Delicious Chapati - served hot with meat dishes or even as a wrap - can be found all over Tanzania Following on from my post about traditional East African foods this morning, I thought that I would introduce you to the humble (yet immensely popular and tasty) Chapati which is commonly found on many tables here in Tanzania.
Chapati are similar to tortillas or pancakes and even in the small villages you will find them being cooked over open fires on the roadside. They are a great accompaniment to most savoury dishes like stews containing meat, beans or vegetables. They can be torn and dipped in to meat dishes and of course you can also put food inside them and use them as a ‘wrap’ (my favourite way to eat them !)
Each woman here has her own way of making chapati, usually a recipe which has been passed down from her grandmother, aunt or mother. Here is a commonly used Chapati recipe for you to try -:
Chapati
500 gm Flour
½ tsp Salt
1 Egg, beaten
Lukewarm Water
4 tbsp Oil (or 120 gm Ghee)
Sieve flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre & add the beaten egg and a little of the lukewarm water. Mix to form a dough, adding oil a tablespoon at a time and enough lukewarm water as you go along until you have a nice, manageable dough to work with. Once the dough is smooth, divide it in to equal portions (golf ball size) and roll each one into a flat round. Allow to stand for 20 – 30 minutes and then fry individually in a very hot pan (add a little oil to the pan if you wish) on both sides until the chapati begins to form air bubbles & turns a lovely golden brown colour.
