The Cascade Kitchen: Kenyan Chapati

The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run food column that brings you budget-friendly recipes and cooking tips. Check back weekly for something new to try in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca.

Chapati, a dish developed from the Indian paratha, is considered a luxury staple in Kenya. It never tastes the same from chef to chef; some make it sweet, others salty, and some add veggies like carrots and cilantro. Despite all these cool additives, there is a base recipe you can develop to your own taste. The best part is that once you make them, you have two to three weeks to enjoy them. Best of luck, and hope you enjoy it!

Makes: 12 chapatis

Prep time: 4½ hours (mostly to let the dough rest)

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

6 cups unbleached flour

1 tbsp salt

4 tbsp sugar

20 tbsp vegetable oil 

2½ cups warm water

Directions:

1. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl and stir until combined. 
2. Add 10 tbsp of oil and mix in with your hands.
3. Gradually add the warm water into your bowl till all combined. Add 4 more tbsp of oil and knead until it is no longer sticking to your hands. 
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave for 2-4 hours (I recommend 4 hours for the best results). 
5. Spread a light amount of flour onto the countertop. Knead your dough for 4 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal sections.
6. With a rolling pin, roll out the section into a circle 1-1½ inch thick, then spread 1-1½ tsp of oil on top. 
7. Cut the circle into strips of 6, roll each strip up, then flatten them down with your hands. Place them aside and repeat for the next 3 sections. Leave to rest for 30 minutes, covered with a towel.
8. Sprinkle a little more flour on the countertop. Take one of your flattened rolls and roll it out into a circle until it’s 1/2 an inch thick. Peel up your raw chapati and place aside. Repeat this for the other rolls. If you run out of space on the counter, you can do this as you cook. 
9. Place a pan on medium heat and coat it with a thin layer of oil. As you wait for the pan to heat up, place 4 tbsp of your oil in a bowl.
10. Carefully peel one of your raw chapatis and place it onto your pan. Wait until it’s slightly browned, which will take between 1-3 minutes, then flip it and spread oil on its cooked side. Repeat this process on the other side, then flip it back to its original side. Cook it for 2 more minutes on its original side. (Tip: stack them like pancakes and cover with a plate to make them softer). Repeat this step until all your chapatis are fried up.

Best accompaniments:

• Tea or any hot drink
• Stews
• Stir-fry
• Pan fried meats
• Grilled meats (if you want to be ambitious)

Enjoy!

Sherryl Agingu

Sherryl is The Production Manager of The Cascades newspaper, mostly responsible for creating the layout of the newspaper and sometimes the main features. She is currently in her 2nd year pursuing a BFA with a Graphic Design Major.

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