Easy Flatbread of the Indian Subcontinent: Chapati, Roti

"Roti," also called "chapati," is a common unleavened whole wheat flatbread of India and other parts of the Indian Subcontinent. This bread has forms in some other parts of the world, where people from the Indian Subcontinent form parts of those communities. It is not quite the same as "pita" bread, which is a yeast-risen bread that is baked in a very hot oven.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted (plus extra for kneading and rolling out dough)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup barely lukewarm water (a little more, if needed... see below)
1/4 teaspoon oil
melted butter or ghee (clarified butter)

In a bowl, mix the sifted wheat flour and salt, then add the water, a little at a time, mixing it into the flour until it forms a dough. Dust your counter or board with a little wheat flour, then knead the dough for about 5 to 6 minutes. It should be nice and smooth. Roll it into a ball, rub the oil over the rounded dough and cover it with a towel or paper towel and let it rest for about 15 to 20 minutes. After that, briefly knead it again and then divide it into pieces about 2/3 the size of a golf ball. Heat a nonstick skillet or a well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium high heat. While the skillet heats, pat the dough in your hand to begin to flatten it, then sprinkle a little whole wheat flour on your board or counter top again and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into flat rounds of dough about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. They should not be super thin, nor should they be thick. Put one of the rolled out roti/chapati into the skillet. Within less than a minute it should be pretty well cooked on one side, so flip it to the other side. It will begin to puff up. You can turn it back to the other side if you want more browning, or even dark brown to black spots on the bread, or you can finish by laying the bread right on the burner for JUST a couple of seconds! Great with some melted butter brushed or drizzled onto them and with some chutney* on the side. Serve them while they are still warm.

 * For Coriander Chutney, here is the link: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2018/10/indian-coriander-chutney.html

For Mint Chutney: https://pontificating-randy.blogspot.com/2017/07/indian-mint-chutney.html

Brushed with butter and served with Coriander Chutney...

WORD HISTORY:
Leaven-This word, related to "levitate," a Latin-derived word borrowed by English, goes back to Indo European "lengwh," which meant, "not of much weight, not heavy." This gave Latin the verb  "levare," which meant in its main essence, "to lighten in weight;" but thus also, "to lift, to raise," which produced the noun "levamen," which meant, "alleviation, something that provides relief to lift or raise something." This passed into Latin-based Old French as "levain," and meant, "a substance that makes bread dough rise by fermentation." English borrowed the word in the 1300s. The verb was derived from the noun.