Ghee Chapattis - Indian wholewheat Flatbread topped with clarified butter

Chapattis are well-known around the world now! I even read an article in the newspaper a while ago on a debate as to which country has the ownership of this flat bread!! We all know the answer to that right? #India

I am not doing justice to the images in this blog post. I will add more photos later.

A lot of commercial mixes of Chapatti flour secretly add refined flour (maida) to add softness to the flour. It really isn't required! You can make your own multigrain flour. You can even have it milled to ensure that there is no refined white flour in the mix. A mix of whole wheat:bajra(pearl millet):oat:ragi(finger millet):psyllium husk or isabgol:soya in 2:1:1:1:0.5:0.5 proportion. You could also add Maize or Channa Dal which is a kind of a dried pulse.

You need:

• 2 cups of whole wheat or multigrain flour ('Aata' /chapati flour)
• 1 cup of lukewarm drinking water
• Salt to taste
• Ghee/clarified butter (1 tsp per chapatti)

The Make:
Makes 7-8 chappatis depending on the size | Preparation Time (including standing time): 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 15 minutes

1. In a fairly large bowl, add the lukewarm water and add in the flour and salt.
2. Knead the flour into a smooth dough. Add water if required.
3. If the dough gets too sticky, add a shake of flour taking care not too add too much or it would end up being too floury.
4. Cover the bowl and let the dough stand for 15 minutes. If you leave it longer say like an hour or more, it tends to get softer.
5. Divide the dough into 8 balls and roll out the dough using a rolling pin into a perfect or almost perfect medium sized round using some additional flour as required. It helps to keep the flour in a small ramekin or bowl on the side as you roll out the dough to help dip into the bowl in case of sticky sides.
6. Heat a pan/tawa and lower the heat on medium-low and carefully place the rolled out dough circle on the Tawa. Allow it to cook and rise which takes about  a minute to a minute and a half of each side. Flip to cook the other side. You can also take the cooked chapati and toss over the medium flame directly on both sides to give it a rustic look and flavour.
7. Add a tsp of ghee on each side and set aside in a covered chapatti casserole.

Serve hot with your favourite side dish Rajma Masala, Aloo Jeera, Methi Chicken Curry.