Secrets to making delicious, soft, layered chapatis

For your chapatis to stay soft for a long time, there are a few things that you need to do during the making process, since the entire process of making chapatis matters. It only takes one wrong step to end up with not so soft chapatis.

If your dough is hard, it will not only be difficult to roll the chapatis, but they will also be too hard. Similarly, if your dough is too loose, in that it contains more water, you will end up using more dry flour when rolling and in turn this can make your chapatis hard.

Also, you do not need to add a lot of oil to keep your chapatis soft. You only need to add a little.

Here are the steps to making a delicious soft layered chapati

What you will need:

3 cups of all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1½ cups of warm water

What to do:

Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a big bowl. Add margarine (optional) and mix with your hands Make a well and pour water in bits as you knead. Continue kneading for about 5 minutes. If the dough is sticky, you can add flour in bits until you get the perfect texture Place the dough on a work surface (on top of the table) and continue to thoroughly need for about 3 minutes The end product should be a firm but soft and not sticky dough. Cover it with a dump cloth, cling film or polythene for about 20 to 30 minutes After the 30 minutes, knead again and cut the dough into small balls Use a rolling pin, roll out the balls into circular shapes, one at a time and brush with oil Then fold them into circular knots and then cover them Now pick them, one at time (the rest remaining covered) and roll out again In medium heat, place your pan (tava) and let it warm up Then place your rolled out chapatti on the tava and fry both sides until brown as you occasionally brush with oil Once cooked place in a container and cover as you continue cooking Repeat until all your rolls are cooked

Extra tips for soft layered chapatis

Ingredients:

Ensure you use good quality wheat flour

Use lukewarm water. Using warm water to make the dough helps keep the chapatis soft

Preparation:

Ensure you rest your dough for about 20 minutes before cooking

After it has rested, knead the dough well before making the balls

Always cover your dough balls until when you are ready to roll them. You can use a wet cloth, clear film, polythene or just put them inside a box

When rolling, make the edges thinner than the center as this will help puff up the chapatti when cooking

Cooking:

Heat your pan (tava) well before placing your rolled chapatti on it. Once your pan is heated, you can now keep the heat on medium

Ensure you maintain the heat. Too much heat will cook the chapatis too quickly and burn them while low flame will take longer for the chapatti to cook and will make them stiff and hard

When cooking, use a spatula to lightly press the chapatti on the tava at the points where steam is escaping. This helps to separate the layers and make the chapatti puff up nicely

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