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 has e an element of fat (either ghee or oil)

The purpose of the coil is to make a light and flaky chapati. The outer layers are lightly brushed with oil giving it a crispy edge, which sets it apart from the Indian Chapati. Though  it originated as 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 have extra time, and you like playing with dough, give it 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 amount of ingredients, but also in kneading (relaxing the gluten helps make the dough pliable and produces a better product) and cooking process: don’t over cook them or they will be tough.

Chapatis are most often served with stews, vegetables, meats or sometimes eaten on it’s own.

Enjoy!

Watch How to Make It

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East African Chapati

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

1 hr 20 mins

 

East African Chapati- Easy to make chapati that are Flaky , layered and Delicious. Made with a few simple ingredients

Course: Appetiser

Cuisine: African

Servings: 4 -6

Calories: 443 kcal

Author: Immaculate Bites

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

Instructions

1. In a large bowl add flour and make a well then add sugar , salt
2. , followed by water , ghee or oil
3. Knead to form a soft and sticky dough.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Using a rolling pin roll out dough into a circle. They do not have to be perfect circles.
7. At this stage you may proceed to cooking . However, if you want chapatis with layers you have to do the next steps.
8. Lightly oil chapati dough with ghee. Be gentle with the oil.
9. Then place dough on a heavily floured plate , press the dough down.
10. Turn dough over and press down – lightly shake off excess flour.
11. Shape dough like you would shape a paper fan- Starting at one end, all the way to the opposite end.
12. Then coil l it up- like in the picture.
13. When all the dough has been coiled up , cover the dough with a damp cloth and let them rest for 20 minutes.
14. Glently flatten out coiled dough and roll out . Begin rolling out the dough from the center working outwards.
15. 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.
16. Oil pan. Then place dough on the pan. I used crepe pan to make this chapati- a skillet will work as well.
17. Heavily oil the other side of the dough making sure you oil the edges too.
18. Cook for about 2-3 minutes rotating as need until golden brown.
19. Serve warm.

1.  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 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 15 min

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 a crepe pan to make this chapati – a skillet

will work just 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