Here is a great chapati recipe by Cornelia Aihara in
Macrobiotic Community Cookbook by Andrea Bliss-Lerman (Revised and updated):
"CHAPATI
Yield: About 17 chapati, each 4 inches in diameter
By Comellia Aihara
George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation
7 cups finely ground whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups warm water (body temperature)
2 teaspoon sea salt
TO MAKE DOUGH
Mix sea salt and water in small bowl. Place flour in large bowl. Make a shallow hole in center of flour. Pour salted water into hole all at once. Hold the bowl with one hand, and, with just the fingers of the other hand, stir in circles-small to large-until all the water is absorbed. Make dough into a ball.
TO KNEAD
Knead dough with the heels of the hand. Poke holes in dough with thumbs as you hold dough in both hands. Fold dough over holes and press with heels of hand. Turn flattened dough 1/4 turn and repeat kneading process until dough is a little softer than earlobe consistency, and a little more moist than bread dough. It takes about 10 minutes for the gluten to come and the texture to
become rubbery.
TO RISE
Let dough sit 24 hours at room temperature in a bowl covered with a wet towel, or in a porcelain pot covered with a lid.
TO FORM BALLS
Knead dough a few times in the bowl. Lightly flour your working space. Pinch off small portions of dough and roll them into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Make as many balls as you need for the meal to be served. Roll balls in flour so they are lightly
coated.
TO ROLL OUT
Press down one ball with the heel of the hand until it is 1/3-inch thick, then roll out with a rolling pin or surikogi to 4 or 5 inches in diameter. Roll out only one chapati at a time, and cook imme-
diately.
TO COOK-STEP 1
Heat cast iron frying pan, griddle, or other heavy skillet until hot. No oil should be used. Place rolled-out chapati in hot frying pan (medium flame) for 1-2 minutes. Small bumps will appear on surface of dough. Push them down lightly with back of fingers. Turn chapati over and cook 1 minute. Dough will change color from raw gray to cooked tan, but should not start to expand .
TO COOK-STEP 2
Set gas flame on medium-low. Place chapati on cake rack. Using an oven mitt to protect your hands, hold rack at a 30 degree angle to flame. Make circular motions, allowing flame to heat edges of chapati first. Rotate chapati periodically so every part of its edge has a chance to be nearest the flame. The dough will expand, balloon-like. Continue to cook with circular motions. You will see steam escaping along the edge. Turn over and continue cooking until golden brown. (Note: Sometimes the dough doesn't completely expand. The pocket, formed from the dough expansion, will have formed anyway if all the steam has escaped.)
TO KEEP HOT UNTIL SERVED
Line a ceramic bowl with a large, wet, terry cloth towel. Put cooked chapati in bowl and cover with ends of towel. When all chapati are cooked and placed in bowl, cover again with ends of towel. Then, put a lid of aluminum foil over top of bowl and place bowl in warm oven. This method is especially helpful if you are making a lot of chapati
TO STORE DOUGH
Dough can be refrigerated 5-6 days. Cover to keep it from drying out. It will become slightly softer each day as more gluten comes out. Don't add any flour. This softer dough is actually easier to work with. After 5 days, the dough will smell slightly sour, but when baked, is more sweet and digestible than the chapati made the first 2-3 days.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DAILY USE
Decide how many chapati you want to serve in a week. Make enough dough on a Saturday or Sunday for the week, and keep it in the refrigerator. Make balls, roll out dough, and cook chapati just before each meal or snack. It takes about 5 minutes to make each chapati.
FOR SMALL CHILDREN AND ELDERLY PEOPLE
1/3 - 1/2 of the flour used could be replaced with unbleached white flour for a softer, more digestible bread."
Whole wheat tortillas have always been available so I have not had the desire to make them and none of my (few) macrobiotic cookbooks have recipes for them.
Hopefully the chapati recipes will suffice.
Thank you, very much, and
Happy chapati making!
Bruce Paine