Chapati Recipe

by Amrita Sondhi

Chapati- also known as fulka or roti is an Indian flat bread made with spelt, corn or whole-wheat flour.

Spelt is similar to wheat in appearance, but it has a tougher husk than wheat that may help protect the nutrients inside the grain. Spelt has a nutty flavor, it is high in protein and nutrition.

Here is a beautiful spelt chapati recipe.. Serve your chapatis with a variety of cooked vegetables, lentils and yoghurt.


Spelt Chapati Recipe

Ingredients for 10 Chapatis:

• 2 cups spelt flour

• 1⁄2 tsp salt

• 1⁄2 cup warm water

• 1 1⁄2 tbsp ghee, melted or olive oil


Preparation:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add water and mix together with hands. Knead with your hands to form a firm, smooth dough. If too sticky, add more flour, 1 tbsp at a time; if too dry, add more water, 1 tbsp at a time. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour melted ghee over dough and knead again. Divide dough into 10 evenly-sized balls. On a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin, roll out each ball evenly into a 7-inch circle.

• In a dry heavy-bottomed or non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat, cook each chapati by placing it top-side down into the pan. When it begins to bubble, after about 1 minute, gently press edges with a non-metal spatula to allow it to gather air or rise. Flip and cook the other side for 1 minute. Set aside in an oven proof dish.


• Repeat with remaining dough. If pan gets too hot, reduce heat. Experiment to determine the optimal heat to cook them. Stack chapatis on top of each other in dish, separated with wax paper or coated with a little ghee, to prevent sticking.

• Cover dish with lid to prevent drying and place in a warm oven until ready to serve.


Spelt Nutrition:

Spelt flour has become popular in recent years thanks to its fairly strong nutritional profile. It has slightly fewer calories than wheat flour and is somewhat higher in protein. The flour is easy to digest but is lower in fiber than wheat.

It contains about 58 percent carbohydrates, 9.5% dietary fiber, 17 percent protein and 3 percent fat, a variety of vitamins and minerals. As spelt contains a moderate amount of gluten, although it is good for baking it is not suitable for people with coeliac disease. However, many people with allergies or intolerances to normal wheat report tolerating spelt well.

The health benefits of spelt include enhancing the immune system and aiding in the clotting of blood. Spelt also appears to be helpful for those who suffer from migraine headaches, atherosclerosis and diabetes. The fiber and niacin in spelt can improve cardiovascular health and decrease the risk of heart disease, and the combination of magnesium and fiber in spelt flour may lower the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.