making chapatis- a few questions

Useless_with_wonga

No bother easy peasey japaneesy. As for alternative to wraps too right they are:D In fact they are more or less the same thing.
Here is my simpletons guide to cookery:eek: No measuring involved!!!!!!!! I am definatley a beans on toast chef and even i can make these.

Buy wholemeal flour about £1 for big bag.

Get a mixing bowl.

Pour in a bit of olive oil(cap full), add flour and mix in by hand.

Slowly add water keep kneeding/mixing by hand. It gets sticky :rotfl:


Once you have a sticky mess in the bowl gradually add more flour keep kneeding mixing until it is no longer sticky. You should end up with a big ball of non sticky dough.

Leave it to stand for an hour or so.

Go back to it kneed it a bit more.

Put frying pan on the hob and turn on the heat. Put nothing in the pan NO oil/fat nothing just heat it up.

Then break a bit off your dough ball. Flour the work surface and roll it out flat with a rolling pin so it is chapati shaped:rotfl:

Place it in the pan periodically turning it (basically dry frying) it is obvious when its ready you even get the black spots on em like in the Indian.

Repeat until your dough has run out and you have a plate full of chapatis that definatley don't cost £1 each.
Yummy Yummy

My first receipe posting ever......................:T Do I get a Crackerjack Pen?

Gigervamp

AnnieG wrote: »

They're great with Nigel Slater's red lentil and turmeric dish, which is also ridiculously cheap to make!

That sounds good. Is the recipe online?

Penelope_Penguin

I'll add this to the existing chapati thread

Penny. x

zippychick

Okay! I'm making chapatis this week and was looking for some advice or information? I have chapati very fine flour (aisan grocers, very cheap and the "finest" texture as the guy said it's the easier flour to start with? Texture wise ...)

Anyway, I will be using a frying pan and don't have a gas cooker. I would like them to puff up if possible though! I made rotis in the past and they have puffed up a few times ( you use the microwave to make them puff - it's dead exciting - when it works) but either way they are tasty! Are the chapatis as nice if they don't puff? Silly question, i realise.

I don't think i've tasted home made chapatis so am very much hoping for the best. An indian girl in work told me she couldnt manage them any time she tried so i think she has knocked my pre chapati attempt making confidence!:p:o

There is a recipe on the pack which of course I can follow but I was wondering if anyone had some advice to give or could let me know how to puff them without a gas flame . I have visions of me sticking a lighter under one and hoping for the best :rotfl:

As always thanks in advance.
Zip

jackieglasgow

Zippy I have never in my life seen a chapati puff up :eek: Saw it on telly once but thought it was just a rumour :rotfl: We make ours in a frying pan and they are delicious but I suppose you could try one in a hot oven and see if they puff up like a pitta bread would - my pittas always puff in the oven

bigmuffins

Hi
Just came across this and remembered I had sent this to another MSEr a while back so here it is - hope it helps!

Different areas of India have different 'rotis'. In the Punjab (north, where we are from) tends to be wheat (cunak) in summer and corn (makki) in winter, down south they use rice and lentil flour mixture to make dosas and there's a whole range in between!

'Chapati flour' = atta is wholemeal flour, comes in coarse, medium or fine.
Normal plain flour - is fine if you like white rotis but not as good for you! Same as for bread - white is refined/bleached and little fibre. But can still use - we sometimes use when run out of atta or mix in (1/2:1/2) with atta - depends on taste and how 'healthy' you want to be I suppose! Proportions are up to you! Is easier to roll out atta - plain flour is bit harder as springs back more if you know what I mean. But all personal preference. Plain flour is fine for naans too but can use SR for naans as well.
SR is not used for chapattis as makes them 'bready' in texture. But won't kill you! HeHeHe!

Gram flour - is made from gram (like chickpeas) and is different taste but can mix with atta if liked or use on own to make rotis. Is good for you - I think is lower GI but don't quote me!

The 'extra in ''chapati flour'' is the fibre and a large bag of atta is much cheaper than buying plain flour (unless you buy the plain flour value packets!).
Atta lasts for ages - we normally buy a 10kg bag and lasts us months but we don't eat roti every day - about 2-3 times a week. Mum on the other hand makes roti every day and buys a 20kg sack!!!!
She keeps hers in a big plastic dustbin (was new, scrubbed and never used for anything else) with a tight fitting lid. Never had problems with storing it - except when my brother (toddler stage) decided he fancied helping her and chucked out handfuls over the carpet, piddled in it (had divested himself of his nappy earlier!) and then made dough by treading in it!!! :rotfl: :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
That was many moons ago but she still remembers cleaning up the mess!!

Right back to business
Atta is usually wholemeal wheat flour can be coarse, medium or fine ground
Besan is chickpea (gram) flour
And Makki da atta is corn flour
Medha is white wheat flour (more finely ground like powder)
Atta just means flour
Can also get rice flour and lentil flour - used for making idli and dosa down south (India)
Also get bajra - think is millet
and various other kinds of flour

Authentic chapatis/rotis at minimal cost - just buy the cheaper large size bags of atta in Asian stores and not the expensive small packs or use wholemeal plain flour if you have cheap source or mix with plain to get the texture you prefer. Some larger Tescos and Asdas in/near Asian areas are also stocking spices/atta/rice etc at the same price as Asian supermarkets.

You can make them in a frying pan (heavy base better but can use any one once expert in judging cooking stages!) but if have tawa thats fine.
I also use a round flat wire thing with handle (we call it a saikana) to hold over gas flame to make them puff up but can use tongs to hold and turn if prefer or use a folded tea towel to press on roti gently to make it puff up, or put under hot grill and watch carefully!

