Make East African Chapati

Here is a simple recipe showing how to make chapati the way it is made in most of East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi).

Ingredients

  • 1 Kilogram (2.2 lbs) plain white wheat flour (such as used for cakes & pastries)
  • 500 ml (16 oz) oil (not all is used)
  • 500 ml (17 fl oz) water (could be lukewarm)
  • 2 Teaspoons salt (slightly heaped)

Steps

  1. Pour the flour in a big enough bowl.
  2. Add 6 to 8 table spoons of oil and salt and mix them thoroughly.
  3. Add the water and knead until it forms a firm dough which should not stick on the bowl wall. (With a food processor, this process can be quickened up. Please check in the instruction manual, regarding whether the machine can mix stiff dough of 1 kilo flour (just over 2lb) + other ingredients (basically 1/2 liter of water). If not, try halving ALL ingredients).
  4. Prepare a clean, dry, lightly powdered rolling board. Cut the dough into 8 - 10 equal pieces.
  5. Roll each to the diameter of about the size of a dinner plate. If properly mixed, even without a powdered rolling board, the dough should not be too soft or sticky. If it is, add some little flour until it is not. The consistency may vary, depending on the type of wheat flour used.
  6. Heat the pan until it is relatively hot. Carefully insert a chapati and wait until the lower side just starts to dry up. Turn it over and spread about 1 - 2 teaspoons of oil all over the surface as the lower side dries up lightly. After a few moments, turn the chapati over and repeat the same process. If the hotplate is not too hot, the lower side should turn golden brown after 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Do the same for the other side. If they brown too fast or show signs of burning without getting ready, reduce the heat. The ready chapati should feel soft and have lightly browned patches (see picture).
  7. If one is fast enough, one can roll a chapati, while also minding the one in the pan. At such a pace, the total preparation time, should be about one hour.
  8. Finished.


Note: The ingredients used in the video have been halved! For example, instead of 1kg of wheat flour, 1/2kg (500g) is used.

Tips

  • Chapati is best eaten warm and with most good meat or poultry sauces, as well as with vegetables. It can also be enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee. Cold chapati can be warmed up on a not too hot pan. It then tastes fresh and soft...
  • Feel free to halve the ingredients for a start.
  • There are different forms of wheat flour in different countries. The East African chapati is made with PLAIN, white wheat flour. Other types of flour, for example whole meal types make dough with different properties unsuitable for this chapati. Please DO NOT confuse East African chapati with Indian chapati, which uses "atta" chapati flour, one can buy in some stores. Indian chapati is a different type.
  • Chapati, which is widely eaten in many different parts of East Africa and India is prepared in different ways. In India for example, very little or no oil is used.
  • If too little oil is added to the dough and if instead of using high heat, low heat leading to long cooking times, the chapati is likely to be hard & not soft. The chapati described, if the right flour and ingredients are used, coupled with the recommended cooking times is soft, flexible and "juicy".

Things You'll Need

  • A dish for mixing
  • rolling pin
  • Teflon frying pan

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Sources and Citations

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