Chapati is an Indian flatbread made with finely milled whole wheat flour. It is commonly known as Chapati, Phulka and Roti and is made on a daily basis in most Indian kitchens. It is one of the most well-known and adaptable Indian dishes. Making the perfect chapati can be a bit challenging for inexperienced cooks. Making it round and soft at the same time is sometimes a difficult task. So, here are some handy tips to help you make the perfect chapati like a pro!
A good amount of moisture is a soft chapatis’ best friend. You could produce rubbery, or worse, crusty chapatis that are a disaster if your dough or the rolled chapatis lose too much moisture during and after cooking. To make soft rotis, you must ensure that they retain enough moisture even after the cooking process is finished. Here are the steps for making soft and puffy chapatis!
Add Oil to the Flour:
As the oil imparts conductivity to the flour, adding a little oil to your wheat flour yields soft and tasty rotis. When the chapatis are on the pan, it will help them heat up more quickly without sacrificing a lot of moisture.
Knead a soft dough:
Many people commit the error of hastily kneading the dough and adding inadequate water. To knead a soft and smooth dough, the right amount of water must be added. For the best results, you can add lukewarm water or milk to your dough and knead it for at least 15 minutes. The dough would become softer and simpler to roll if it was given 20 to 30 minutes to rise.
Rolling the chapati:
Make sure the balls you make before rolling your chapatis are small and devoid of any corners or fissures. The balls ought to be moist and smooth. To prevent the rotis from sticking to them, use a rolling board and pin with a slightly rough surface. Before rolling the rotis, lightly skim flour over the area.
Puff the Chapati on the Flame:
Next, place the chapati directly over the flame and wait for it to puff up. It shouldn’t take more than 60 seconds to finish making a puffed and cooked chapati; otherwise, it might quickly lose too much moisture and become tight. Use your tongs to move any portions of your chapati that haven’t puffy over the heat source. Before placing the rotis over the burner, make sure the flame has been reduced.
Time the Cooking Process
Before you place the rolled chapati on top of the pan, keep it on high heat. Before cooking your roti, the pan should be heated to a temperature of between 160 and 180 degrees. Put a few drops of water on your pan to see if it is completely hot. Start cooking if they sizzle and immediately disappear! After placing your rolled roti on the pan, cook it for 10 to 15 seconds on the first side before flipping it over and cooking it for another 30 to 40 seconds.
Stack over one another and apply a bit of ghee:
After your chapati has nicely puffed up, press it flat with a spoon and stack them on top of one another. This will lessen the likelihood of moisture loss. Applying a little ghee to your hot rotis will keep them moist and improve their flavours.
Preserving your chapatis:
Wrapping your chapatis in plastic wrap can help them stay fresh for extended periods of time. Plastic wrap is a thin plastic film that is commonly used to seal food items in containers to keep them fresher for longer. It is also referred to as food wrap, saran wrap, cling film, and cling wrap. The plastic wrap protects food from oxidation and spoilage by keeping out air, preventing unwanted drying and absorbing moisture as well. Plastic wraps can extend the shelf life of food and maintain food quality while preventing food spoilage. The Asahi Kasei Premium Wrap is a food-grade plastic wrap known for its premium quality and food grade material (PVDC), which, unlike regular cling wraps, prevents chemicals from entering your food. It is the ideal chapati wrap.