Pumpkin Chapati
Chapati is a staple flatbread in Kenya, where you’ll often see it made with mashed vegetables such as pumpkin or squash. It’s one of the first dishes that Kiano Moju learned to make as a toddler, and it’s featured throughout her cookbook “AfriCali,” which blends the Kenyan and Nigerian flavors she grew up with at home, her California upbringing and global travels. For Thanksgiving, try making it with pumpkin puree, a pantry ingredient that’s often in excess this time of year; it lends the finished chapati a slightly nutty flavor. Eat the chapati on its own, rolled into an omelet for a take on the Ugandan street food rolex or with chickpea coconut curry, two more recipes from Moju’s cookbook.
Use your hands to mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, add the pumpkin puree and 1 tablespoon of melted butter and mix until fully combined and a loose dough forms.
Once the dough begins to pull together, turn it onto a cleaned and lightly floured surface and knead. Continue to knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rest until the dough relaxes, about 15 minutes. If the dough feels too springy, it needs to rest longer.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s thin. Don’t worry if the dough tears. If the dough is shrinking as you roll, cover it to allow it to rest for another 10 minutes.
Once the dough is stretched thin, brush the entire surface with the melted butter. Lightly sprinkle a few pinches of flour on top of the butter. Working from the edge nearest you, roll the dough into a log. Cut into six pieces.
When ready to cook, heat a wide nonstick frying pan over medium-high. While the pan is heating, roll out the dough. Keep the rest of the pieces covered with a clean kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
To begin rolling, first lightly flour your hands and a rolling pin. With the cut side facing up, press down the chapati piece into a flat disc.
Working with one piece at a time, place the dough cut side facing up. Roll the dough into an 8- to 9-inch disc, frequently rotating to help maintain its circular shape. If the dough springs back when rolled, it needs to rest longer.
Once the pan is hot (sprinkle a few drops of water into the pan — the water should sizzle and evaporate quickly), lightly brush with the melted butter and carefully lay down the rolled-out dough. Once the dough is no longer sticky on the surface, about 1 minute, lightly brush the top with butter, flip and cook the other side for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until golden brown, lightly brushing the top with butter. It’s a good sign if the chapati puffs up and bubbles! Repeat with the remaining dough, stacking the cooked chapatis on a plate. Keep covered until ready to serve.
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