HEALTHY WHOLEWHEAT CHAPATI

In my quest to try and live healthy, I want to try out wholewheat foods. And since Chapati (flat bread) is one of my very favorite dishes to eat, I thought this time I would make Wholewheat Chapatis. Chapati making is a skill that needs lots of practice just like any other cooking technique. But I have discovered that the secret to making soft Chapatis is in using hot water. Hot water somehow softens the Flour before you begin kneading it. I must admit as a kid I never really liked 'brown Chapati' as we used to call wholewheat Chapatis, but as I grew up I guess I acquired a taste for them. They somehow became delicious. Maybe it was the way they were being cooked growing up. Wholewheat flour is kind of a challenge to work with when it comes to cooking Chapati.All the times I have cooked Wholewheat Chapati I have added white All Purpose Flour. I must try cooking the Chapati with all Wheat Flour and see whether they will hold. The ratio I use is usually 2 Cups Wholewheat Flour to 3/4 Cup White All Purpose Flour. This helps to bind the Flour while kneading and even cooking so that the Chapatis do not break apart. The other secret of making soft Chapatis is to knead with cooking oil as you finish. All I can say is that the Chapatis turned out soft and delicious. Try them out and let me know your experience with Wholewheat Chapatis.

Ingredients

4 Cups Atta Mark 1 Wholewheat Flour
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
-Vegetable Oil
2 + Cups Hot water

Method

-Pour your 2-3 Cups water into a small cooking pan. Add the 4 Tablespoons Vegetable oil and bring to boil until it bubbles. Add the Wholewheat Flour in another large basin/bowl

-Add the boiled water and oil mixture to the Wholewheat Flour

-Use a wooden or metal spoon to start mixing the flour since the water is very hot

-Mix the flour and water until it starts to harden. Check to see if the water has cooled down and now you can start kneading with your hand.

-Make a small hole in the middle of the dough and add a few tablespoons of oil in it

-Continue kneading the Wholewheat Flour dough until it has formed a firm but soft dough
-As you knead the basin or bowl you are using wil become cleaner as it comes off from the sides

-Cover the bowl with a kitchen cloth and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Take the flour out of the basin after the 30 minutes and place on a lightly floured surface

-Pinch a small sized ball from the dough

-Form into a round ball

-Repeat the process of forming round balls until all the kneaded dough is finished

-Take one piece and roll it out into a somewhat round shape. At this level you don't have to worry about the shape, since you will be folding it up

-Apply a teaspoon of oil on the rolled out dough. Cut a line from the center to the end of the round shape

-Start folding the dough around the edges as you follow the cut line from the center

-Roll it until you come back from the beginning of where you cut the line

-Once done, it will form a cone like shape like this one below

Tuck one end towards the center of the dough

Repeat tucking in on the opposite end of the cone like dough. Form dough into a ball shape

-Repeat the process for all the rolled out balls, roll, oil, fold and then tuck in. Place one of the balls on a lightly floured surface and roll it into a circle round shape

-You will get perfectly round shapes. You can start cooking the Chapatis or you can roll all the balls out then cook at once. Place the rolled out dough on a heated pan. Cook for a few minutes. Turn and cook the second side for a few minutes too

Spread oil the first side and then turn to spread oil the second side

-Let the wholewheat Chapati cook until it turns golden brown

-Cook the Chapatis and keep warm in a plate covered with a kitchen cloth as you finish the rest

-Serve the wholewheat Chapati with Meats, Vegetables, Beans, Lentils and even Soups

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HEALTHY WHOLEWHEAT CHAPATI

by Mulunga Alukwe July-24-2017

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Wholewheat Flour
• 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Cups or more Water

Instructions

-Pour your 2-3 Cups water into a small cooking pan-Add the 4 Tablespoons Vegetable oil and bring to boil until it bubbles. Add the Wholewheat Flour in another large basin/bowl. Add the boiled water and oil mixture to the Wholewheat Flour. Use a wooden or metal spoon to start mixing the flour since the water is very hot-Knead the Flour until it becomes firm but still soft-Make a hole in the middle, add Vegetable Oil and continue kneading the Flour for 5 minutes-Cover the dough with a kitchen cloth and set aside to rest for 30 minutes-Take the dough and divide into small equal sized balls. Roll out one, spread oil on it . Cut a line from the centre to the end. Roll it around until it forms a cone. Tuck the top and bottom into the dough and it will form into a ball again. Repeat until all the balls are finished-Take one of the round balls and roll it out into a round circle-Place the dough on a flat cooking pan. Let it cook for a few seconds. Turn it and oil the first side. After a few seconds turn it and oil the second side. Repeat until all the rolled out dough is cooked-Place the Cooked wholewheat chapatis on a plate and cover to keep warm-Serve immediately

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 15 mins Yield: 4 Servings