Chapati (Kenyan Layered Flatbread)
In short: Soft, flaky, layered flatbreads rolled, oiled and coiled, then cooked in a hot skillet until golden and blistered, a Kenyan favorite for any meal. It takes about 1 h in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 265 kcal
Kenyan chapati is a soft, layered flatbread that came to the coast with Indian traders and became a national favorite. The dough is rolled thin, brushed with oil, coiled into a snail and rolled out again, which creates the flaky layers. It is cooked in a hot skillet with a little oil until golden and spotted. Kenyans eat chapati with beef stew, beans, sukuma wiki or simply with tea, and it is a Sunday and holiday staple.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the 2 tbsp oil, then add the warm water a little at a time and mix into a soft dough. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll one out into a thin circle about 22 cm (9 in) wide and brush it with oil.
- Roll the circle up tightly like a rope, then coil it into a snail and tuck the end underneath. Repeat with the others and rest the coils under a cloth for 15 minutes.
- Roll each coil out flat into a circle about 20 cm (8 in) wide and 3 mm (1/8 in) thick.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook a chapati for about 1 minute until bubbles appear, flip it and brush with oil. Cook for 1 minute, flip again, brush the other side and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until golden spots appear and it puffs slightly.
- Stack the chapatis wrapped in a clean towel so they steam and stay soft. Serve warm.
Tips
- Cook on medium heat. If the pan is too hot the outside burns before the layers cook, and if it is too cool the chapati turns dry and stiff. Wrap them as soon as they come off the pan.
- If the dough springs back when you roll it, cover it and let it rest for another 10 minutes. The relaxed dough rolls thinner and gives more even layers.
Questions and answers
How do you get layers in chapati?
Roll the dough thin, brush it with oil, roll it into a rope, coil it into a snail and roll it out again. Each fold traps oil between thin layers of dough.
Can I freeze chapati?
Yes. Stack the cooked chapatis with parchment between them and freeze for up to 2 months. Warm them in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side.
What do you serve with chapati?
Beef stew, beans, lentil stew or sukuma wiki, and a cup of chai in the morning.
How long does it take to make Chapati (Kenyan Layered Flatbread)?
About 1 h in total: 30 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chapati (Kenyan Layered Flatbread)?
About 265 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 38 g of carbohydrates and 10 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 265 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Fat | 10 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 290 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
