Chapati

Chapati

Plain chapati served with Aloo mattar
Alternative names	Roti Rotli
Place of origin	Indian Subcontinent
Region or state	South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa
Main ingredients	Flour
Cookbook: Chapati  Media: Chapati

Chapati (alternatively spelled chapatti, chappati, chapathi, or chappathi, and also known as a roti) is an unleavened flatbread from the Indian Subcontinent; and popular staple in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.^[1] It is a common staple in South Asia as well as amongst South Asian expatriates throughout the world. Chapatis were also introduced to other parts of the world by South Asian immigrants, particularly by Indian merchants to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa and the Caribbean islands.^[2]

History

The word chapat (Hindi:चपत, chapat) means "Flat", which describes the traditional method of forming rounds of thin dough by slapping the dough between the wetted palms of the hands. With each slap, the round of dough is rotated. Chapati is noted in the 16th-century document Ain-i-Akbari by Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, vizier of Mughal Emperor Akbar.^[1]

Chapatis are one of the most common forms of wheat bread which is staple food in South Asia. The carbonized wheat grains discovered at the excavations at Mohenjo-Daro are of a similar variety to an endemic species of wheat still to be found in India today. The Indus valley is known to be one of the ancestral lands of cultivated wheat. Chapati is a form of roti or rotta (bread). The words are often used interchangeably. Chapati or rotta is made of whole wheat flour and cooked on a tava (flat skillet).

Chapatis, along with rotis were introduced to other parts of the world by South Asian immigrants, particularly by Indian merchants who settled in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, coastal East Africa, and the Caribbean islands.^[2]

Cooking

Chapatis are made using a soft dough comprising Atta flour, salt and water. Atta is made from hard Gehun (Indian wheat, or durum).^[3] It is more finely ground than most western-style wholewheat flours. Traditionally, roti (and rice) are prepared without salt to provide a bland background for spiced dishes.^[4]

Chapati dough is typically prepared with Atta, salt and water, kneaded with the knuckles of the hand made into a fist and left to prove for at least 10 or 15 minutes to an hour for the gluten in the dough to develop. After proving, the dough becomes softer and more pliable. Small portions of the dough are pinched off and formed into round balls that are pressed between the two palms to form discs which are then dipped into flour and rolled out on a circular rolling board chakla using a rolling pin known as velan or belan into a perfect circle.^[5]

The rolled-out dough is then thrown on the preheated dry tava and cooked on both sides. In some regions of South Asia chapatis are only partly cooked on the skillet, and then put directly on a high flame, which makes them blow up like a balloon. The hot air cooks the chapati rapidly from the inside. In some parts of northern India and eastern Pakistan, this is called a phulka. It is also possible to puff up the roti directly on the tava.^[6][7] Once cooked, chapati is often topped with butter or ghee.^[8]

Chapati diameter and thickness vary from region to region. Chapatis made in domestic kitchens are usually not larger than 15 centimetres (6 in) to 18 centimetres (7 in) in diameter since the 'tava' on which they are made comes in sizes that fit comfortably on a domestic stove top. Tavas were traditionally made of unglazed earthenware, but are now typically made from metal. The shape of the rolling pin also varies from region to region. Some households simply use a kitchen work top as a sort of pastry board, but homes have round flat-topped 'boards' that may be made of wood or stone and nowadays stainless steel, specifically for rolling out chapatis.^[2]

In most parts of South Asia, there is a distinction made between a chapati and other related flat-breads eaten in the region like roti, paratha, kulcha, puri and naan based on cooking technique, texture and use of different types of flours. For example, Parathas are either made layered by spreading with ghee, folding and rolling out again into a disc which turns out flakey once it's cooked or it usually has various types of filling, such as spinach, dal or cooked radish or potato. Parathas are mostly made using all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour.^[9]

There are many regional varieties of chapati in India.

• Paneer chapati: Grated Paneer is added to the usual chapati dough
• Radish or Mullangi chapati: Grated radish and turmeric powder is added to the dough and the chapati is usually thick. It is often eaten by lorry drivers who eat in roadside dhabas during their long journey to some other state.
• Vegetable stuffed chapati: In this type of chapati, a gravy of carrot, potato, peas, fenugreek are mashed and slightly sauted into a masala gravy. It is usually given rolled and many households prepare this using their own variety and combinations of available vegetables.

