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Is it just me who has asked their mom for a recipe and the instructions that follow were: “Just add a bit of this to that, then mix until it feels like ….”? Only in my case, when I asked my mom how to make soft chapati she said “add the water to the flour and knead, it should be slightly sticky and the resulting texture should be like chewing gum” and that was it (where is the shocked emoji when you need one!
Hahahaha I laugh now but not back then, even though I believe that the skill of cooking by instinct and ‘feel’ are worth passing down, exact measurements are useful.
Soft chapati with layers is one of the foods that I almost always ask my mother for. Well, that and her beef stew which my siblings and I have not yet come close to replicating- but a part of me prefers it that way.
These soft chapati with layers are one of the foods that we can thank our multicultured Kenyan country for. We got it from the Indians and tweaked it a little, which is why the Kenyan chapati is a little different from the Indian Roti/chapati with both being delicious!
Tips to Make Soft Chapati Every Time!
Water Temperature? Really?
Yes, really. Keep the water warm, not hot or cold but warm enough that you can stick your finger in it without wincing. 😉
Water Temperature? Really?
Mix the warm salted water with the flour and knead until there are no flour pockets. The trick is in the consistency of the dough. It should not be so firm that after kneading you can press it and it springs back. And it should not be overly wet. What it should be is slightly sticky to prepare for the next trick up our sleeve which is…
Rest
Yes, just like any other bread dough. Your chapati dough needs time to rest for the flour to absorb the water making it easier to work with. I leave mine for no less than 1 hour but always try to let it rest for 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Chapati Questions
What Can I Pair It With?
In Kenya, we have chapati for breakfast with tea but we also have it for lunch and dinner paired with stewed dishes and curries.
Why Is My Chapati So Hard?
You may have added more flour than needed or rolled the chapati too thin and cooked it for longer than needed.
How Do I Reheat the Chapati?
My mom shared the best method which is to put it in a plastic bag and into the microwave for a few seconds. Alternatively, put it on a plate and cover then reheat for a few seconds on each side.
Are Roti and Chapati the Same Thing?
Yes and no. Yes because they are both flatbreads with just different names. And no because the methods and ingredients vary with some using oil, ghee, and other recipes choosing to omit both and just stick to water, flour, and salt.
Pair Your Soft Chapati With…
Lentil and Coconut Milk Stew
A quick and simple pantry staple lentil stew recipe made with brown lentils and coconut milk.
How to make chapati in 4 simple steps.
Step 1: Make sure the water is warm and stir the salt into it to dissolve.
Step 2: Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the salted water, knead for about 2-3 minutes (it will be sticky but do not add any flour). Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rest for 2 hours.
Step 3: Portion the dough into 6 balls, cover, and begin by rolling each one as thin as you can get it (without caring about the shape at this phase). Then drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil/ghee evenly across it, and a somewhat generous pinch of flour evenly across it before rolling and twirling it onto itself.
Step 4: Heat the pan (medium heat) as you roll out the dough balls. Do not roll them too thin (otherwise, they will be tough).
Place the chapati on the pan without oil and let it cook until it changes color on the top then flip it over and as the bottom cooks you can now add oil to the top. Flip it over again and add some oil to the now top then flip it back (so each side has been cooked twice). Each chapati should cook for at least 3 minutes and not more otherwise it will dry out.
And that’s it! Store in an airtight container to retain moisture.
Please give the soft chapati a thumbs up below.
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Other flatbread you ought to try
Easy homemade garlic naan bread
A delicious and simple homemade garlic naan bread made with garlic-infused brown butter and some cool tips and tricks for super soft and fluffy naan bread.
Print Recipe
Soft chapati with layers
(+36 rating, 8 votes)
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Lunch/Dinner/Bread–Indian
By Angela–Serves: makes 6
Prep Time: 2.5 hours–Cooking Time: 20 minutes–Total Time: 3.5 hours
Soft flatbread that can be had for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
- 400g All-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 270ml Warm water
- 1 cup Sunflower oil/ghee
Instructions
1
Stir the salt into the warm water to dissolve
2
Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the water. Knead for about 2-3 minutes then cover with cling film and leave to rest for 2 hours in a draught-free place
3
Portion the dough into 6 balls and leave them in the bowl covered, as you work on them one by one.
4
Roll it as thin as you can get it (do not worry about the shape at this stage) on a lightly floured surface, drizzle 1 tbsp of oil on the chapati dough, then sprinkle a generous (1 tsp) of flour across before rolling the chapati into a log and twirl it into itself. Repeat for the rest and make sure to cover to avoid drying and skin forming.
5
Heat the pan as you roll out the chapati (start with the first one you had rolled and end with the last one), make sure to evenly roll it out but not too thin or too thick.
6
Place the chapati on the pan without oil and let it cook until it changes color on the top then flip it over, and as the bottom cooks, you can now add oil to the top. Flip it over again and add some oil to the now top then flip it back (so each side has been cooked twice). Each chapati should cook for at least 3 minutes and not more otherwise it will dry out
7
Store the chapati in a large container and cover with a kitchen towel and cling film to retain the moisture
child friendlypacked lunch
