East African Chapati- Easy to make chapati that are Flaky, layered and Delicious. Made with a few simple ingredients
If you live in East Africa, especially, in countries like Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Kenya, Burundi, you are very familiar with the popular unleavened pan-grill bread- Chapati. Different from Indian Chapati, these are made with white or all-purpose flour and are coiled up. The latter also have an element of fat (either ghee, or oil)
The purpose of the coil is to make a light and flaky chapatti. The outer layers are lightly brushed with oil giving it a crispy edge, which sets it apart from the Indian Chapati. Though an import from the Indian Settlers but now it has become part of East African Culinary heritage.
This chapati is super simple to throw together, just 5 ingredients and a little bit of patience and elbow grease required. The major challenge is rolling and coiling the dough so they are flaky.
That, being said, the feel and taste of a homemade fresh Chapati are a delight from the store-bought. So, if you can extra time, and you like playing with dough, give them a try. This would be a fun with kids too, have them help out with the kneading.
The trick when working with dough is not only in the right amounts of ingredients, but also in kneading (relaxing the gluten helps make the dough pliable and produces a better produce) and cooking process: don’t over cook them or they will be tough.
Chapatis are most often served with stews, vegetables, meats or and sometimes eaten on its own.
Enjoy!
Watch How to Make It
East African Chapati- Easy to make chapati that are Flaky , layered and Delicious. Made with a few simple ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon ghee (Clarified butter) or oil
- 1 1/4 cup warm water
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In a large bowl add flour and make a well then add sugar , salt
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, followed by water , ghee or oil
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Knead to form a soft and sticky dough.
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Place dough on a heavily floured board and knead for about 8-14 minutes. Continue to flour dough as needed to facilitate kneading . Be careful not to over do it. Dough should be soft , elastic and smooth.
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Divide dough into 6 or 8 pieces according to preference and let it rest .The resting of the dough helps to relax the gluten and make it not only easier to work with but also produces tender chapati.
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Using a rolling pin roll out dough into a circle. They do not have to be perfect circles.
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At this stage you may proceed to cooking . However, if you want chapatis with layers you have to do the next steps.
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Lightly oil chapati dough with ghee. Be gentle with the oil.
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Then place dough on a heavily floured plate , press the dough down.
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Turn dough over and press down – lightly shake off excess flour.
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Shape dough like you would shape a paper fan- Starting at one end, all the way to the opposite end.
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Then coil l it up- like in the picture.
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When all the dough has been coiled up , cover the dough with a damp cloth and let them rest for 20 minutes.
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Glently flatten out coiled dough and roll out . Begin rolling out the dough from the center working outwards.
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Rotate the dough out each time you roll it . This helps to make a perfect circle. Make sure they are not roll out to thin . Chapatis are not meant to be thin- 1/4 inch dough thickness is good.
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Oil pan. Then place dough on the pan. I used crepe pan to make this chapati- a skillet will work as well.
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Heavily oil the other side of the dough making sure you oil the edges too.
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Cook for about 2-3 minutes rotating as need until golden brown.
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Serve warm.
- In a large bowl add flour , make a well, then add sugar and salt
Followed by ghee or oil.
2. Knead to form a soft and sticky dough.Lightly oil hand to prevent dough from sticking
to it.
3. Place dough on a heavily floured board and knead for about 8-14 minutes. Continue to flour
dough as needed to facilitate kneading . Be careful not to over do it. Dough should be soft , elastic and
smooth.
4. Divide dough into 6 or 8 pieces according to preference and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes.The resting of the dough helps
to relax the gluten and make it not only easier to work with but also produces tender chapati.
5. Using a rolling pin roll out dough into a circle. They do not have to be perfect circles. At this
stage you may proceed to cooking . However, if you want chapatis with layers you have to do the
next steps.
6.Lightly oil chapati dough with ghee. Be gentle with the oil.
7.Then place dough on a heavily floured plate , press the dough down.
8.Turn dough over and press down – lightly shake off excess flour.
9. Shape dough like you would shape a paper fan- Starting at one end, all the way to the opposite end.
10.Then coil l it up- like in the picture.
11.When all the dough has been coiled up , cover the dough with a damp cloth and let them rest for 15mins
12. Glently flatten out coiled dough and roll it out . Begin rolling out the dough from the center working outwards
Rotate the dough out each time you roll it . This helps to make a perfect circle. Make sure they are
not roll out too thin . Chapatis are not meant to be thin- 1/4 inch dough thickness is good.
