a kenyan kitchen experiment: chapatti

I am in serious debt to Mary, my “age mate” and the Robi family’s house girl. She prepares every meal, launders my clothes and sheets on the weekends, and most importantly ensures that there is cold Coke Light in the refrigerator most days. : ) I thank her profusely...because I am pathetically and painfully dependent in this country. Beyond domesticity, she is a trained tailor whose skills are essential to our sewing group, the school cooking staff {whose pleated garments she sews), and our children {half or more of whom wear the uniforms she has created}.

She is amazing.

My menu consisted almost entirely of Cheerios and skim milk in the States and if I was entertaining it was almost always a meeting out to dinner. With hope that I may bring an ounce of Mary’s talent and the food culture home with me, I joined her in the kitchen on Thursday, March 26 to make chapatti, a traditional Kenyan base dish borrowed from India…most commonly known as homemade flour tortillas…with a little oil.

Ingredients & Necessities:

water

flour

baking powder

sugar

oil

rolling pin

large mixing bowl

Instructions:

1. Heat water until light boil. Add additional water to the pot until water has returned to a warm temperature.

2. Measure and pour 1 ½ to 2 cups of water into large bowl.

3. Add approximately 5 tsp. sugar and mix until well-dissolved.

4. Add approximately ½ tsp. baking powder. Mix in sugar water.

5. Add 4 large cups of all-purpose four.

6. Mix and knead dough. Sprinkle with additional flour if necessary to prevent sticking.

7. Clean a large, flat surface and roll out dough to a ¼ inch thickness.

8. Pour 1 ½ tbs. of oil over dough and spread with the back of a spoon.

9. Roll dough into a hot dog with the oiled surface inside the fold.

10. Cut roll of dough into 1 ½ to 2 inch slices, tucking the loose end of the spiral into the center. Recipe should yield approximately 15 dough balls.

11. Heat a flat, cast iron skilled.

12. Sprinkle flat surface with flour. Flatten dough balls with a rolling pin to 1/8 inch thickness or less. Dough should yield a tortilla 7 to 8 inches in diameter.

13. Throw tortilla on skillet and allow to heat for approximately 45 seconds or until a light browning appears. Flip.

14. Add approximately 1 tbs. of oil to the tortilla and spread with the back of the spoon. Allow to cook for approximately 25 seconds of until a light browning occurs.

15. Continue to flip and add additional oil until desired browning is achieved.

Enjoy!

tnick