How to make soft Chapathis? ~ Indian Wholewheat Flatbread
A quintessential Indian flatbread!
Ingredients
- Wholewheat flour aatta, as required
- Water as required
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Put sufficient wholewheat flour in a large bowl. I use around 2 1/2 cups to make 15 meduim sized chapathis.
- Combine water and salt, a little more than what is the normal taste, and bring to a rolling boil.
- As the water comes to a rolling boil, switch off.
- Using a wooden spoon, pour water slowly and start combining, till the whole flour is wet. Do not pour too much water, just enough to moist the flour.
- When the flour is at a temperature to handle, bring together the dough and start kneading.
- If you feel the dough is too sticky, sprinkle some more flour. But the dough should be still warm while doing so. Incorporate the flour and keep kneading for 5-8 minutes till you get a smooth and non-sticky dough.
- Divide into lime sized balls and set aside.
- Heat a chapathi tawa.
- Bail a ball with some flour sprinkled. The chapathis must be of uniform thickness all over.
- Hit off the excess flour off the bailed chapathi.
- Once the tawa is nice and hot, keep on meduim flame and put the chapathi bailed part down.
- Leave for 30 seconds and flip. Cook till that side is done.
- Flip and cook the other side. The chapathi may not necessarily puff up but will do so slightly.
- Meanwhile, line your hot pot with kitchen towel. Put the cooked chapathi into it. Keep the lid just slightly closed.
- Cook the remaining chapathis after bailing.
- Once all are done, top with another kitchen towel and keep closed till ready to serve.
Notes
The water has to be boil, ie. not just hot but rolling boil. Lukewarm water may not ensure softer chapathis for longer period.
Do not add flour to the dough if the dough turns cold after kneading. It will harden the chapathi. Only add additional flour if required when the dough is still warm.
Knead sufficiently till it becomes non-sticky.
Cook the bailed chapathis immediately.
Do not keep the bailed chapathis on top of each other. They will stick.
Make sure to nicely clean the bailed chapathis of any residual flour. This will keep your chapathis without any dark spots. The flour will leave a black residue on the chapathi if not dusted properly.
For this chapathi, there is no need for putting any oil or butter. They are soft in itself.
Do not add flour to the dough if the dough turns cold after kneading. It will harden the chapathi. Only add additional flour if required when the dough is still warm.
Knead sufficiently till it becomes non-sticky.
Cook the bailed chapathis immediately.
Do not keep the bailed chapathis on top of each other. They will stick.
Make sure to nicely clean the bailed chapathis of any residual flour. This will keep your chapathis without any dark spots. The flour will leave a black residue on the chapathi if not dusted properly.
For this chapathi, there is no need for putting any oil or butter. They are soft in itself.