13. Oil pan. Then place dough on the pan. I used crepe pan to make this chapati- a skillet
will work as well.
14. Heavily oil the other side of the dough making sure you oil the edges too.
15. Cook for about 2-3 minutes rotating as need until golden brown.
Serve warm
OMG!!! These were Amazing!! I used olive oil instead and very little of it and they were still Soft(almost fluffy ) and Yummy am keeping this recipe !!Thank You !!
So tasty! This is the first flatbread recipe without yeast I’ve made that turned out delicious. I was beginning to think I couldn’t make yummy homemade bread without yeast! Thanks so much for this recipe. The layering technique is definitely a winner.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Maribeth! =)
Nice recipe.
I’m so so happy to have come across this recipe. I don’t make chapatis often because they tend to hit and miss, with them more often than not becoming biscuits. But this recipe quantifies all the ingredients and worked perfectly!!! Highly highly recommend it. They were perfectly layered, soft with the crunch on the side – Delish!!!
Thanks so much Imma! I’ll definitely look for and try more of your recipes!
That is so great Priscilla! I’m thrilled to read that, and thank you for sharing—you this with us. It makes me so happy!!!
best recipe ever. my chapatis came out perfect. my family really enjoyed them.
Delicious! I made the quick version without the layers – as I was in a hurry – but next time I will definitely try the other method. I love how easy this is to make; I know it will become a staple in our house.
Great success here. My first time making chapatis. Being lazy, I used a bread machine to kneed dough and it came out just right consistency…soft on the point of being sticky but easy to manage. Loved making the fan shape and coiling it up. That made it much easier to get an even round shape for the final chapati. Saved half the coils to roll out tomorrow for curry again. Thanks for the recipe. It made six.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Angela. Glad it turned out great for you. Have a lovely day!
A recipe we got from our cook in Uganda for her Chapatis called for adding a half cup of finely chopped onion to the mix. Is this normal for Uganda, or just possibly her twist on the recipe? Hers were very good, I just hadn’t seen that in other recipes like this one.
That sounds interesting! It might be her own twist to add more flavor and texture to the recipe. I might have to try that some other time. 🙂
Looks like You guys combined chapathi and Lachha paratha technic (there are few ways we coil the dough) and called it African chapati. . Anyway, came to check out hummingbird cake and started to look thru the site. Finding some childhood favorite like baji. Coconut rice pancake is another childhood favorite after school snack. My grandma used to make it in Appe pan. Going to try some of your desserts.
Can’t wait to hear how it works out for you.Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
We were making chapatis for a school project. These turned out so good now my 11 year old and I want to make a whole meal!
Awesome!Thanks for the feedback.
Wow! Just Wow!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! All the instructions are clear and believe me, it turned out really well!! I couldn’t stop admiring my creation hahaha! At first I was so pessimistic because the flour is not white (I used atta flour, thats the only flour I could get here in South Sudan) and I have no idea of how does the ‘overdo-ing a dough’ looks like. I just put on timer on 12 minutes and kneaded the dough. But still it turned out perfect.
Here I always buy fresh chapati from the market (which was ok) but my chapati is different. It was soft, flaky, and I like the effect on how the folding-things made. And it went well with stew, egg, even condensed milk and cheese! I love it!
Virtual High five Girl! You did it ! So happy to hear it worked out SOOOO well for you. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
Yum!! My family enjoys these Chapati for breakfast, lunch and dinner!! Whole wheat Chapati, hot chocolate and egg whites, Chapati with beans, and franks, burritos…delicous!
OH YESS! It’s great with EVERYTHING. Me love it too!
Thank you for the fantastic recipe. Our Kenian guests were delighted and I was reminded of my last visit in Kenia.
My pleasure! Glad to hear it worked out well for you.
It is awesome!!! I love it and all my family members also. Thanks a lot. Now It will try your samossa recipe
Hi Tahina! Glad to hear it worked out well for you and your family. Thanks for the feedback!
I’m making them now and have to ask, are you meant to add water OR ghee? I added both, and the dough is way to sticky, even after adding an extra cup of flour. Thinking I should start over. 🙁
You add both together(the ghee and water). It shouldn’t be that sticky. I would suggest you start over and double check measurements.
This recipe was just wonderful! Thank you very much.