Puffed up rotis are also sometimes called phulkas (just means puffed).
V large thin rotis are called roomali rotis (like handkerchief) but these are done by professionals as difficult to handle them and need large tawa!
Cooked in tandoor - tandoori rotis (NOT naan - that is different dough)
Deep fried in oil - puris

The dough:
Some people like to add ghee/butter/oil to flour/atta and salt when making the dough but we make a basic dough with just plain atta and cold water mixed to make a medium firm dough.
Can make the dough in a food processor or mixer if have a dough hook - but if is small quantity, I find it just as quick to mix by hand.
Amount of kneading required will depend on the gluten content of dough.
I like to leave for 20 mins/1/2 hour or so but can keep overnight in fridge. Any longer and dough gets too sticky and runny, can still use but v hard to roll out! Although the real experts don't use a rolling pin and just use soft dough and their bare hands - bit like the pizza makers. :cool:
Break off small pieces, roll into balls, flatten with dry flour and roll out into circles, cook on tawa, turning to cook other side. Then use tea towel to press gently to puff up or hold over hot flame/under hot grill. Tadaa!
Try not to use too much dry flour as it burns on the tawa, making everything taste horrible.

Parathas
We use the basic dough to make parathas by getting a small piece, spread out a little with fingers and smear with butter. Roll (like swiss roll) into long thin cylinder and stand it on end and shape into spiral then flatten into circle, dust with dry flour and roll out and cook on tawa. Turn and cook other side.
The butter melts and gives flaky layers with crisp outside.
Can make in diff shapes - some people/regions do triangles or squares - up to you!

Stuffed parathas - can either roll out 2 small rotis and put filling on one, cover with other and roll out and cook or can (take a while to master) do as above - spread out 1 piece of dough, place filling on top, roll and flatten and then roll out and cook.
With first way, get 'sandwich', 2nd way get filling in layers.
Just make sure filling is not soggy!

Some classic fillings:
Potato - boil, steam or microwave until cooked, mash with paste of green chillies (can use red chilli powder if don't have), salt and coriander (fresh if you have it, dried if not)
Can use leftover curry if 'dry' or use cooked meat/veg with spices if not already 'curried'
Radish or mooli - grate and squeeze dry, add paste as above and use, or if too wet dry fry in pan until moisture cooked out.
Cooked Keema (minced lamb) if dry is a good filling.

These are just a few fillings that we use - experiment and I am sure you will come up with loads more!

Parathas and chappatis can be frozen but best to make dough with oil as they tend to get too dry otherwise. To reheat, best to do on tawa or under hot grill, can sprinkle with a few drops of water if u like them soft. Best not to use microwave to reheat as (with any dough products) they go bit leathery and chewy!

Hope this answers your questions - feel free to ask if you have any more! Sorry so long but wanted to cover all bases
IIs easy but takes a bit of effort to master - most people give up too early on. A friend down the road tried once but she didn't persist as was put off by the 'mess'!

HTH
:beer:

zippychick

What a genuinely helpful reply! thank you!

I made them last night. used a frying pan. After kneading , i put in a bowl with some veg oil over the top. Left for an hour or two, then broke into pieces, rolled with floured hands, and then used a rolling pan to flatten them out. I made 6 and experimented with different textures (in other words the first one was a massive crisp he he - i still ate it!)

Will make more again - my only issue is some were softer than others - and i assume the harder ones are just c ooked too long. They seemed to suddenly become very crispy

I did get them to puff up a bit pushing down with a fish slice Madhur jaffrey says you can use the microwave to puff them up. Mine were very thin - almost see through (when rolled, pre heat in the pan) , so i will experiment with different thickness. I will be making them again soon so any more tips are welcome. I had one today with hummous for a snack, scrummy

Need to re read that excellent reply.! The flour i had was wholemeal fine chapati flour - Heera. The previous flatbread i made were roti - the ones you specifically use the micro for - I can pop the recipe up if anyone wants to try it but they didn't puff up every time, I think it depended on my kneading at the time. As far as i remember, they were made from plain flour, SWB flour and bicarb and water. Simple and easy.

Edit - yes it was plain guyanese bread, saada roti.

bigmuffins

Glad to be of assistance! :j

Takes a bit of practise to get consistently good results but once you have the knack, you don't forget - bit like riding a bike! :rotfl:

Best rotis? Well depends on personal taste really! Thin and puffed up (phulkas) are more delicate, bigger, thicker ones tend to be more down to earth! We don't add oil or salt to the dough and make them fresh each time.

If you want to try making pooris (or puris) just roll out small discs - about saucer size and lower carefully into deep pan of hot oil. Poori sinks then rises to the top, puffing up in the process. Hold it under the oil with a fish slice and flip over to cook top, then take out and drain on kitchen paper. Changes colour same as on a griddle so you know its done. Only takes a couple of mins. Can use in place of chapattis but is greasy obviously! A classic dish is Halva Poori - ie pooris with a sweetened semolina, cooked with oil and sultanas (if liked) eaten for a special breakfast. Can also serve with Chole (curried chickpeas) and Potatoes. If you google it, there are several recipes and pictures.

Have fun experimenting!

zippychick

do y ou use the chapati dough to make the pooris?

bigmuffins

Yes, I just use the same dough but we don't have them very often these days tbh.

Smaller is better as if you make them too big, is harder to flip them over safely.

Just practise and you will soon find out how your family like them.

Naan are easy too - can use yeast dough or self raising flour/baking powder. Plenty of recipes around if you google.
I have a yoghurt recipe somewhere, will see if I can dig it out.

:beer: