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Home , Flour, Indian bread, Paratha, Vegetarian cuisine

Three from One Simple Quickly turn flour, oil, and into delicious Indian flatbreads

BY JESSICA SHAH

lat, unleavened breads from western ’s Gu- regular whole- with flour (see Fjarati are a real delight. These whole- on pp. 54–56 for proportions). All-purpose flour on wheat breads are brimming with and . its own doesn’t work—it makes a dough that’s too The beauty of these is that the same basic stretchy and difficult to roll. ingredients—flour, water, and oil—can be combined There are three basic steps for making Indian flat- in slightly different proportions to produce very dis- breads: making the dough, rolling the dough, and tinct types. In a Gujarati , which -roasting or the bread. Rolling the is vegetarian, the is ac- dough is the only step that requires some practice; companied by daals (spicy the other two steps are easy. or made from You need only simple tools for making flatbreads. I dried and ), vege- use a wide, shallow, stainless-steel plate called a for tables, such as mango mixing the dough; a mixing bowl is too deep to allow pickles, and -based easy working of the ingredients, so choose a sturdy, . The diner tears off a shallow platter, such as a pie pan. I use another small piece of bread, scoops it authentic Indian tool, a small rolling pin with tapered into the , relishes, ends. Its tapered shape means that I can control the di- and daals, and then puts the rection of the pressure, and its light weight will not entire concoction into her crush the delicate dough. You can use any rolling pin, mouth. but the smaller the better. You’ll also need a nonstick Though there are many vari- griddle or skillet, a spatula, and a pair of tongs. If you’re eties of , I’ll focus making the on an electric stove, you’ll need a on three of my favorites: wire rack that can sit directly on the burner. For the • chapati—soft, and delicate, poori, you’ll need a deep, heavy pot for deep-frying, and and spread with or (clari- a skimmer for lifting the bread from the hot oil. fied butter) for shine; You can prepare the dough for all these breads up to • —triangular with a eight hours in advance, as long as you keep it tightly Authentic in- multilayered texture; and covered in an airtight container so that it doesn’t dry gredients and tools • poori—deep-fried out. (Don’t the dough directly in plastic wrap, are desirable but not until light and however, because it will stick.) In fact, the dough necessary. You can puffed into a bal- should be kept covered to prevent drying even while substitute whole- loon shape. you’re shaping and cooking the breads. If you have any wheat and cake Chapati flour is leftover dough, you can refrigerate it for up to five days for the chapati flour, the best flour to use for or freeze it for several weeks. To defrost frozen dough, and use a full-size these breads. Available from Indian or Asian grocery let it thaw for about eight hours at room temperature, rolling pin instead of stores, chapati flour is very finely ground and sifted or defrost it in the microwave for about six minutes. the slender Indian whole- that’s fairly low in . Chapati Refrigerated dough is best when you let it rest at room ones shown here. flour gives the breads a delicate—and more authen- temperature for three to four hours, but if you’re in a

tic—texture, but if you can’t find chapati flour, mix hurry, it’s all right to use it directly from the refrigerator. Photos: Suzanne Roman

52 FINE COOKING Copyright © 1994 - 2007 The Taunton Press In any case, you must knead the dough well, with greased hands, before each use. The flatbreads will stay fresh for a day or two when stored at room temperature, but it’s best to make them as close to serving time as possible. In Indian homes, they’re made right before or during the meal, so they’re eaten at their delicious best. To reheat the breads, just cook them for a few seconds on each side in a dry, hot frying pan or griddle.

