I love making home-made chapatis! They are so easy and cheap to make. They also taste much fresher than the shop-bought version. I find it takes about 15 minutes to make four chapatis from scratch (the perfect amount for 2 people) and costs just 11p per serving! They can be prepared while your curry or dhal are simmering away on the hob.
Chapatis are made with atta flour, which is a very fine wholemeal (wholewheat) flour. It can be found in the world food aisle of larger supermarkets or in Indian food stores. I love the fine texture of chapati flour and find it perfect for baking (it’s my favourite flour for cakes, cookies and pizza crusts!) In traditional chapati recipes, the flour is mixed with water to create a dough, but I personally prefer to use plant milk. I find it enhances the flavour of the flatbread and the texture is softer.
INGREDIENT COSTS
- 140g / 1 cup atta chapati flour (Tesco, 11p)
- 90ml / ⅓ cup fortified soya milk (Tesco longlife, 11p)
Total cost: 22p
Cost per serving: 11p
N.B. Prices listed are for May 2024. I use Tesco prices as that’s where I do my main grocery shop at the moment.
Chapatis (Indian Flatbread)
Ingredients
- 140 g / 1 cup atta chapati flour*
- ¼ tsp salt
- 90 ml / ⅓ cup fortified soya milk or other plant milk
Instructions
- Place the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Slowly stir in the milk with a fork until it starts to come together, then continue to form into a dough with your hand. (Depending on the type of flour you use, you may not need all the milk). Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
- Divide the dough into four balls (I weigh my dough to divide it evenly). Lightly coat a ball in flour and roll into a thin circle about 20cm / 8 inches in diameter. Place on a plate and lay a piece of kitchen paper towel on top (this prevents the chapattis sticking together). Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
- Heat a frying pan (skillet) on medium-high. Using no oil, cook a chapatti for about 30 seconds, or until brown spots appear on the underside. Flip over and cook until brown spots appear on the second side (about 15 seconds). Flip over one more time and cook for a few more seconds (the chapatti should start to puff up). Place the chapatti on a plate with a sheet of kitchen paper towel on top (this will absorb the steam and enable the chapattis to be stacked). Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls.
- Chapatis are best served immediately, however they will last a couple of days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To refresh them, sprinkle lightly with water and gently heat them through in the oven.
Notes
N.B. The above values are estimates and for illustration purposes only. The actual nutritional values will vary depending on the specific ingredients used. The % Reference Intake (RI) will also vary depending on your age, gender, height, BMI, level of activity and other personal variables.
If you make these chapatis, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media and they will find their way to me. You can also connect with me on my social media channels here:
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With love,
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This recipe was originally published in 2016 in the Bit of the Good Stuff Cookbook.