolled out breads; if you don't have enough counterspace for the breads, roll out just a few and begin cooking, rolling out the others as the breads cook).
• Heat a castiron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. When the griddle is hot, place a chapati on the griddle, top side of the bread down first. Let cook for only 10 seconds and then gently flip to the second side. Cook on the second side until small bubbles begin to form, approximately one minute. Turn the chapati back to the first side and finish cooking (another minute approximately). At this stage, a perfect chapati will start to balloon. This process can be helped along by gently pressing on the bread. The bread is hot, so we find the easiest method is to use a small cotton cloth or a paper towel wadded up to protect your finger tips. Gently press down on a large bubble forcing the bubble to extend itself wider. If the bread starts to burn on the bottom before it has ballooned, move the bread (with the help of your paper towel) across the skillet, dislodging it from the point at which it is beginning to burn.
• When you are satisfied with your chapati, remove it and wrap in a clean towel. Continue to cook the other breads, stacking each as it is finished on top of the others.

CHAPATIS (INDIAN OR KENYAN WHOLEWHEAT FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Using a wooden spoon, slowly stir in water, until dough forms. Lightly flour a clean board and knead dough until smooth, about 10 minutes. Rest dough in bowl, covered with damp towel for 20 minutes.
• Preheat a griddle over medium heat.
• Divide dough into 8 equal balls. Using a floured rolling pin, roll balls out on floured board to 7 inches in diameter, about 1/4-inch thick. Place the rolled out dough onto griddle. Flip when raised bumps appear on the surface of the dough, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cook second side until it turns golden. Do not cook too long or flatbread will become brittle. Cover flatbread with a towel up to 20 minutes before serving.

INDIAN CHAPATI BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and salt. Use a wooden spoon to stir in the olive oil and enough water to make a soft dough that is elastic but not sticky. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth. Divide into 10 parts, or less if you want bigger breads. Roll each piece into a ball. Let rest for a few minutes.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot, and grease lightly. On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out the balls of dough until very thin like a tortilla. When the pan starts smoking, put a chapati on it. Cook until the underside has brown spots, about 30 seconds, then flip and cook on the other side. Continue with remaining dough.

INDIAN GRIDDLE FLATBREADS (CHAPATIS)

Steps:

• DOUGH:.
• Put the flour in a bowl.
• Slowly add about 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, just enough to gather the dough together and make a ball.
• Knead the dough well for 10 minutes.
• Make a smooth ball and put it in a bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes. It will turn quite soft.
• Divide into 12 balls. Keep covered while you work with the twelfth.
• COOK:.
• Set a cast-iron frying pan or griddle on medium-high heat. Allow it to heat up. Make a small wad with a cloth or paper towel and keep nearby.
• Take a ball of dough and dust it well with flour. Now roll it out into a 5-1/2-inch round on a floured surface. Lift it up and slap it back and forth between your palms to shake off the extra flour.
• DO THE FOLLOWING STEPS FAST:.
• Slap the chapati onto the hot griddle. Let it cook for 45 seconds.
• Turn it over and cook the second side for another 35-45 seconds.
• Turn it over again and cook another 5 to 6 seconds, pushing down on it with the paper wad and rotating it a little with each push. Do this fast; it helps to puff up the chapati.
• Put the cooked chapati on a plate and cover it with a towel or another upturned plate.
• Make all the chapatis this way, making sure to wipe off the cast-iron pan with a paper towel after each one is made. If it takes you a while to roll out the next chapati, turn the heat under the cast-iron pan down to low while you roll it and then turn it up again. (Or have someone else form a chapati while you cook one.).
• Serve immediately.
• These can be made ahead and stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or freezer. To reheat them, wrap a whole bundle of them in foil and put them in a medium oven (350F/177C) for 15 minutes. You can also sprinkle a little water on an individual chapati and then either heat it in a microwave oven for 30-45 seconds or slap it onto a hot, lightly greased griddle for a few seconds on each side.

CHAPATI (INDIAN FLAT BREAD)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl stir together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and the salt. Add 3/4 cup of the warm water while mixing constantly with your hands till the dough is moist. Add the remaining water, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing constantly with your hands. Keep working the dough till the dough forms a ball and holds its shape. (The dough will be stiff).
• Dampen your hands. Keep the dough in the mixing bowl to knead. Knead in an additional 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, if necessary, to make a moderately stiff dough. Knead dough till smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes). Continue dampening hands, as needed, during kneading. The dough is ready for shaping when you can lightly and quickly press two fingertips 1/4 inch into the dough and the dough springs back.
• Shape the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with a damp towel. Let the dough stand in a warm place for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough 1 to 2 minutes more. Divide the dough in half. Form each half into a 12 inch long roll. Cut each roll into 12 one-inch pieces. Flatten each piece of dough with the palm of the hand.
• Sprinkle some flour over the flattened balls. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes.
• On a well floured surface roll the flattened ball into a circle 7 to 8 inches in diameter, turning the dough over once and firmly pressing and stretching the dough with the rolling pin.
• Roll around the rolling pin, and transfer to a hot, greased griddle or heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat about 1/2 to 1 minute or until tiny brown spots appear. Using tongs, turn and cook 30 seconds more. Remove from heat; Brush with Usli Ghee or melted shortening. Repeat with the remaining balls.
• Stack the hot Chapati in a napkin-lined breadbasket to keep warm. Serve immediately.