Pikanami Recipes

Pikanami is a food blog that has amazing recipes that are detailed, simple and easy to follow without compromising on the content.

[pikatastelab]

ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

Tomatoes are just going out of season locally, they are cheap, sweet and so readily available. What better way to enjoy them especially during cold nights than with a bowl of hearty tomato soup. Perfect with a side of toasted bread and a spicy rocket, roasted tomatoes and mozzarella salad. A truly wonderful way wind down and usher in the weekend.

This recipe makes 2 bowls of tomato soup in 1 hr 40 minutes to 2 hrs including 15 - 20 minutes of prep, 45 minutes of roasting the tomatoes and 40 - 50 minutes of cooking. It serves 2.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

500g small - medium plum tomatoes, halved -> Around 6 - 8 tomatoes

250g cherry tomatoes, halved -> Around 12 - 18 tomatoes

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into wedges with the root attached

You can use a yellow onion but I like the flavour of the red onion so that is what I used. I left the root on so the onion stays intact as it roasts; you'll cut it later.

3 - 4 garlic cloves, cut in half with the skins still attached

I know this is awkward. Leaving the skins attached keeps the garlic from burning, but peeling roasted garlic cloves is a pain. Halving them makes it easy to squeeze the garlic flesh out of the peels.

1 teaspoon of fresh thyme -> Around 2 - 3 sprigs OR 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme

2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

1 cup loosely packed basil

Use the bigger older leaves during cooking and reserve the smaller younger leaves for garnish. The older leaves have a stronger flavour that can withstand cooking.

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

Salt -> A generous pinch or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper -> A generous pinch or to taste

2 - 3 cups of stock (low salt) or water

1 teaspoon of sugar (optional) Sugar helps round out the flavour of the soup. It is optional.

A tiny pinch of baking soda (optional) Tomato soup is notorious for heartburn due to the acidity of the tomatoes. A very tiny pinch of baking soda lowers the acidity of the soup by raising the PH. Do not put too much because you still need some acidity for flavour. 

A few leaves of basil for garnish

Small younger leaves of basil - the ones found at the very top of the basil plant, have a milder flavour that would disappear during cooking. These add freshness without being too overpowering when added just prior to serving. If the leaves are bigger you can chop or tear them up into smaller pieces.

Whipped Cream / Sour cream / Crème fraîche for serving (optional)

Tools

Baking Dish

Countertop / Immersion Blender

Saucepan

Wooden Spoon (mwiko) / Rubber Spatula

Procedure

Preheat oven to Conventional (without fan) - 425ºF / 220ºC | Convection (with fan) - 400ºF / 200ºC.

Place the tomatoes cut side up on a baking dish. Pick a baking dish that is big enough to hold all the tomatoes in one layer. 

Placing the tomatoes cut side up keeps the tomato juices in the tomatoes (mostly though) and not caking on your baking dish and allows the seasoning and flavour to penetrate the tomatoes. --- Using a mix of plum tomatoes and cherry tomatoes helps get the best of both worlds. Plum tomatoes have more flesh and little water making a thicker soup while cherry tomatoes bring in a tonne of flavour and freshness.

Scatter the onions and garlic on the baking dish trying to nestle them - onions especially - in between the tomatoes. Sprinkle the thyme leaves then season with a generous pinch of salt, pepper and sugar (if using).

Drizzle some of the olive oil reserving a little for later and balsamic vinegar. Try to drizzle evenly so every tomato, garlic and onion gets a little hint of the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Roast for 40 - 45 minutes until everything is soft and a little charred.

Let cool for a few minutes then cut off the roots of the onions and squeeze out the flesh of the garlic cloves.

Place a saucepan on medium heat, add the remaining olive oil then dump all the ingredients from the baking dish into the pan. Ensure to scrap all the bits into the pan, this will add to the overall depth of flavour.

Add the tablespoon of tomato paste and stir until it is incorporated.