In the Maldives, chapati are traditionally eaten for breakfast along with a dish known as mas huni.^[10]

Gallery

• 

  Unfinished sketch of an artist showing women making chapati, ca. 1775, Rajasthan, India.

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  Freshly cooked chapati ready to be served.

• 

  Chapatis are cooked on open-flame once it's partly cooked on tava, which fluffs it.

• 

  Freshly cooked chapatis once off open-flame.

• 

  Chapati is typically eaten with various side-dish.

• 

  Preparing chapati with a rolling pin

• 

  Gujarati Chapati, also known as Phulka which is thinner.

• 

  Afghan chapati, commonly known as Sapati or doday.

• 

  Chapati served with various sides and topped with butter.

• 

  Chapati with Dal and Paneer stuffing.

• 

  Chapati cooked on open-flame after being cooked on tava.

• 

  Chapati served with muttar paneer.

• 

  Chapati with side-dish - egg roast.

• 

  Chapati eaten with pilau and Githere in Swahili, East Africa.

• 

  Chapthi is the best food for breakfast

See also

References

Indian dishes by region
North	Aloo gobi Baati Baingan bartha Barfi (Kaju barfi / Kaju katli) Bhatura Butter chicken Chana masala Chapati Chicken tikka Chole bhature Churma Dal makhani Dopiaza Egg curry Haleem Jeera aloo Kachori Kadai Kadai chicken Kadhi Kahwah Keema Kulcha Korma Kulfi Laal maans Mattar paneer Makki di roti Mirchi Bada Mutton curry Murgh Musallam Naan Nihari Palak Paneer Pakora Paneer tikka Pasanda Raita Rajma Rogan josh Rumali roti Sai bhaji Sarson ka saag Shahi paneer Shami Kebab Tandoori chicken Paneer Tikka Masala Aloo Mutter Amritsari Papar Warian
South	Appam Aviyal Baghara baingan Benne Dose Bhajji Bisi bele bath Bonda Chicken 65 Chicken Chettinad Chakna Curd rice Dahi chutney Dopiaza Dosa Double ka meetha Fish molee Hyderabadi biryani Hyderabadi haleem Idiappam Idli Injipuli Kaalan Kanji Kerala porotta Koottu Kozhakkattai Kuzhambu Lukhmi Mirchi ka salan Murukku Mysore Pak Pachadi Paniyaram Parotta Payasam Pongal Poriyal Pulihora Puttu Rasam Rice and curry Sakinalu Sambar Sheer korma Sevai Upma Uttapam Thalassery biryani Vada
West	Akuri Basundi Bhakri Bhelpuri Bombil fry Chinese bhel Chivda Chouriço Dahi vada Dhansak Dhokla Doodhpak Handvo Kadboli Khatkhate Khandvi Khichdi Kombdi vade Kuswar Misal Misal Pav Pav bhaji Patoleo Patra ni machhi Pohe Sabudana Khichadi Sanna Sevpuri Shrikhand Solkadhi Sorpotel Thalipeeth Vada pav Veg Kolhapuri Vindaloo Xacuti
East	Alu Potala Rasa Beguni Bel Pana Bhuna Khicuhri Chakuli Pitha Cham cham Chandrakanti Charchari Chhena gaja Chhena jalebi Chhena kheeri Chhena poda Chingudi Jhola Dahi baigana Dahi Machha Jalfrezi Kati roll Luchi Machha Jhola Maachha Bihana Mathapuli Mishti Doi Ouu khatta Pakhala Pantua Pitha Prawn malai curry Rasabali Rasgulla Ras malai Sandesh Santula Sorshe Ilish
Miscellaneous	Biryani Chaat Chutney Dal Falooda Flattened rice Gulab Jamun Halwa Indian pickle Jalebi Kheer Kofta Laddu Mango pudding Panipuri Papadum Paratha Puri Qeema Roti Sindhi biryani Samosa Shankarpali Sabzi Zarda Puri Bhaji
Indian diaspora	Chicken tikka masala Fish head curry Indian Chinese cuisine Phall Nasi kandar Pasembur Roti canai
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