Chappati - Indian Unleavened bread

The commonest of all Indian breads - and made by people all over the country.  It is quick and easy and nutritious.  There are several variations to the ordinary chappati like adding in a couple of teaspoons of dry fenugreek leaves while mixing the dough for flavour, or using water that you have cooked a beetroot in for a red chappati.  This dish can be experimented with as you please.  The beauty is there is no yeast, oil or salt - so it is very healthy.

Ingredients: 

3 cups atta flour (you can buy this from the Indian grocer or Coles)

1 cup ragi (millet) flour (this is a variation – you do not have to add this if you don’t want to.)

Warm water to mix dough

Extra flour for dusting

Method:

Mix the flours together.  Make a well in the middle and add warm water little by little and mix in with the flour.  Add enough water and mix flour so it is moist but not wet.  Knead well for 5 to 6 minutes.  Leave under a wet tea towel to rest for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, make small balls out of the dough.  Roll out the chappaties in little circles of around 12 to 15 cms in diameter and about two mm thick. 

In a medium hot griddle, place the chappati and wait for a minute till it cooks.  Using a spatula, pick up the chappati and flip over to cook on the other side.  In a minute or so, you will find that the chappati starts to puff up. 

Using your spatula, gently press down on the puffed up region so that the rest of the bread puffs up as well. 

You can add a couple of drops of oil on the chappati at this point or some butter - but it is optional.  

Flip over one more time and place on serving plate.

If you are serving later, keep wrapped in a tea towel inside a container.  This will help to keep the chappaties soft.