Indian Chapati and Poori

This Indian bread is usually made with a special chapati flour. According to one source, it is impossible to make a good chapati with whole wheat flour; however other authentic Indian and Southeast Asian cooks acknowledge the use of it. The original chapati, an unleavened bread, is baked like a tortilla on a hot, ungreased griddle. If you press lightly around the edges of the chapati as it cooks you will encourage bubbles to form and make the chapati light. As they cook, wrap them in a clean tea towel until all are ready. Chapati are served immediately with butter or a vegetable dish. They may be stuffed with a dry curry, then rolled up if you make large, flat breads. If you roll them out to only 3 1/2 inches, the thickness stays at about 1/8 inch and, placed on a hot griddle, they puff up to make balloonlike breads which can be stuffed.

• Ready In: 24 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  cups whole wheat flour
• 1⁄2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted
• 6  tablespoons warm water
•  additional melted butter

Directions

1. Combine whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in butter and warm water to make a smooth dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times, until smooth ball forms. Cover dough with towel and let rest for 1 hour. Dust with flour, stack, and cover with towel or plastic wrap.
2. Heat electric griddle to 450°F (or heat griddle or skillet over high heat until drop of water bounces off surface).
3. Cook chapatis, 1 at a time, until flecked with brown spots, about 2 minutes on each side. Brush with melted butter and stack as you remove them from the griddle. Wrap to keep warm and pliable. Serve immediately. Or, wrap and freeze.
4. POORI: Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in large skillet to 375°F fry chapati dough rounds one at a time until puffed, bubbly, and brown, about 2 minutes for each side. Serve immediately.
5. Great Whole Grain Breads B Ojakangas.