Add in 2 cups of stock or water, let it come to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 20 - 30 minutes until the tomatoes sort of break down. It will still look watery but that is ok.

Stir in the basil leaves then simmer for a minute or two before blending.

If you are using a countertop blender, dump the simmered soup into the jug of the blender then blitz till smooth. Remember to remove the small blender lid and cover with a clean dish towel so your blender does not explode. Once smooth, return the soup to the pan. If using a hand/immersion blender, blend right in the pan until smooth.

Simmer again for 10 - 15 minutes uncovered for it to reduce further and the flavours to intensify. Keep tasting and adjusting the seasoning if need be; remember slightly undersalt the soup until the last few minutes, if it tastes perfectly salted way before it's ready, it will be too salty when ready to serve.

Check the seasoning and consistency, if the soup is too thick, thin it out with a bit more stock if too thin cook it down a bit more until you get the consistency you like. Keep tasting for seasoning and adjusting where needed. If it tastes too acidic add a tiny pinch of baking soda; not too much you still need a bit of acidity for flavour.

If you want a finer smoother soup, pass it through a fine mesh sieve prior to serving.

Scatter a few small leaves of basil and optionally top with some whipped cream/sour cream or crème fraîche. Serve with toasted bread or go all in and serve it alongside a grilled cheese sandwich. YUM!

Notes

- Since we are using fresh tomatoes, you do not have to stick to plum and cherry tomatoes. Any garden tomatoes would work great, this combination is just my preference since it is big on flavour and texture plus so easily available.

- You can roast the tomatoes up to an hour to intensify the flavour just keep checking up on them so nothing burns.

[pikatastelab]

MITAI (SWEET DIAMONDS)

These sweet diamonds are fried then tossed in a hot sugar syrup until the sugar crystallizes. Sweet and addictive with a hint of cardamom and coconut as is very common with Kenyan coastal dishes. They are surprisingly balanced, warm and sweet. The depth of flavour from the yeast balances the sweetness from the crystallized sugar and the cardamom, they simply just melt in your mouth.

This recipe makes up to 2 dozen mitai in 1 hr 50 minutes - 2 hrs 40 minutes. Including 20 - 30 minutes of prep, 1 hr to 1 hr 30 minutes for the dough to rise and 30 - 40 minutes of cooking.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

For the dough

2 cups of All Purpose / Pastry Flour

1/2 a teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 a teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of instant yeast-> Around half a sachet

You can use active dry yeast too if that is what you have on hand, just warm the full amount of coconut milk/milk or water, then add the yeast in it and let it bloom for 5 - 10 mins till foamy. You may need to add a bit more flour to compensate the extra liquid or cut back on a bit of the coconut cream.

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom seeds or ground cardamom

Fresh cardamom is more potent so use less of it as compared to ground cardamom, unless you like an intense cardamom flavour. You can choose to grind the cardamom seeds or leave them as they are once removed from their pods.

 1/2 cup of full-fat coconut cream

You can use yoghurt, milk or sour cream instead then add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk powder to the dry ingredients. If using yoghurt or milk you can also add 1 - 2 tablespoons of coconut oil/butter/ghee or any other oil you like. Since full-fat coconut cream has plenty of fat, no need to add extra fat or oil.

2 - 4 tablespoons of coconut milk/milk/water

For Sugar Syrup

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of water

1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom

1 tablespoon of lemon juice -> juice from half a lemon (optional) Lemon juice helps cut through the sugar making the mitai taste less sweet. 

For Frying

1 - 2 litres of high heat cooking oil or enough to fill your pan/pot halfway (around 2 inches from the bottom).

Vegetable or peanut oil works well. If you are daring you can also use a mixture of coconut oil and ghee.

Tools

For the dough

Mixing bowl

Dry Measuring cups / Weighing scale

Measuring spoons

Liquid measuring cups

Wooden Spoon (mwiko)

For Deep Frying

Deep heavy bottom pan/pot.

