Chapati Recipe

Flaky, layered, and super satisfying flatbread with only five simple ingredients tastes way better than store-bought. The mild, nutty flavor is ideal for beef stew and other meat or veggie dishes. And what better way to relieve stress than kneading bread?

Course comfort food, Side Dish

Cuisine African

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 20

Total Time 1 20

Servings

Calories 296kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter or oil)
1¼ cup warm water

Instructions

In a large bowl, add flour and make a well, then add sugar and salt, followed by water and ghee or oil.
Knead to form a soft and sticky dough.
Place dough on a heavily floured board and knead for 8-14 minutes. Continue to flour dough as needed to facilitate kneading. Be careful not to overdo it. The dough should be soft, elastic, and smooth.
Divide dough into 6 or 8 pieces according to preference and let it rest. Resting helps to relax the gluten and makes it not only easier to work with but also produces tender chapati.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough balls into a circle. They don't have to be perfect.
At this stage, you may cook them. However, if you want chapatis with layers, follow the next steps.
Lightly oil chapati dough with ghee. Be gentle.
Then place the dough on a heavily floured plate, and press the dough down.
Turn it over and press down again – lightly shake off excess flour.
Shape dough like you would shape a paper fan - starting at one end and folding all the way to the opposite end.
Then coil it up - like in the picture.
When all the dough circles have been coiled, cover them with a damp cloth and let them rest for 20 minutes.
Gently flatten each coiled ball and roll it out. Begin rolling from the center, working outwards.
Rotate the dough out each time you roll it. That helps to make a perfect circle. Make sure they are not rolled out too thin. Chapatis are not meant to be thin - a ¼-inch thickness is good.
Oil the pan. Then place the chapati on it. I used a crepe pan, but a skillet works just as well.
Heavily oil the other side of the dough, making sure you oil the edges too.
Cook for 2-3 minutes, rotating as needed until golden brown.
Serve warm.

Notes

The right amount of kneading is crucial. Gluten won't develop well without it, changing the texture. Also, oil makes the chapati soft and prevents it from drying out.
Lukewarm water creates a smoother, more supple dough, but remember to add it gradually so the dough doesn't get too wet.
Resting time is also essential since it makes the dough easier to roll without breaking apart.
Be careful not to overcook it. A non-stick pan helps prevent the bread from sticking and burning.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition