MAIDA CHAPATI - ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR CHAPATI
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| MAIDA CHAPATI - ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR CHAPATI |
Western Countries has a noteworthy bread based Culture in its Cuisine that every country has a local bread of their own. Though Asia is recognized as a Rice-based Culture, India has a mixed-up culture of Roti (Bread) & Rice. Wheat and Rice being two major staple food spread throughout India, we can find a relatively unbiased society in the true sense of eating Roti & Rice. But we Indians are quite reluctant about our own Bread though we can claim our skill and versatility with the never-ending long-list of bread varieties virtually prepared from any kind of Grain/Pulse.
Among the long list of Rotis, Chapati is considered to be the base of all Rotis & Parathas. No Indian meal is complete without this quintessential flatbread - Chapati. Chapati is an Indian flatbread traditionally prepared with finely milled Whole Wheat Flour. Commonly called as Chapati/Pulka/Roti. But this Maida Chapati Recipe is one with a twist, it is prepared with All-purpose flour colloquially called Maida in India.
In recent years it has become a common scenario in Indian households to totally avoid dishes prepared with Maida. Due to the bleaching agents added into the flour has brought forth a debatable concern on whether the flour is healthy enough. I have heard sceptical words from family & friends about the dishes cooked with Maida and a long lecture to avoid it. But I am still from a school who believes to cook certain dishes with the same old ingredient. I have yet not tried to substitute Maida with Whole Wheat Flour(aatta) for any of the classic recipes which call for Maida/All-purpose Flour. My norm is that if at all you have to substitute, do not make!!! I cannot imagine preparing Cakes or Malabar Parotta with Wheat Flour.
Maida is used extensively in Central Asian Cuisine and Indian Cuisine. Flatbreads such as Naan, Kulcha, Tandoori Roti, Parotta, Romali Roti are made using Maida. Batura is a fluffy, deep-fried, leavened bread made with Maida and Curd/Yogurt. Puri & Luchi are other simple deep-fried Indian breads prepared with Maida. Indian Breads take an equally important place in an Indian Palate along with Rice.
This Maida Chapati dough is prepared with All-purpose Flour(Maida), Salt and Water, kneaded into a soft dough with hands, left aside for at least 10 or 15 minutes to an hour for the gluten(the protein that naturally occurs in Wheat Flour) in the dough to develop. The dough becomes softer and more pliable. Small portions of the dough are pinched off and formed into round balls that are pressed between the two palms to form discs. Then they are dipped into flour and rolled out on a circular rolling board called Chakla using a rolling pin known as Belan into a perfect circle. There are also automatic roti makers available on the market that automate the whole process. Even rolling these Maida Chapatis become easy with Chapati pressing machines. These Maida Chapatis tend to spring back to size when rolled, so make sure to roll out slightly bigger than normal Chapatis.
The rolled-out dough is cooked on a preheated tava/griddle on both sides. Good quality All-purpose Flour/Maida, well-kneaded dough, perfectly rolled Chapatis yield soft, fluffy and tasty Maida Chapatis. Rolling them into perfect rounds is a feat which can be acquired by practice. It is equally one of the easiest yet tricky dishes to prepare in terms of shape and softness.Chapati was one dish I learned during my early days of cooking, and I am not sure how I perfected it or maybe I was simply lucky enough to get it right every time I made them. This is one dish I feel totally foolproof. And all the more they remain soft even the next day. Maida Chapati pops into my daily Menus rather frequently, as my kids love these Chapatis. Except for my Mom, I have never seen anybody else making these Maida Chapatis at home in our circle. When you get typically bored with normal Chapatis, you can try this variation and I am sure it is not going to disappoint you.
I have a count of measurement for each and every item I use for cooking, though followed by habit rather than practice, I stick on to the measurements and increase/decrease it according to usage. until I finally figure out what works best for me. And if you ask people who make soft chapatis, they repeat the same method that you have already tried countless times to no avail. If you are one of those who can make soft rotis (chapatis) I would suggest not to read further. This recipe is for 'Beginners only‘.
I use water at room temperature. I add few teaspoons of Oil while kneading the dough and no drizzling of oil/ghee while cooking them over the griddle, i.e because my husband doesn't like greasy Chapatis. Once, my neighbour, MAMI said we have to leave the dough aside to prove for at least 8-10 minutes, only then the gluten in the flour would develop which can yield you a soft and nutritious Chapati. And the most important factor behind soft Chapatis is adding Flour to water instead of adding Water to Flour.
For CHAPATI RECIPE WITH AATTA/WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, Click here...
Cuisine - Indian
Course - Main CourseDifficulty - Medium
Serves - 4
Yields - 15 Chapatis
Author - SM
Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes
Leavening Time - 10-30 Minutes - 1 Hour
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes
For more recipes on INDIAN BREADS, Click here...
HOW TO MAKE SOFT MAIDA CHAPATI -
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR CHAPATI
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| MAIDA CHAPATI - ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR CHAPATI |
INGREDIENTS:
Maida/All-purpose Flour - 3 Cups
Water - 11/4 Cups(Approximately)Salt - To Taste
Sugar - 3-4 Tspns(Optional)
Oil - 2-3 Tbspn
METHOD:
MAIDA/ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR:
Maida is made from Wheat, finely milled without any bran, refined, and bleached. It is prepared from the Endosperm, the starchy white part of the Wheat Grain. So it contains Carbohydrates & Sugar. The bran is separated from the germ & the endosperm and then it is refined. Commonly the flour is then bleached either naturally due to atmospheric oxygen, or flour bleaching agents. Maida is typically white in colour. Though Wheat has high Gluten content, the heat generated during the milling process results in denaturing of the protein, limiting its use in the preparation of leavened breads.
