emxero.com » Indian Breads- Making mistakes is how we learn, right?

Indian Breads- Making mistakes is how we learn, right?

Mar 13

2009

As mentioned in a previous post, I was all excited about using some recipes from India With Passion (awesome library find). The dish I was most excited to make was an Indian bread. The recipe looked so simple, & I just love Indian breads.. of all kinds.

This recipe was for a flatbread cooked on the stovetop, similar to roti.

I tried it a week ago & for my first attempt I was pretty happy with the results.

I tried it again last night… but thought I’d experiment with it. I wanted to make a stuffed flatbread..

Making mistakes is how we learn, right? Yeh, well keep that in mind. Mistakes are a plenty in this post.. I must be a genius by now.

There aren’t really any quantities to pass on here. You can do it all by feel-

You start with a small bowl of flour. For my first try I used plain flour. This time I used wholemeal. Traditionally chapati flour is used & that’s like 50/50 of each, so.. they both work, it’s up to your preference & your pantry stock.

Let’s say … almost a cup of flour per flatbread?

Add a pinch of salt & then some water, slowly. Add enough to make a dough.

Flip it onto the counter & knead it until it’s smooth & elastic. It won’t be too elastic-y like a yeast dough however. Keep adding flour as you knead so it becomes a firm-ish dough.

This (below) is enough for 2 massive flatbreads.

Ok, here’s where I start the experiment-

“Book vs Blogger”

There’s only one way to skin a cat, but apparently two ways to stuff a flatbread.

I read a foodblog lately that claimed the “traditional way” to stuff a flatbread is flawed, difficult.. and pretty much sux. She offered a new method that did indeed seem pretty darn easy.

The “traditional” way is what was shown in India With Passion, so I thought I’d try both methods to test-drive them myself. I’ve divided my dough into two & am gonna make one of each.

This is the blogger’s “easy” & “non traditional” way-

Divide the dough into two & make two very thin sheets (try to make them approximately the same shape cos you’re gonna sandwich them together eventually, but who cares if they’re round, right?)

Start flattening with your hand & then finish it off with a rolling pin.

Yep, real thin. Make sure your surface is floured.

Spread a little filling on one sheet. I chose a spicy onion & garlic flavour for my first attempt. You could do paneer or potato or whatever you like.

Grab the other sheet & sandwich it on top. Get the air bubbles out with your hands & then use the rolling pin to flatten it (try not to tear it though). The filling will show through, but hopefully not spill. Straight forward, huh?

Done. That worked really well.

Verdict- I like that method.

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Now, lets try the “traditional method” from India With Passion-

Don’t split the dough in two like the other method. Simply flatten the dough out with your hand & spread your filling in the middle.

Pick up the sides like a bundle to seal it all in & start patting it flat with your hand again.

Grab your rolling pin & roll it flat again.

Mine didn’t work out exactly. It tore & became a horrible mess.

… I don’t like the traditional method already, even after just one try & I understand exactly what that blogger was talking about. The blogger’s method is a big improvement for a novice like me.

Ok, now before you look at the butt-ugly picture below, let me explain the next thing I tested..

The blogger also claimed that “you don’t need oil in the pan”. Now, when I made roti last week I used oil & it blackened in spots nicely & slid right off the pan like magic, but I was keen to try it without oil.. y’know, to make it healthier.

Nup.

Didn’t work. Hence the fugliness you see below. This was the “traditional” rolled one, so it was already weak & when it stuck to the pan, it stuck hard. A nightmare to chisel off.