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THE ADOPTED TRADITIONAL FOOD
 If you walk into any restaurant in Kenya, one of the features you will see on the menu is chapati. It is a very popular meal whose absence used to spark riots in Kenyan universities! Fifteen years or so ago, chapati was reserved for special occasions like Christmas in Kenyan homes. Today, however, chapati is fairly common in most homes and is eaten at least once a week. Chapati is a flat bread that is made using water, wheat flour, salt and oil. The origins of chapati can be traced to Asia. Chapati was most probably introduced into Kenya by the Indians who came to build the Kenya- Uganda railway during the 19th century. A quick survey of the Kenyan population will tell you that chapati is a local dish that probably came from the Kenyan coast. The thickness and size of Chapati varies with the cook. Chapati is very versatile. It is eaten with accompaniments like beef stew, ndengu or vegetables. It can also be eaten alone as a snack or with tea as breakfast. Chapati is not difficult to make but the more one makes them, the better
they become at it. Chapati are cooked on a special heavy flat pan that
is put over a fire. There has always been discussion about how to make
chapatis softer. Some people say the secret is in the kneading. If your
dough is soft, the chapatis will be soft; others swear that if you use
milk or yoghurt instead of water, your chapatis will be soft. The best
thing for one to do is try both methods then stick to the one that gives
you the results that you desire.
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CHAPATI (ROUND FLAT BREAD) Ingredients:  1 cup of wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2 Tbsp Oil or Ghee
3/4- 1 cup of warm water
Salt to taste
Pour the flour into a bowl, add the salt and give the mixture a good mix. Add the water (a little at a time) as you knead the flour (with clean hands!) Mix for a while, then add the oil and keep kneading until you are happy with the consistency of the dough. It should be smooth. Cover the dough and let it stand for at least half an hour minutes. Knead it again
for good measure then divide into balls. The size of the balls
is dependent on how big and how thick you want your chapatti.
Flatten each ball - on a lightly floured surface to prevent
the dough sticking to the surface. Roll out to your desired
thickness and size. They should however not be too thin. Cook that side until light brown then turn and repeat for the other side. Cook until nicely browned, if one side begins to burn, add a little oil onto the pan. Do the same for each chapatti. Wipe the pan regularly with kitchen tissue or greaseproof paper because the flour used during the rolling process sometimes sticks to the pan. Remove the chapati and put into foil paper or warm oven to keep warm. Serve with desired accompaniment. PREVIOUS FEATURES
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