- Pumpkin chapati can be served with a stew of your choice or eaten with a cup of tea.
Image: Franco Zaidi
Pumpkin is very versatile and easy to add to your diet in both sweet and savoury dishes. It can be baked, roasted, steamed or boiled. The leaves can be sautéed or fried in oil and used to top rice dishes and the seeds can be roasted and enjoyed as a snack.
The name pumpkin comes from the Greek word ‘pepon’, meaning ‘large melon’. Scientifically, pumpkin is a fruit but is often referred to as a vegetable.
Consisting of more than 90% of water, it is low in calories and full of nutrients such as vitamins, fibres and antioxidants that boost your immune system, protect your eyesight, lower your risk of certain cancers and promote heart and skin health.
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
200 grammes pumpkin, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Oil, for kneading
Ghee, or oil for cooking
Directions
Boil the pumpkin in a pot for 15 minutes or until soft, then mash well.
In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, mashed pumpkin, a tablespoon of oil and knead adding little water at a time to make firm and smooth dough.
Add one tablespoon of oil to coat the dough and knead again. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
Knead once again and divide the dough into 8 portions. Preheat the iron skillet on medium heat.
Roll the chapati dough portions into balls and flatten them with the palm of your hand. Toss them on flour and roll them out into circles of approximately 3 inches in diameter. Put 1/4 teaspoon oil and spread it on the rolled dough.
Fold into a semi-circle and then fold the semi-circle into half again. You get a mini triangle shape.
Place the triangle in a bit of flour, roll it out gently into a larger triangle. Continue the same process of rolling with the remaining dough portions.
With skillet on medium high heat, place one rolled out dough on the skillet.
After a few seconds you will notice air pockets popping out. At this point flip the chapati and smear about 1/2 a teaspoon of ghee or oil.
Using a spatula lightly press the chapati in turning motions to cook it.
Flip the chapati and press and turn in a similar way. You will notice brown spots around the chapati and it will be slightly crisp.
Remove from heat and place on a platter or serve hot.
Repeat the process with the other rolled portions and stack the cooked chapatis and serve hot.
Pumpkin chapati can be served with a stew of your choice or eaten with a cup of tea.