Chapati

The second email I can find from mama with a recipe contains several attachments of different recipes! It wishes me good luck for a dinner party I must have called for help with. Best of all, it contains mama's descriptions of the dishes. For this post, I reproduce her attachment for chapatis:

Chapati is the simplest form of unleavened bread made of whole wheat flour. It has several other incarnations, like Roti (rural terminology), Phulka (urban terminology), though Chapati is more universally known. Whole wheat unleavened bread is more of a staple diet in the north and the middle belt of India. Typically, it is a part of every Punjabi meal in the northwestern state of India.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour

1/2 cup of white unbleached flour

1 1/4 cup warm water, divided

Oil, for patting on the dough to prevent crusting

Method

1. Chapati bread dough: Mix the brown & white flour together in a basin or a bowl. Heat the water to lukewarm temperature. Add 1 cup initially to the mixed flour, folding it in. Using the remaining water, a little at a time, keep kneading the flour to a play dough consistency. All of the 1/4 cup of water may not be used depending upon the brand and coarseness of flours being used. Use only as much water as required to make the dough pliable. Dough with too loose a consistency, will be difficult to roll out. Knead the dough for 7 - 10 minutes, occasionally wetting the bowl or oiling hands while working on the dough. Roll it into a compact ball and put it in a Tupperware or stainless steal container with airtight lid. Oil the dough to prevent crusting on the top. Set aside in the refrigerator. Ideally, leave in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before use.

2. Preparation of Chapati: Take a fistful of the dough, roll into even seamless ball, flatten it out with hands, and roll it out with a rolling pin to 5-7 inches in diameter. Dust occasionally with dry white flour while rolling to prevent sticking on the board. Place it on the preheated skillet (tawa). Keep the heat low to moderate under the skillet and monitor from time to time.

3. Turn it over when the color of the dough changes, say, about 12-15 seconds. There will be small brown spots on the surface. Turn it over & let it cook for another 12-15 seconds. Repeat this step once more. Notice the round Chapati fluffing up with the steam in between the layers.

4. Remove the Chapati from the skillet with tongs & roast it on open fire, turning it around and turning it over in quick succession in order to avoid burning the Chapati on the open fire. If this is not, Chapati may catch fire that can, of course, be muffed.

5. Butter it while it is hot. Place it on several folds of paper napkin in a bowl, and cover it with a lid or plate. It will keep Chapati warm & moist. Serve it hot with curries or daals (lentil soup).