Chapatis
Across India, breads such as roti/chapatti, paratha, naan, puri, and much more are common, and are a huge part of everyone’s daily meals. It’s all in the dough, Mum used to say – if you give love and patience to your dough it will ease the process of learning how to make them for the first time. They are made fresh and enjoyed with many different dishes.
Makes 4 chapatis
200g Atta flour, plus extra for dusting
80–90ml lukewarm water
1 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing (ghee or butter can be used instead)
To make the dough, tip the flour into a large bowl, then gently add the water and bring the flour into a dough. If you need more water, add it gently so that you know how much water is needed. Knead for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave it to rest for half an hour at room temperature.
Once rested, make 6–8 equal-sized balls out of the dough. Lightly sprinkle flour onto your work surface and roll each ball of dough into a circle approximately 2–3mm thick and 16cm in diameter.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Once the pan is hot, place the rolled dough into the frying pan and cook until small bubbles form. Turn over to cook the other side. Once the bubbles are formed, press them lightly with a kitchen towel. Make sure the roti is cooked evenly on both sides. Remove from the heat, and then brush the top side with either oil, ghee or butter. Wrap in kitchen towel to keep them warm before serving.