ONE TECHNIQUE FOR ALL THREE The whole process of making dough for each bread takes about five minutes. The mixing method is the same, but the doughs will vary in consistency. First, put the flour in your shallow plate. You don’t need to sift the flour. If your calls for oil, add the oil and mix it into the flour lightly with your fingers. You’ll need a little more oil for shaping and cooking the breads. Pour in about a quarter of the amount of water called for in the recipe, and start mixing the flour and water together by moving your hand in a circular, counterclockwise motion A shallow plate while turning the plate clockwise. Small makes mixing easy; lumps will start to form. a deeper mixing bowl Now really begin working the mixture would make it difficult into a dough. Gather up a handful and to work the flour, squeeze it. Add the remaining water a water, and oil to- little at a time and continue to alter- gether. The author nately gather and squeeze until the mix- turns her Indian ture forms a ball that holds together. thali plate clockwise Grease your palms and fingers with while she mixes the a little oil or ghee. Do this frequently ingredients with a during the process to make counterclockwise the ball of dough smooth and supple. stroke (see above). Start kneading the dough, again using a squeezing action, incorporating any dry flour or loose pieces and getting rid of Gathering and wrinkles. Be sure your hands are well greased, and squeezing are the best continue kneading a little more vigorously. Press the actions for blending heel of your hand right into the dough, letting the the dough ingredients. counter support your pressure. Keep kneading until The author gathers and the dough is satiny and wrinkle-free. squeezes (above) until the dough forms a TIPS FOR DOUGH-MAKING mass, and then she • If the surface of the dough feels a little sticky and kneads more vigorously too wet, grease your hands, turn the lump of dough with greased hands. inside out, and knead it very gently until it’s smoother. • If the dough feels unmanageably sticky and wet, make a wide, deep depression in the center of the The finished dough dough, add a few tablespoons of flour, and fold over the (at right) will be two sides to make a pouch. If you’re using chapati flour, smooth and supple, it takes a lot more flour than you would expect to firm with a slight sheen. up the dough, as much as 4 or 5 tablespoons per recipe. It dries out quickly, Continue gathering, squeezing, and kneading until all so keep it covered in the flour is worked in and the dough is smooth. an airtight container • If the dough feels crumbly and difficult to gather, until use.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1994 53 Copyright © 1994 - 2007 The Taunton Press To produce a chapati that’s just right, use coated generously in flour or all- quick strokes with the purpose flour. This prevents the soft rolling pin. The bread chapati dough from sticking to the should be round and rolling pin or the counter. Put about a of a uniform thick- cup of on a plate, then grease ness. A dusting of rice your hands and knead the dough a few flour keeps the soft seconds. Pull off a lump of dough and dough from sticking shape it into a 1-inch-diameter ball (a during rolling. larger ball would make the chapati too wide and awkward to work with). Dip Chapati puffs during the ball into the flour, put it on the its second roasting, counter, and flatten it with your palm. which is done directly Start rolling the ball into a round, using on the burner. Don’t sprinkle a little water on it, grease your hands, and quick, continuous strokes, covering the whole pierce the bread when gather up the loose flour. round in each stroke, giving a gentle push from the you turn it with the left without a lot of pressure. After every few tongs or it won’t puff, ROLLING AND COOKING DEFINES THE STYLE strokes, dip your dough in a little more flour to pre- and you won’t get the OF EACH BREAD vent sticking. Rotate the chapati on the work sur- right light consistency. The rolling and cooking processes give each bread face and continue rolling. Roll the chapati until When the chapati a distinctive character. It’s fun to see how the it’s about 7 inches in diameter. If it tears, just cools, it deflates. same ingredients result in different dough press the dough together to seal and sprin- consistencies which can produce three dif- CHAPATI kle a little flour on the sealed area. ferent breads. Makes about Roasting chapati. are roasted Rolling chapati. For chapati, the goal is 14 breads. without oil. They’re first cooked on the to roll each one to a uniform thickness. 11⁄4 cups chapati griddle or skillet and then they’re roasted flour (or 3⁄4 cup Focus on getting this part right, and the whole-wheat directly over a gas flame or an electric perfect round shape of a good chapati will flour plus 1⁄2 cup cake burner fitted with a rack until they puff follow with a little more practice. A well- flour) slightly. The key is to roast them for only a

rolled chapati puffs fully or partially into a 1⁄2 cup plus 2 Tbs. few seconds on each side; otherwise, they ball when roasted. But don’t worry if your water become crisp and stiff, and they won’t have chapatis don’t puff perfectly, as even veteran 1 cup rice their characteristic soft texture. cooks have a few flat ones. flour Heat the griddle on medium high for a You need to roast each chapati as soon as couple of minutes so it’s nice and hot. Lift the it’s rolled, so that it doesn’t dry out. This is easier chapati gently, resting it on your palms, and slap it when two people work together. Before and during down on the hot griddle. If it has folds or wrinkles, rolling, the ball of dough for each chapati must be straighten them out with your fingers. Cook the

