Indian Food: Chapati and Roti Breads

Chapati and Roti are Indian flatbreads - unleavened and cooked on a grill. The main difference between the two is that Roti is brushed with oil before cooking. It's basically exactly like a flour tortillas, though Indians usually use atta, 100% whole wheat flour, and there's no baking powder.

Chapati/Roti Indian Bread Recipe

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. white flour

1/4 t. salt

1 T. oil

1/2 c. water + T or so

Mix the dry ingredients and the oil. Add water and knead with your hands until the dough is smooth and just a a little sticky. Knead for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.

Break off about a tablespoon of dough and form into a smooth ball. Roll the dough out into a very thin circle.


Cook the chapati on a dry grill. To make roti, brush each side of the flattened dough with oil before cooking on the griddle.

Indian Food: Naan

Kannagi had never heard of naan, so I think it might be a North Indian food. South Indians use chapati or roti to mop up their "gravy" instead.

Naan Indian Bread Recipe

1 T. yeast

1 c. warm water

1/4 c. sugar

3 T. milk

1 egg, beaten

2 t. salt

4 1/2 c. flour

2 t. garlic

1/4 c. melted butter

Mix yeast, water and sugar and let stand 10 minutes. Mix in remaining ingredients, except butter. Rise 1 hour. Form into balls. Rise 1/2 hour. Roll balls thinly, brush with melted butter and grill on each side.

Indian Butter Chicken

A recipe for Indian Butter Chicken already exists on this blog. This is Kannagi's version, with added potatoes, because I'd rather eat a potato than a chicken.

1 T. butter

2 T. cashew nut

Fry the nuts in butter and remove.

1 T. butter

1 chopped onion

Add to pan and fry until onion is cooked.

2 T. ginger garlic paste

(you can buy this in a packet, or make your own by pureeing 1 T. garlic and 1 T. ginger root)

Add to pan and fry.

1/2 lb chicken cubes

1/2 lb potato cubes

1/4 t. turmeric

1/4 t. chili powder

1/4 t. coriander powder

1/4 t. garam masala

Add to pan and fry.

4-5 tomatoes, pureed

Add to pan and fry. When potatoes and chicken are done, add:

1/2 c. coconut milk

1 T. chopped cilantro

Heat through.

Serve with rice and naan.

Indian Food: Veg Biryani and Raita

6 months after coming to India, I have finally learned how to cook Indian food. One dish at least. Biryani (minus copious amounts of chili powder) is one of the Indian dishes we've found that we like. I just fed the last of the leftovers to Dalton for lunch and he gobbled it down. There is a veg version and a chicken version. In one you use vegetables, in the other, chicken. Apparently, it's weird to mix the two, but I've been doing so anyway.

Veg or Chicken Biryani Recipe

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

3 whole cloves

2 cardamom pods

1 small red onion, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic, minced or pureed

1 teaspoon ginger, minced or pureed

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 teaspoons plain yogurt

1 teaspoon coriander leaf (cilantro)

1 teaspoon mint leaf

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup sliced green beans

1/2 lb cubed chicken

1 cup rice

2 cups water

Cook the first set of ingredients in the oil until onion is soft. Add the ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Add the cilantro and mint, the yogurt, and the powdered spices. Stir in the veggies and chicken. Add rice and water. Cook until rice and chicken are done.

Raita is a condiment used to take the heat off some Indian dishes. It reminds me of eating sour cream, lettuce, and pico de gallo with enchiladas.

Raita Recipe

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 tomato, chopped

1/2 cucumber, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 t. cilantro, chopped

dash salt

Mix

Indian Butter Chicken (Chickan Makhani)

Sauce

1 T. oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped

2 T. butter

2 t. lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 t. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1 t. garam masala

1 t. grated ginger

1/4 c. plain yogurt

1 c. whole milk

1 small can tomato sauce
1/4 t. cayenne pepper (optional)

black pepper
salt

Saute shallot and onion in oil. Stir in butter, lemon juice, garlic, and spices, cook 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in milk and yogurt. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

1 T. oil

1 lb boneless chicken, bite-sized pieces

3 potatoes, diced

1 t. garam masala
dash cayenne pepper

1 T. cornstarch

1/4 c. water

Heat oil in skillet. Cook potatoes in oil, evenly browning. Remove potatoes and add to sauce. Add chicken to oil and cook about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, season chicken. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce and simmer until liquid is reduced and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.

Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into sauce. Cook or 5-10 minutes until thickened. Serve over rice.