Flatbreads
Flatbreads are flat pieces of breads with no leavening; hence, the flat appearance. Tortillas are a flatbread. Pizza is a flatbread although, technically, it has leavening. People have been making some form of flatbread for over 6000 years and are one of the earliest forms of bread known to man. Flatbreads provide a great foundation for learning to work with flour and breads. Most flatbreads are eaten with your hands and often used in place of utensils to pick up food.
We will be making chapatti, a flat, unleavened, circular shaped bread made with whole-wheat flour and water. It is baked on a circular, concave shaped griddle plate called the tawa. The baking time is 2-3 minutes and when half-baked on the griddle plate, it is placed directly on the fire until it puffs up like a balloon.
Ghee, or clarified butter, is used in place of butter in much of Indian cooking and in making many flatbreads.
We will also make dal and a traditional salsa to eat with our chapati.

Chapatis or Paratha
Yield: 16-20 servings
Ingredient
  • Whole-wheat flour 4 oz. 
  • AP flour 10 oz.
  • Salt 0.25 oz. (2.5 teaspoons kosher salt)
  • Ghee or oil 1 ½ oz.
  • Water, lukewarm 9 oz.
Method
  1. Mix the salt and flour in the bowl, then rub in ghee or oil. Add water all at once and mix to a firm but not stiff dough.
  2. Cover and let rest ten minutes.
  3. Knead dough for at least ten minutes (the more it is kneaded, the lighter the bread will be). Form dough into a ball, cover with clear plastic wrap and stand for one hour or overnight. (If left overnight the Chapatis will be very light and tender).
  4. Shape dough into balls about the size of a large walnut. Roll out each one on a lightly floured board to a circular shape as thin as a French crepe. After rolling out Chapatis, heat a griddle plate or heavy based frying pan until very hot.
  5. Starting with those that were rolled first (the resting between rolling and cooking makes for lighter Chapatis) transfer the rounds of dough to the hot griddle and cook for about 1 minute until it starts to puff.  Flip the chapati and continue to cook another minute until it puffs again and the bottom is slightly speckled. Use a towel to press on the edges of the circle so that the bread puffs and cooks evenly. As each one is cooked, wrap in a clean tea towel until all are ready. Serve immediately with butter, dry curries or vegetable dishes.

Note: In India, the Chapatis are cooked on the tawa or griddle and are held for a moment or two right over the fire. This makes them puff up like balloons. You can do this over a gas flame, holding them with kitchen tongs.

GHEE - CLARIFIED BUTTER
Ghee is used in many Middle Eastern dishes. It is the same as clarified butter and can be used to sauté many dishes where butter is called for. Without the butterfat butter is less likely to burn.
Ingredients:
  • 1/4 pound unsalted butter, cubed
  1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.
  2. Continue to cook over medium-high heat; an even layer of white milk proteins will float to the surface.
  3. Bring to a boil; the milk proteins will become foamy.
  4. Lower heat to medium and continue to gently boil; the milk proteins will break apart.
  5. As butter gently boils, milk proteins will eventually sink to the bottom of the pot, and the boiling will begin to calm and then cease. Adjust heat as needed to continue boiling off water without scorching milk solids.
  6. Once boiling has stopped, pour butter through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or through a coffee filter into a heatproof container to remove browned milk solids. Let cool, then transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use. Clarified butter should keep at least 6 months in the refrigerator.

DAAL: INDIAN SPICED LENTIL
Ingredients
• 3/4 cups red lentils, washed and drained
• 1 tbsp. ghee 
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 small red chillie or ¼ tsp. dried red chilli flakes (optional)
• 1 ½ tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 roma tomato, finely diced
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. In a medium pot over low-medium heat, add the ghee to melt. Add the onion and cook, stirring until very soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, ginger and fresh chilli if using (if using dried red chilli flakes, add them later with the spices) and cook for 1 minute, until just fragrant.
  3. Add the spices; curry, coriander, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and dried red chilli flakes (if using) and salt. Stir for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the tomato and the lentils, stir for a couple of minutes until nicely coated with everything.
  5. Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered for about 20-30 minutes until lentils are very soft and the stew is thick, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and adding a little extra water if needed. Season to taste. Serve with Naan and mango chutney.

Traditional Tomato and Cilantro Salsa
Ingredients:
  • 1/2 - 1 fresh green chilies
  • 1/4 med white onion, chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 lime, plus strips of the lime rind
  • 2 ripe, firm tomatoes
  • 1 Tablespoon of fresh coriander (cilantro)
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • Salt
  • 1/2 tsp of ginger finely chopped
Directions:
  1. Roast the chilies in the flame of your stove until blackened and set aside in a bag for about 20 minutes.
  2. Chop the onion finely and put it in a bowl with the lime rind and juice. The lime juice will soften and mellow the onion.
  3. Remove the chilies from the bag and peel off the skins. Chop and set aside. Wear gloves if you are sensitive to hot peppers.
  4. Cut a small cross at the base of each tomato and place in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water to cover. Let sit for no more than ten to fifteen seconds. Put the tomatoes into a bowl of cold water. Drain and remove the skins.
  5. Dice the peeled tomatoes and put them in a bowl. Add the chopped onion with any remaining lime juice and rind. Chop the coriander and ginger finely.
  6. Add the chopped coriander and ginger to the salsa, with the chilies and the sugar. Mix gently until the sugar has dissolved and all the ingredients are coated with lime juice.
  7. If time, cover and chill for 2-3 hours to allow the flavor to blend. Garnish with the extra strips of lime rind just before serving.