CHAPATIS... That's What!

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What kind of bread can be made in less than an hour by even inexperienced bakers . . . costs next to nothing . . . requires no oven . . . complements almost any food you can name . . . and is so delicious you'll have to lock the refrigerator to keep the snackers away?

A while back, a friend of mine threw a dinner party. And that get—together was distinguished—for me at least—by the presence of some round, lightly browned tortilla-like wafers nestled among the piles of barbecued chicken, refried beans, homemade whole wheat bread, fresh garden vegetables, eye-catching salads, and assorted condiments.

One of the guests at that festive feast—a Sikh from India—first sampled all the foods, then pointed to the stack of wafers and pronounced: "This is best!" He was biased—of course—because those thin, crispy patties of unleavened bread were chapatis (also spelled chipatis, chepattis, or chupattis) ... which have been a staple food in his homeland for thousands of years! Still, even though I'd chewed my first chapati only a few months earlier, I had to agree with the Sikh: Of all the breads I have eaten, I too like chapatis the best.

IT'S LIKE TORTILLAS

The chapati is a close cousin to the tortilla of Mexico, the Jewish matzo, Arab pocket bread, American hoecakes and spoonbread . . . and yes . . . even pancakes, waffles, English muffins, and pizza! All these—and many more—are flat breads . . . perhaps the oldest and most basic breads in existence. Nearly every culture has its own version of flat bread, which—in its simplest form—consists of nothing but flour and water formed into thin, round wafers. The discs are then quickly cooked on hot stones, coals, griddles . . . or even the tops of wood stoves!

While there has been-and will continue to be—many a fallen loaf of yeast bread in the annals of baking, chapatis seem virtually foolproof . . . even for confirmed kitchen klutzes! In five years of baking these Indian delicacies I have never made a bad batch (though no two have ever turned out quite the same). And, since chapatis are so easy to make, you can whip up a week's supply—or more—in just a couple of hours. (If any are left over after you've wolfed down half a batch or so, wrap them in airtight packages and store 'em in the fridge or freezer. They keep just as well as ordinary bread, but take up much less space.)

THE BASIC RECIPE

Combine 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of clarified butter or cooking oil in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly, then gradually add 1/2 to 1 cup of water (each batch varies) until the dough is smooth, elastic, and moist . . . but not sticky! Then rub a small amount of oil on a breadboard—or other working surface—to prevent sticking, and knead the dough for at least 10 minutes (the more you knead, the lighter the chapatis).

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