CHAPATI
INDIA | ZANZIBAR | ARABIAN GULF
Probably the most common bread of South Asia, chapatis are freshly made everywhere—at home, on the street, and in restaurants. In India, they start cooking the bread on a hot tawa (skillet) before moving it to an open flame (usually charcoal) for the bread to puff up like a balloon and separate into two layers. And for those of you who cannot make charcoal fires, simply put the bread over an open gas flame, which will produce the same result. Chapatis are also common in Zanzibar and the Arabian Gulf, but there they just cook the bread on a hot plate. Either way, it is a great bread that is very simple to make. You can make the dough a day ahead and keep it in the fridge for when you need it. This is what most cooks do in India. If you refrigerate the dough for later use, it is a good idea to remove it about an hour ahead of time. Serve the chapatis with any of the curries or stews here.
MAKES TWELVE 6-INCH (15 CM) ROUND BREADS
2 cups (225 g) whole wheat or 2 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more all-purpose flour for kneading and rolling out
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing the dough and frying the bread
1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the oil along with ¾ cup (180 ml) warm water. Gradually bring in the flour and mix with the liquid until you have a rough dough.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, invert the bowl over the dough, and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead for 3 more minutes. Let rest for a few minutes, then roll out the dough to a circle about ¼ inch (0.5 cm) thick. Brush with a little vegetable oil.
3. Roll the flattened dough into a cylinder, then stand the cylinder on end and flatten it before shaping the dough into a ball. Brush with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
4. Roll the ball of dough into a log about 2 inches (5 cm) thick, then cut crosswise into 12 pieces, each ¼ inch (0.5 cm) thick. Working with 4 pieces of dough, roll into rounds about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter, keeping the other pieces of dough covered with a damp kitchen towel.
5. Place a large heavy skillet over medium heat and brush the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil. When the pan is hot, place a round of dough in it. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, then flip over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on the other side, pressing on the edge to let the chapati puff up. Both sides should be crisp on the edges and golden all over. Remove to a plate and stack the cooked chapatis one on top of the other to keep them warm. Cook the remaining 3 chapatis. Roll out and cook two more batches of 4 chapatis each. Serve hot or warm.