Although not the exact equivalent of All-purpose flour, Maida is often labelled as Multi-purpose flour. What I get in Malaysia is the Tepung Gandum which literally translates to Wheat Flour labelled as Plain Flour or All-purpose Flour.
Maida is low in Protein and Fiber as the BRAN is removed during the milling. Maida is low in protein (gluten), an advantage for producing high-volume, soft/tender cakes with fine grain. Its high extensibility and stretchability are desirable qualities for a variety of Indian Breads, Pastries and Baked Goods.
KNEADING THE DOUGH:
METHOD:
- Take 11/4 Cups of Water in Bowl big enough to knead the dough.
- Add a dash of Salt and some Sugar(Optional) to the water.
- Drizzle few teaspoons of Oil over the water.
- Mix the ingredients well.
- Now add 3 Cups of Maida/All-purpose Flour to the water and mix.
- Can sieve the Flour once if you prefer to.
- Do not knead at this point, just mix until there is no more water is visible.
- At this point, we could feel that the mix is no more sticky.
- Now knead the dough until it turns smoother and softer for at least 8-10 minutes.
- Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.
NOTES :
- Add Flour to the Water mix. This method will retain the softness of the Chapatis for a longer time.
- Add a little oil to the flour and mix well.
- You will need approximately 11/4 Cups of Water for 3 Cups of Maida/All-purpose Flour.
- Amount of water totally depends on the quality of the Flour used. Adjust Accordingly.
- If you need more Water do not add directly to the flour mix.
- Instead, dip your fist into the water and apply to the mix and knead it.
- Longer you knead the dough, it tends to become soft and pliable.
RESTING THE DOUGH:
Maida/All-purpose Flour has an average level of protein from the milling process. This protein produces gluten which will give the dough its stretchable body. When Flour and Water are mixed to form the dough, the stretchy consistency of the Flour is developed by mixing, kneading and resting the dough. During these processes, the protein in the wheat becomes elastic and smooth. The starch in the flour holds onto the water to give Structure & Volume. This also paves a way through to break the gluten chains, alternatively giving a softness to the dough.
METHOD :
- Wrap the well-kneaded dough with a wet kitchen towel/cling film/ plastic wrap or cover the bowl tightly with a lid.
- Leave the dough, aside for at least 8-10 minutes for the gluten in the flour to develop.
- Covering the dough traps moisture, otherwise, it will dry out forming a crust.
- And keep the dough covered all the time.
- If time permits rest the dough for an extra hour in cold weather conditions.
- Warm weather softens the dough quickly.
- I usually rest the dough for an hour. If short of time, rest it for at least 8-10 mins.
- Resting time tenderizes the dough giving a soft and springy texture.
ROLLING THE DOUGH :
METHOD:
- Divide the dough into equal portions.
- Roll out each portion into medium-sized thin circles.
- Maida Chapatis tend to spring back in size once rolled, so make sure to roll it out slightly bigger than the size of a normal Chapati.
- Roll them with even thickness.
- Dust the rolling board with dry flour while rolling the dough.
- Can use well powdered Rice Flour to dust the rolling board. This will yield Soft Chapatis.
- Do not use too much flour while you roll the dough.
- Chapatis tend to become hard if you use more flour on either side of the dough when rolling them.
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| MAIDA CHAPATI - ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR CHAPATI |
COOKING THE MAIDA CHAPATIS:
- Heat a Tava/Griddle on a high flame.
- When the Tava/Griddle turns hot, lower the flame and gently place the Rolled Chapatis over it.
- Wait for the colour to change slightly and slowly it will start to fluff up.
- Now flip the Maida Chapatis and cook the other side of the Chapatis.
- Make sure that it is cooked through with brown crispy spots.
- Do not cook Maida Chapatis on high flame or allow it to burn.
- Once cooked remove the Maida Chapatis from the Tava/Griddle.
- Place it on a plate or dish lined with a clean kitchen towel.
- Stack up the Maida Chapatis one over the other
- Cover it up with the kitchen towel.
- Just before serving, smear Oil/Butter/Ghee over the Chapatis.
- Serve Maida Chapatis hot with your choice of Vegetarian/Non-vegetarian Side Dishes.
- Goes well with Raithas too.
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| MAIDA CHAPATI - ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR CHAPATI |
NOTES :
- Do not overheat the Tava/Griddle while cooking the Maida Chapatis.
- If adding Oil while cooking Chapatis do not overheat the Tava/Griddle until smoke forms.
- There will be condensation underneath each cooked Chapatis, Kitchen Towels absorb the moisture and prevent from Chapatis getting soggy.
- Reverse the stack after piling up the Maida Chapatis.
- If serving later, store them in an insulated casserole lined with a kitchen towel to absorb the condensation.
1 comments
I was delighted to read your explanation on making chapatis with Maida.
ReplyDeleteEarlier I had read some articles on the I'll effects of maid. It made me laugh. I've been eating maida-cooked things all my life and enjoy very good health as a senior citizen.
There are many factors re good health and one them is to be a happy-go-lucky person like me. More importantly you've got to be a spiritual person ( I don't mean religious ). Do good to all.