Chapati — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Flaky, layered flatbread made by rolling and coiling dough with oil, then pan-frying until golden and crispy on the outside with soft, buttery layers within.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
Extra oil for layering

Instructions

1 Mix flour and salt, add warm water gradually, and knead for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.
2 Rest dough covered for thirty minutes to allow gluten to relax.
3 Divide into six balls, roll each into a thin circle, brush with oil, then roll into a coil and flatten again.
4 Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, place chapati on it, and cook for two minutes per side.
5 Brush with a little oil while cooking, pressing edges to ensure even browning.
6 Stack cooked chapatis wrapped in a cloth to keep them warm and soft.

Did You Know?

Tanzanian chapati is distinctly flakier than its Indian ancestor because of the coiling technique that creates multiple buttery layers.