How do I make chapati (Indian bread) correctly?

October 4, 2007 3:29 AM

What can I do to stop my home-made chapati from falling apart when I try to flatten it for cooking?

I recently visited India and fell in love with Indian food, especially the delicious and fresh chapati!

I've found several chapati recipes on the Internet and have been trying to make it following these recipies, but every time I try to flatten the chapati for cooking it falls apart!

I've tried varying the amount of flour, water and oil but always have the same result. Can anyone pleae tell me what I am doing wrong? thanks!

posted by janetplanet to food & drink (7 comments total)

Observing my mom at it, I found that what she does is:

1. Roll the rough into little balls that fit in the palm of your hand
2. bring the ball to the tip of your fingers and press down with your thumb while rotating the ball

this way you get a disc that is thick in the middle and thinner around the sides. Put this flat onto the rolling surface (which is usually lightly rubbed with oil) and use a rolling pin to roll completely flat in cross motions (ie roll from top to bottom, rotate 90 degrees and repeat) till you get the thickness you require.

It seems (to me) to be as much the technique used to roll it as the recipe.

HTH
posted by gadha at 4:21 AM on October 4, 2007

"he who must obey" (husband) makes them reasonably regularly. and continually presses down on them, while they are cooking in the pan, with a squashed up tea towel. are you doing this?
posted by taff at 4:50 AM on October 4, 2007

I can't really tell what exactly you are having trouble with, but from my own chapati adventures:

1.What kind of flour are you using? I have found that unless I use true chapati flour, I can never get them right. I buy my chapati flour at an Indian grocer - it will say "chapati flour" or "durum atta" on the bag. The wheat in chapati flour has been ground to a very fine consistency - it actually feels a bit like finely ground cornmeal.

2.After you mix the dough, are you letting it rest? This step is crucial, as it allows the gluten to develop. Without a well developed gluten structure, the dough will want to rip. I let mine rest covered with a damp towel for 20 minutes or so after I make it.

3. Are you using stuffings with your chapati? If so, they must be very dry. Any moisture in the stuffing will cause the chapati to tear. If you get tears, just through a pinch of flour over them, and that should seal it up.

4. Use plenty of flour when you are rolling out your chapati - it will keep the dough's 'skin' intact.

Good luck - yummm, chapati.
posted by dirtmonster at 7:04 AM on October 4, 2007

Seconding the resting, with an additional suggestion to add a teeny bit of oil to help the gluten set (say a table spoon per cup of flour). Especially when working with whole wheat, the oil (or lard or even lethicin granules) will help the gluten become more elastic.
posted by lysdexic at 8:04 AM on October 4, 2007

Dough that breaks is diagnostic of insufficient gluten formation. Gluten is the network that holds dough together, so it stretches instead of breaking. dirtmonster is giving good advice.

lysdexic is giving a mostly incorrect response- adding fat to a dough will inhibit gluten formation, which can impart more elasticity to a stiff dough. As the problem here is incomplete gluten formation, adding fat isn't something you want to do.

My standard recipe for chapati involves using hot tap water, all-purpose flour, and whole-wheat flour in a 1:1:1 ratio, with a pinch of salt. Mix these well to form a ball, then let the ball sit for 30 minutes to hydrate the flour and start gluten development. You shouldn't need to knead this much to make an elastic dough that won't break.

At this point, I just cut the big dough ball into little ones, press them between my hands (with a little flour) and then pull on them to stretch them thing. I cook them in a hot cast iron pan and then finish them directly over the gas flame.
posted by rxrfrx at 9:15 AM on October 4, 2007

Sounds like gluten is my biggest problem. I'll try these recommendations. Thanks much for the advice!
posted by janetplanet at 6:57 PM on October 4, 2007

I'm also having trouble making chapati. When I make mine I let the dough rest, it rolls out fine but when I cook it they come out sort of crispy, not soft like what my neighbor used to make. Any ideas or suggestions on how to correct this problem?
posted by kisscat69 at 4:23 PM on March 3, 2008