Kenyan Chapati | Chapo Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making soft chapatis? ›

Pro Tip: warm water makes the chapati more softer. But make sure the water is warm and not hot. 2)Add salt into the water. Mix the salt into the water so it dissolves before we add in the flour.

The Kenyan style of chapati is slightly thicker, with flaky layers, and in most Indian restaurants this type of flatbread would be called paratha — not chapati. The difference between these types of flatbread comes in how the dough is handled.

However, a few years back I was introduced to Kenyan Chapati by my friend, Tracy. She kneaded a dough made of flour, grease, water, salt and sugar. Then proceeded to create this flaky pastry that turned out to be the Kenyan Chapati. It made me realise there is a lot about African food heritage that I am yet to learn.

If you want to store chapatis for any longer than a week, it will be a better option to store rolled chapati dough in a ziplock bag by putting butter paper in between them. Cover the chapatis on both sides with some flour to prevent sticking. Do not store too many rolled chapatis in one bag as they might stick.

However, some historical accounts claim that chapati originated in East Africa and was later brought to the Indian subcontinent by travelers or merchants. Chapati made its way across Asia via travelers; its flat circular shape allowed it to fare well on journeys as an edible vessel for food.

Chapati is a form of roti or rotta (bread). The words are often used interchangeably.

Traditionally, wheat flour has been the go-to choice for making rotis, but in recent times, millets have gained popularity as a healthier alternative. From Ragi to Bajra, and even Jowar, several millets are used these days to create healthier chapatis.

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Kenyan Chapati is a soft, flaky, chewy flatbread that is a staple part of celebratory meals in Kenya and other East African Countries. Popularly known as “chapo” in Kenya, it is usually enjoyed with curries as a main meal, with tea or eggs for breakfast. Kenyan Chapati is not the same as the Indian chapati.

How long should chapati dough rest? ›

Place the dough into an oiled bowl and cover it for 25 minutes. Cover the bowl with a cloth; use cling wrap only as a last resort. This should give the dough enough time to come together. If you let it sit for much longer than that, then the dough will lose some of its moisture.

It is essential to regulate the heat when you are cooking the chapati. Too high will instantly burn them. Too low or even moderately low heat will make them hard and crispy/crusty. It is very important to cook them on a medium high heat, else they dry out.

One chapati is roughly 70 gm, with a 3:1 ratio of flour to water. So there is approximately 52 gm of flour in every chapati - lets say 50 g. So one kilo of flour will yield 20 chapatis.

In English, "chapati" is often referred to as "Indian bread" or "roti." Chapati" is a type of unleavened flatbread that is commonly consumed in South Asian countries, particularly in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In English, "chapati" is often referred to as "Indian bread" or "roti."

I recommend using buttermilk instead of water for softer, fluffier results. placing the chapati on a cold pan will make it hard. Always cook chapati on a high flame, make sure to pre-heat the pan on the stove until it is hot.

Rolling the chapattis extremely thin can also make them hard and chewy. To make perfectly soft and fluffy chapattis, don't roll the dough ball too thin because they heat quickly and become dry. Besides this, try not to put too much pressure while rolling the chapatti.

Baking soda is used in small amounts at times, to make breads soft and spongy. Add a pinch of baking soda to the wheat flour and mix it well, before making chapathi. Now you can start making the dough, using warm milk or lukewarm water.

Higher moisture retention and starch gelatinization as a consequence of greater film forming ability of gluten in hard wheat flour resulted in pliable and soft textured chapati.