Any chapatti makers? Pease help!

[society]

I have recently experimented with making chapatti and I need the griddle or tava that's usually used to cook the chapatti on. Where in London can I buy a really good quality one, nice and heavy. Thanks!

[Kim A]

I've made them very successfully on a cast iron frying pan, heated as hot as possible (leave it on a high heat for about 10 minutes), then slap the chapatti straight on. turn with tongs. Bob's your uncle. you can also get a really good puffy effect by sticking the cooked chapatti straight onto a gas flame. for some reason, it finishs them off nicely - it advises this in Madhur Jaffrey's cookery book, so I tried it once, not expecting good results, but was very surprised when it worked.

[Jugglering]

I have a lovely cast iron tava but as it is some 30 years old, I suspect you wouldn't be able to get that quality these days. The modern ones are usually stainless steel, non stick or anodised aluminium and can be bought in larger asian supermarkets - the sort of places that sell the indian spices and ingredients in large quantities - just ask in there and they will point you in the right direction ! As Kim says, however, all you really need is a heavy duty frying pan or even a griddle pan.

Have you experimented with making parathas and rotis yet ?

[society]

Thanks for the ideas Kim and Jugglering!

Kim: I have very ancient iron frying pans. I'll try that idea.

Jugglering: I have not tried making parathas or rotis as yet.
I've only made my first chapatti yesterday. What are rotis?

Cheers!

[Jugglering]

Parathas are buttered chapattis - you place knobs of butter on a circle of the uncooked dough, roll it all up into a swiss roll shape, squeeze gently, then form a spiral, press flat and roll out again to form a circle 1/8" thick (you may need to dip the dough in flour if it gets sticky), then place on the hot tava (or just spread some melted butter over the first circle of dough it and then cook it).

Roti's are (to me) stuffed chapatti's - roll out two little circles of dough separately, spread over one of them some dryish cooked spicy lentils or spicy mashed potato, plonk the other circle of dough on top, pinch the edges all around and roll everything out again, then place on the hot tava/griddle and cook them gently, turning once or twice.

Here's a website that tells you loads more:-
http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Recipes/breads.ht m

[society]

Thanks Jugglering! Now I know the answer to my question to you in Body & Soul :-)
You are fun and a true sport.

[missrandom]

i just use a non stick pan and that worked fine:-)