DISH NAME : CHAPATHY/ ROTI/ PHULKA (UNLEAVENED WHOLE WHEAT BREAD)

Preparation Time : 20 minutes

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Description

Chapathy or roti can be prepared from different types of flours- wheat, corn, 2 different types of flours etc. Usually whole wheat flour is used to make chapathy. Chapathy is eaten daily by North Indians, whereas rice is the staple diet in South India.
Phulka is different from chapathy, the difference lies in the method of cooking. Chapathy is entirely cooked on a tawa or an iron pan, where as one side of phulka is cooked on tawa and the other side on open flame.

Note

1) Use water according to discretion. Too much water will make the dough sticky and difficult to roll. Whereas too little water will make the dough hard, resulting in a tough chapathy. Usually chapathy prepared from a soft dough results in soft chapathies and will remain soft for a longer period.
2) I used 250 ml. cup to measure flour.
3) Approximately water used is half the quantity of flour. But do not add the whole water at one go.
4) Flour with more fibre is healther and also it absorbs more water.
5) Ideally chapathy should be turned only twice.
6) Dough can be made and kept in fridge for 2 days.In that case apply some oil on dough to prevent drying out and keep in airtight container.
7) Applying ghee keeps the chapathy fresh and soft for longer time.

Method

Note:
A food processor with kneading hook can be used for kneading dough. Follow the same procedure given below, even in that case.

1) Mix flour, salt and oil in a bowl.
2) Add water little by little, while mixing the dough and water together with your right hand. keep kneading till dough is soft. Dough should be pliable, but not sticky.Knead for about 10 to 15 mts.,beating well. Roll into a ball, cover with a damp cloth or keep in airtight container for atleast 30 minutes.
3) After 30 minutes,knead the dough again. Break into small balls, the size of big lime.Roll out each dough , using dry flour, if necessary,into circles of approximate diametre of 6 or 7 inches. dust off excess flour. Remember that the chapathy should not be rolled out bigger than your pan.
4) Heat a griddle/tawa until very hot.Put chapathi & cook until small bubbles appear on top. Flip, turn over press on the chapathi with a clean cloth or with a ladle.When chappathi puffs up turn to the other side.
5) Remove, apply ghee & store in a clean cloth in a container to keep warm.
TO MAKE PHULKA:
1) Cook lightly both sides of chapathy on a tawa or pan. Then remove pan from stove and place the chapathy directly on flame and cook both sides till brown spots appear and chapathy baloons up. Use a tong to turn chapathy on flame.
2) Apply little ghee and keep covered in a cloth in a container.

Serving Suggestions

Serve hot with any gravied curry.