How to make Tanzanian Chapati
This is generally a bread widely loved by people from East Africa. Chapati is easy to make, layered and really delicious.
The popular unleavened pan-grilled bread is different from the Indian Chapati, the Tanzanian Chapati is made with white or all-purpose flour and are coiled up.
The purpose of the coil is to make a light and flaky chapati. The outer layers are lightly brushed with oil giving it a crispy edge, which sets it apart from the Indian Chapati.
Though it originated as an import from the Indian Settlers and is now part of East African Culinary heritage, the Tanzanian Chapati needs just 5 ingredients and a tiny bit of patience to make.
Cooking time
1 hr 20 minutes
Recipe category
Appetizer
Recipe cuisine
Tanzanian
Cooking method
Frying
Recipe Yield
6 servings
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon ghee (Clarified butter) or vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup warm water
Instructions
- Pour flour in a large bowl then mix with salt, sugar and oil. Pour water into it and mix till the salt and sugar dissolve completely.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes to form a soft and sticky dough.
- Divide dough into 6 or 8 pieces according to preference and let it rest then use a rolling pin to roll it into circles.
- Lightly oil chapati dough with ghee, then place dough on a heavily floured plate and press it down. Turn dough over and press down lightly to shake off excess flour.
- Shape dough like you would shape a paper fan- Starting at one end, all the way to the opposite end then coil it up. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Gently flatten out the coiled dough and roll out from the centre while rotating each time you roll to achieve a perfect circle.
- Make sure they are not roll out to thin. Chapatis are not meant to be thin- 1/4 inch dough thickness is good.
- Place the dough on the oiled pan and also add oil heavily on both sides of the dough so the edges can be oiled.
- Cook for about 2-3 minutes rotating as need until it turns golden brown.
Serve warm!