It should be deep enough so the oil can be deep enough for the mitai to fry without touching the bottom - around 3 - 4 inches (7.5 - 10cm) deep.

Skimmer or slotted spoon

Deep Fry thermometer (optional) -> This is optional but it's very helpful 

Wire rack or paper towels

For the Sugar Syrup

Small sauce pan (sufuria)

For crystallizing the sugar on the mitai

A large pot or pan preferably with a wide base

A wooden spoon (mwiko)

Procedure

Making the Syrup

You can make the syrup prior to making the dough and set it aside until you are ready, I however like to make the syrup as the dough rises.

In a saucepan add the sugar, water, and cardamom.

Stir to ensure everything is well distributed then place on medium heat to cook.

Bring to a gentle boil then simmer as you gently swirl or stir until the sugar dissolves.

Set aside until you are ready to coat the mitai in sugar.

Making the dough

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and cardamom then mix till all the ingredients are well dispersed.

Add the coconut cream then mix until you get a shaggy dough. Dump on your counter and knead adding the coconut milk/milk or water until you get a smooth dough. The dough should soft and supple but not sticky.

If using active dry yeast, warm the whole amount of coconut milk/milk or water then add the yeast to proof until foamy. Once proofed, add the mixture to the dry ingredients first then add around 3/4 of the coconut cream adding more as needed. If using oil or fat, add it after the dough has formed then knead till smooth. You can also use a stand mixer, start on low until all the ingredients are incorporated then knead for around 5 - 6 minutes on medium speed till the dough is smooth and cleans the side of the bowl. 

 Once the dough is smooth, form it into a ball, oil it then place it in a mixing bowl to rise. Tightly cover the bowl with either cling film or a tight-fitting lid, keeping the dough air tight so it does not dry out. Let the dough rise at room temp for 1 hr - 1 hr 30 minutes until doubled in size. You can also chill it in the fridge. This will make it rise slower and develop more flavour; if you do ensure to let it come back to room temp for around an hour before the next step. Cutting the mitai

Once doubled in size, gently deflate the dough then roll it out to around less than 1/5 inch (1/2 a centimetre) thick. You can divide he dough into 2 pieces first so it is easier to roll out evenly.

Cut vertical strips on the rolled out dough followed by diagonal strips so you end up with diamond shaped pieces of dough. The angle of the diagonal cuts does not matter just eyeball the strips to get the diamond shapes you like. How big or small you go depends on your preference, I usually make the strips around 11/2 - 2 inches (4 - 5 centimetres) wide then cut almost the same distance apart diagonally so the diamonds around have even sides. If you want more of rectangle diamonds, you can make the diagonal cuts wider than the vertical ones.

Place the mitai on a floured surface as you heat the oil, no need to proof again, the baking powder will help them puff as soon as the hit the hot oil.

Frying the mitai

Fill your heavy bottom pan around halfway with a high heat cooking oil, then place on medium heat. If using a thermometer place it in the oil too.

Let the oil heat to around 175ºC (350ºF). To test if it is ready - that is if you are not using a thermometer, dip a clean dry wooden utensil into the oil. If bubbles immediately form around the utensil your oil is ready.

Gently place the mitai into the hot oil. Traditionally they are all cooked in a very wide wok so all the mitais are cooked at the same time but I found no issue working in batches on a smaller pan. Try not to overcrowd the pan so the temperature of your oil remains steady. 

The mitai should puff almost immediately, if not your baking powder or yeast may be expired. Once they puff flip them and cook for around 1 minute until they turn golden. Flip again until all the sides are slightly browned. Mitai are usually lighter in colour than your average fried dough since they have very little sugar.

Using a skimmer remove the mitai and briefly drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

Coating the mitai in sugar

Pour the sugar syrup in a wide pot or pan, if it has thickened too much gently warm it until easily pourable.

If your pan is small and cannot take all the mitai work in 2 or 3 batches depending on how many it can carry at a go. Remember to divide the syrup evenly for each batch; you can simply eyeball it.

