Chapati

As promised, here is a post purely about chapatis. This food deserves a post of its own because of how important they are to the Indian diet. They are eaten with anything and everything, from rice to dal to baji to even just with jam and butter. I always thought naan and roti were the flat bread of India, but they are actually MUCH less common. Chapatis are a nutritious compliment to any meal. They are a simple food. The dough contains just whole wheat flour, water, and a tiny bit of salt. They are made fresh every day. Our professors have told us that a common response (especially in rural areas) from husbands when asked if they would like to see their wives formally employed is "Well then who will make the chapatis?" Although this statement may bring up a separate issue of gender roles and inequality, it also shows how important chapati is in Indian culture.

My host family is determined to teach me how to make a good chapati. My grandma, who we call Aiee (which means mother) says that I need to learn how to make them here so that when I go back home I can make a man happy! I'm going to show you what my host family showed me as far as chapati-making goes.

My host family gets their own wheat ground at a mill. Not every family does it, but I think it is cool that that's an option. When my mom showed me this, it was still warm! They go through SO much of this stuff..

After making the dough in the morning and then letting it rise a bit, Aiee or my mom starts making the chapati to eat with lunch and dinner. The extra flour is to help the dough not stick as you're rolling it out. 

 Aiee's getting a small piece ready to roll out

You roll it out a little bit, rub some oil on the flat surface, and then fold it in half two times before rolling it out again. This creates layers in the chapati.

Aiee has a well-practiced technique that makes forming perfect circles look so easy. 

 Well, it's not that easy, trust me! (This is my first attempt. They laughed at me and said I made Australia!)

The delicious end product. I don't get to that often, but eating lunch at home is the best because I eat the chapatis fresh off pan. 

Anddddd I am ending this post with a completely unrelated but super adorable....

...BABY!! (my host brother Arav)