Topic: chapatti

[glazburgher]

Can't see any chapatti recipes (my bread of choice), so i'll post the one i use.

makes 1 chapatti

ingredients:
2 heaped atta (chapatti flour).
if no chapatti flour use: 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour + 1 heaped tablespoon wholemeal flour
salt
water

instructions:
-sieve flour into bowl (usually don't bother with the sieving)
-add pinch of salt
-add enough water  & mix so not sticky but will from solid ball
- kneed for a few mins
- leave for at least 30 min
-if making more than 1 chap separate into ping pong size balls
-roll out to desired size (dinner plate?)

-get (preferably non-stick) frying pan as hot as possible.
-dry cook chapatti both sides
should take less than 2min.

[glazburgher]

don't use gram flour - getting mixed up with pakora here. i meant chapatti flour or plain + wholemeal

[JerryM]

glazburger,

i'm sold on naan's for curry night's.

i did buy chapatti flour (Pillsbury, Chakki Atta) a while ago and whilst i've switched back to naan for curry i'm sold on using them as tortillas.

i could not believe how important the kneading is considering it's effectively just flour ie no yeast or bi carb.

i was also taken aback by how much more difficult "dense" the dough is when the water's added - they give the impression they are going to be like old boots but of course they are the complete opposite when cooked.

have u tried naans and if so what makes u prefer the chapatti - just out of interest as a friend prefers chapatti saying the naan fills too quickly. i just could not get enough of the curry to sit in the scoop - ended up using a fork.

[Secret Santa]

just out of interest as a friend prefers chapatti saying the naan fills too quickly. i just could not get enough of the curry to sit in the scoop - ended up using a fork.

That's an interesting observation Jerry. Chappatis are made for scooping, of course, but I'm not sure about Naans?

I don't see Naans as a scooping device but that depends on the type of Naan. In India, I'm led to believe, the Naans are preferred crispy and thin, which would make them suitable for scooping.

[JerryM]

Secret Santa,

thick naans for sure are no good. the midlands tends more to the thin and crispy.

i guess i was searching for any improvement i could make on the chapatti front - i make my naans quite thin yet they seem to be able to hold the food better - maybe i need the chapatti thicker - mine are about 2mm c/w 4 mm for naan (both starting out at the same dough ball size).

[Stephen Lindsay]

Interesting how some comments make you ponder. I've never really regarded a naan as a scooping instrument though with chapattis I certainly do. I use 8 ounces of flour to make 4 chapattis and would say that 2mm sounds about what I do. With naans I suppose I go a bit thicker than 4mm but maybe not by much. I think of naans either for dipping or laying a whole curry on.

[glazburgher]

Thinking about it, there are probably a few reasons i prefer chapattis:
like your friend. i usually find naans to be more filling leaving less room for the main dish.
chapattis are usually thinner so i find the ratio of bread to meat to be just right in each bite.
flavour doesn't detract from the curry
more malleable and good for scooping *as mentioned).
however i suspect the real reason is that chapattis were what i was introduced to first, as a lad, in restaurants during the early 80s.
Don't get me wrong, i've had plenty of nice naans but given the choice i just prefer the simplicity of flavour and texture of a freshly made chapatti.

[PaulP]

I too prefer chapattis over nans but haven't gotten around to trying to make them yet.
I'm too obsessed with cooking a good sauce to move onto breads at the moment.

Thanks for the recipe.

Paul

[JerryM]

glazburgher,

appreciate the extra insight.

i've been using 500g to make 10 off which i think is comparable to Stephen's 8 oz for 4 off. i've had a look a the packet which says 100g to make 4 off so perhaps mine are actually too thk (more than 2 mm). it say's to start with a "lemon" size ball - i'll have to try your suggestion of the smaller "ping pong ball" size.

i'll give them another go this week once i've made base. i'd love to crack it as i like the taste and the health benefits c/w to white flour

[glazburgher]

mmm, i would have said don't quote me on the ball size but you already have . from memory they were between ping pong and golf. anyway if you divide  the dough into
equal parts you should be fine
 i have just joined this site so have just started on my culnary journey, but even before, the times that i could actually be bothered to make chapps it would make a big difference to my enjoyment of home made curry.