Basic chapati

Step 1

Mix the water and flour together and knead until it forms a smooth dough. Leave behind a little water since every flour needs slightly different amounts of water, add as required. The dough should not be sticky, but it should feel flexible. A few minutes kneading by hand will be sufficient.

Step 2

To make your life a lot easier, leave the dough to rest on your counter, covered by a bowl or something similar. Leave it aside for at least 15 minutes, but you can leave it up to an hour, that won't do any harm. Resting it for longer will make the dough more flexible and easier to roll out. If you rest for very long, it might become a bit more sticky which you can resolve by using a little more flour when rolling out.

Step 3

Preheat a tawa or flat pan on a medium-high stove.

Step 4

Split the dough into four balls (depending on the size of your pan). Using a rolling pan, roll them out one by one, into a circle of a few millimeter thickness. Dust the surface or your dough if the dough is sticking.

Step 5

Place the dough on the preheated pan and bake until the top just starts to dry out. Flip the chapati over, the bottom should not have turned brown yet, but have lightened in color.

Step 6

Keep on the heat and flip over a few more times until both sides have turned a nice brown. After the first or second flip it should start puffing up. If not, don't worry, it will still taste good. Do not leave the chapati on for so long that it becomes crunchy. It's best when it is still slightly soft.

Step 7

Take the chapati from the pan. Cover with a little ghee (clarified butter) for extra flavour. Store the chapati in a clean towel until all are finished. That way it will soften slightly and stay warm.