54 FINE COOKING Copyright © 1994 - 2007 The Taunton Press chapati for about 10 seconds until it’s speckled with small bubbles. Flip it over with a pair of tongs, but take care not to puncture it or it will not puff. Roast the other side until it starts to puff a little and shows a few more bubbles. As you roast, the dough will become paler. Take the griddle from the burner and increase the heat to high. If you’re using an electric range, put the wire rack on the burner; this will keep the chapati from actually touching the element and burning. Lift the chapati from the griddle with tongs and put it on the rack or, with a gas stove, directly on the flame. Watch closely; as soon as the chapati seems to stop puffing, after about 5 to 10 seconds, turn it quickly to the other side and let it puff up a little more. It will have a few brown spots. Immediately take the chapati from the heat and give it a firm tap on each side to dust off the ex- cess flour. After roasting four to five cha- pati, clean the griddle with a paper towel or cloth to remove the residue of burning Folded dough flour. The final touch is about 1⁄2 - makes flaky bread. spoon of ghee or regular melted butter Shah spreads the spread evenly on one side. If you’re trying round of dough with to reduce your intake, you can omit oil and then folds it the butter. Stack the chapatis on top of twice to make a tri- each other as you make them. The angle. As the bread underside of each chapati gets buttered cooks, it forms slightly from the chapati below. Cool the stack, puffy layers. and then store it in an airtight box. Rolling paratha. The dough for pa- The shaped paratha ratha is much stiffer than chapati dough, is dense because it’s and it requires some pressure to roll out. folded, so press firmly The paratha dough is folded into layers with the spatula to that have been brushed with oil, which make the Heat the griddle on medium-high heat for a few help the heat pene- bread flake and puff when roasted, giving it a won- minutes. Spread about 1⁄4 teaspoon of trate. Don’t press too derful texture and flavor. oil in the center of the griddle to grease an area as long, though, or the Grease your hands and knead the dough. Take a big as the paratha. Add the paratha to the pan and surface of the bread 1 lump of dough and make a flattened 1 ⁄2-inch ball. drizzle a few drops of oil in the pan around the will burn. Put it on the counter and press it down to flatten it edges of the bread. Cook for about 30 seconds; more with your palms. Roll the dough to about small bubbles will appear. Flip the paratha 1 a 3-inch round. Spread ⁄4 teaspoon of vege- with a spatula and cook another 30 sec- table oil evenly on the dough round, and PARATHA onds. The dough will become paler and fold it in half. Fold it one more time to Makes about develop a few brown or black spots and it make a small triangle. The oil may squeeze 12 breads. may begin to puff a little. out a little in the folding process, but 11⁄4 cups chapati Turn the paratha back to the first side, flour (or 3⁄4 cup that’s okay. Press the triangle to flatten it whole-wheat flour drizzle a little more oil around the edges slightly. Put one corner of the triangle in plus of the bread, roast again for 20 to 30 sec- front of you and roll the paratha out some 1⁄2 cup cake flour) onds, and then repeat with the other

more, moving the pin from edge to edge 1⁄3 cup plus side. Press down firmly with your spatu- in quick, continuous strokes using some 1 Tbs. water la and hold it for four seconds. This helps pressure, until it makes a rough triangle 11⁄2 Tbs. the layers of overlapping dough to cook about 5 inches long. Be careful not to roll too vegetable evenly. Repeat this pressing quickly over oil thin, or the paratha will be too crisp. the entire surface of the paratha, giving only Roasting . Parathas are lightly roast- 20 to 30 seconds total; any longer and the ed in oil, which enhances their flavor and helps the paratha might burn. Repeat this pressing step on dough layers to puff up. the other side, then remove the paratha from the

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1994 55 Copyright © 1994 - 2007 The Taunton Press These pooris are perfect. The color is the poori rounds on a plate (don’t let creamy brown with a them overlap or they’ll stick). few reddish spots, and Frying poori. Pooris are fun to make be- the dough has puffed cause they puff up dramatically when up nicely during deep- deep-fried. The perfect poori is creamy frying. The author brown with a few red spots. As with any drains the poori deep-frying, be very careful. Don’t fill your against the rim of the pan more than one-third full of oil be- pot after frying. cause the oil will bubble up when the breads are added. It’s important to main- heat. Cool the breads completely before stacking tain a steady high temperature for the pooris to puff them; store them in an airtight container. up. Rolling poori. Poori dough falls in between cha- Heat the oil in your pot or deep-fryer to 375°F. I pati and paratha dough in terms of softness, so it’s use a heavy-gauge Indian pot that’s shaped like a easier to work with. Divide the poori dough into small wok, called a . Add one poori to the hot oil. three big lumps. Take one lump and knead it Let it simmer in the oil for about three seconds, well, as always, with greased hands. Roll the and then press it gently on the spots that don’t lump between your palms to make a cylin- POORI seem to be puffing up, holding it under the oil der about 1 inch in diameter and 6 inches Makes about with a skimmer. As soon as it seems to stop long. Roll it until it’s smooth and has no 30 breads. puffing, after about eight seconds, turn it cracks. Break the cylinder into about five 11⁄4 cups chapati over. Fry the other side for a few more sec- flour (or 3⁄4 cup pieces and shape each piece into a ball. whole-wheat flour onds. Lift it out of the oil with the skimmer Press each ball hard between your palms plus 1⁄2 cup cake and let it drain against the edge of the pot, until it’s flat. Keep these pieces, and the flour) then remove it and drain it on a rack or on

two remaining lumps, covered until you’re 1⁄2 cup water paper towels. To enjoy pooris while still puffy, ready to roll so they don’t dry out. Press the 4 tsp. serve within 15 minutes; otherwise, cool and dough ball to flatten it slightly. Using quick vegetable store in an airtight box. strokes, roll it out into a round about 3 inch- oil es in diameter. If the poori dough sticks, lightly Jessica Shah is a native of Bombay who now lives in grease the rolling pin or the counter. Don’t roll the Boulder, Colorado, where she teaches cooking classes in poori too thin, or it won’t puff properly in the hot oil. authentic Gujarati . She also owns and It’s okay to roll about six pooris at a time. Spread out operates a catering and take-out Indian business. •

56 FINE COOKING Copyright © 1994 - 2007 The Taunton Press