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for this recipe! I wanted to make a Ugandan-style rolex, and am so glad I finally figured out how to make the chapati layered like that. Such a cool technique. It was a pretty easy recipe too, made it on my lunch break and wasn’t even late to work!
Thanks, and everything on your site is so beautiful and interesting! I can’t wait to try more stuff!
Awesome! Making it during your lunch break…you go girl. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
This recipe is so much easier then the ones i’ve tried before, just one question 🙂
Is it okay for the dough to rest overnight? I want to make the dough the evening before so that i don’t have to much work the next day.
I don’t see why not. You will have to bring it to room temperature before rolling it out. Do let me know how it works out for you. Thanks
These were fabulous!! I watched a friend in Tanzania make chapati and this was very similar, except that she didn’t add sugar or do the fan element. In any event, these were delicious and perhaps even flakier! 🙂
Awesome!!!Yes, sugar is optional. Glad to hear it worked out well for you.
Made this to go with your Trinidad Chicken Roti. Your instructions and recipe were so clear and easy to follow. I did the coiling method and they turned out so well. Thank you!
AWESOME! Glad the coiling went well.
Thanks Imma, for the delicious recipe. Can I freeze the dough? Please advise.
I freeze a lot of dough, but have never tried freezing this one. Don’t think it would be a problem though. Making sure it is completely thawed before using. Do let me know if it works out for you. Thanks
I freezed the dough and it went wery well. This recipe is absolutely amazing!
Thank you so much !
We are heading to Nairobi this September and are serving Chapatiis at a fund raiser supper. Can we make and cook these a few days ahead and reheat?
It’s best the day of.It dries up. Have a Safe and Fun Trip.
wow…almost like our ‘roti canai’ here in Malaysia
Yes, almost alike.
thx.loved it.though the 11 small spoons of salt didnt work for me.had to mix other flour for the 1st one was bitter.
So sorry to hear it turned out bitter, it’s meant to be 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Can I use regular cooking oil like canola?
Yes, you can.
hey this recipe was great i love my chapati
Thanks Miriam
You’re the best at making chapatis …well done girl 🙂
Aww Thanks Fareeda, that’s so sweet of you to say that!
I made these yesterday and they turned out great. They were so good. I plan to make these everyday this week for the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Hi Nicole, thanks for the feedback -glad you enjoyed it.
Ooh my the best chapatis ever… Thanks for the recipe, my chapatis came out soft and and taste. I am busy bragging to my firiend how i know how to make chapatis now, thanks to you @ImmaculateBites all this time i have been buying chapatis in supermarket (NOT ANYMORE). I am so happy and excited 🙂
You go girl! Glad it worked out well for you!
So happy it was a hit with your family and thanks for the feedback!
Hi ! I just got done reading your AD .
They look delicious ..I just HOPE my chapati come out very tasty .as
Everyone eles did ….thank you for taking time to share with everyone this
Recipe …
Tresa,I did not place an AD. May I know where you saw it? Thanks for taking the time to comment – I promise yours will taste just as delicious as everyone’s else.
Thanks so much. A lovely easy to follow recipie and clear process from the photographs. Dont be afraid to give it a go its easy and works well (though i would say 1/4 inch is too thick….the pictures appear to show no more than 1/8th inch.)
My wife previously lived in tanzania and loved this recepie. It brought back many memories.
Hi Greg, thanks for taking the time to comment and provide feedback, really appreciate it.Glad your wife enjoyed it.
They came out perfect. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Now my family can enjoy quality chapatis.
In Kenya I never witnessed anyone use oil or ghee to cook their chapatis, only solid yellow vegetable fat.I suspect this, along with the circle method you mention, is what makes Kenyan chapatis taste and feel so different to Indian chapatis. The Kenyan ones are MUCH NICER in my experience, as they’re wonderfully soft, puffy and chewy.
I’m Kenyan, I’ve always used ghee…
Thanks for sharing !!!
Oh, and I omitted the sugar.
Yes. I made some today. Too bad I cant share a picture. It was very tasty!!
It’ll be perfect with a cup of chai in the morning
Joyce, it sure is. Thanks for the feedback!
Immaculate, many thanks for the recipe!! I followed your recipe and my family is totally in love!! The chapati reminded me of my mama’s cooking in Ukambani, Kenya!
Thanks for sharing!!
Ngina
Ngina,Glad it was a hit with your family
This chapati came out perfect! The taste is spot on. Thanks for the recipe. Now I have to try your mandazi