Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Chapati Time

Have you ever noticed that it's the little things in every day life that trigger memories?  Well for me sometimes it's the opposite, it's the major things in my life that often remind me of the little memories that I had forgotten.  For example, I carry my grandmother with me in my heart.  Even though she's been gone for a while, she's right there with me every day, her words of wisdom constantly ringing in my ears.  So the other day, I was thinking of her having been a missionary's kid, living in India until she was 21, and then it made me hungry for Indian food, so I decided I wanted to make chapati (yes, this is how my mind works on a regular basis).

Did you know that if you have this:


You can make these in less than 30 mins?!


Here's a recipe for basic Chapati, but feel free to mix in 1/4 t. ground cardamom or curry powder to give it a little flavor.  These flat-breads are very plain on their own.  My husband says that they're somewhere between a tortilla and a pita with regards to texture and taste.  Get creative filling them with whatever you want, from traditional Indian fare to a Caesar salad.

Chapati

2 c Wheat flour (you can use whole wheat flour, white flour or a blend of the two, depending on the texture that you like)
1 t Salt
2 T olive oil
2/3 c liquid, enough to make an elastic dough-this will fluxuate depending on the current humidity. (I've found that about 1/3 c milk and 2/3 c water produces a decently pliable product.  You can add yogurt instead of milk, all milk, all water, etc.  Again, experiment with the proportions until you get a texture that you like)


Instructions

Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl outfitted with a dough hook.

Add the olive oil and enough liquid to create an elastic dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl when you mix it.














 Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface & knead a few times.  Divide dough into equal balls, depending on the size chapati you desire (smaller if you're dipping them, larger if you're filling them.)  6 balls will yield chapati that is big enough to fill.  Let the dough rest about 5-10 mins (not too long or it will dry out).



 Roll out the dough as thin as you can get it, think tortilla thin.  The dough stretched a bit more as I pulled it off the counter, but with these, the thinner the better.

Heat a griddle to medium and add a little olive oil so that things don't stick.  Place dough disk on the griddle & cook for about 30 seconds or until it starts to brown.




Flip & cook for an additional 30 seconds or so, too long & the chapati will get crispy and brittle.

















Trust me, these are pretty darn easy to make & so versatile that they'll surely become a staple in your lunch box.  I filled mine with a mixture of potatoes, onion, carrots, peas, whole tomatoes and spices...is it lunch time yet?  Enjoy.