Heat the sugar syrup on medium heat until it boils then immediately reduce the heat to low and add in your mitai. Patiently and gently agitate the mitai until the sugar crystallizes and dries out. You will end up with dry powdery sugar crystals covering your mitai. Traditionally, the mitai are periodically tossed in the sugar syrup until they crystallize but for safety (sugar get very hot) I like occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon then immediately I see some crystals I move to gently tossing (the sugar crystals will make a hard shell on your wooden spoon if you continue to stir once the crystals start forming). Whichever method you choose to agitate the sugar, it may take a good 5 - 10 mins for the crystals to form.

Repeat until all your mitai are covered in crystallized sugar.

Serve warm with strong coffee (kahawa tungu).

Notes

-If you want to reduce the time, you can warm the coconut milk slightly before adding to the dough.

-Do not roll the dough too thin or too thick. Too thin and the mitai end up tough too thick you end up with doughy mitai. The should be thin enough to cook in seconds but thick enough to remain soft and slightly chewy.

-Do not overcrowd the pan as you cook, this will lower the temperature of the oil taking much more time to cook the mitai, this may result in tough oily mitai.

-Be patient and gentle while agitating the sugar around the mitai. Too high heat and you end up with a soggy lump of mush, too hard and rough you end up with broken and crushed mitai. It takes around 5 - 10 minutes for the sugar to crystallize so it will look like nothing is happening for a long time, be patient it will eventually and despite the urge DO NOT crank up the heat.

-Mitai are best eaten the same day they are made, but if you want to store them, let them cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. I have never frozen them so I would not recommend it.

[pikatastelab]

SPICED PUMPKIN MUFFINS

These muffins are moist and tender, they almost melt in your mouth. The warm the spices complement the flavour of the pumpkin. You just have to try them to know how good they are. If you do not have a muffin tin, let that not scare you from making them. Put the batter in a loaf pan and bake for 30 - 40 mins until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

This recipe makes 9 - 12 regular sized muffins in 30 - 40 mins including 15 minutes of prep and 15 - 22 minutes of baking.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (210g) of All Purpose / Pastry Flour

You can also use self-rising flour. If you do, do not use any baking powder, you will still have to use baking soda though. If the self-rising flour is salted you can skip the salt as well.

1 cup (225g) of pumpkin puree

3/4 cup (150g) of sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 a teaspoon of ground ginger

 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon of fine salt

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Up to 2 tablespoons of water

1/4 cup (56g) of butter/margarine, melted -> Ensure it has cooled to room temperature

You can use oil, but I love the flavour that butter/margarine adds to the muffins. Yes, I have tried it with both butter and margarine.

1/4 cup of oil

You can also use all butter/margarine, but I love the texture and mouthfeel of the muffins made with oil so to get the best of both worlds use a mix of both.

2 large eggs

Tools

Mixing Bowl

Dry measuring cups/weighing scale

Liquid measuring jug

Measuring Spoons

Whisk

Rubber Spatula

Muffin Tin / Loaf Pan

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 200ºC / 400ºF for a Conventional Oven (Without Fan) or 190ºC / 375ºF for a Convection Oven (Fan Forced).

Grease and Flour or line your muffin tins.

In a mixing bowl add all your dry ingredients, flour, sugar, salt, spices, baking powder, and baking soda then whisk to combine. Be a little thorough so you do not end up with pockets of some ingredient.

In another bowl or jug, add the pumpkin puree, eggs, butter, and oil and whisk to combine. No need to whisk for too long once the eggs, butter and oil are well incorporated into the pumpkin puree and you can no longer see any streak of egg or oil, you can proceed.

Make a well in your dry ingredients, this makes it easier to mix the wet into the dry quickly so you minimise gluten formation. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and gently fold the wet and dry ingredients just until you get a batter. Do not over mix, you can have a few lumps but try not to get any streaks of dry flour. If the batter is too stiff a tablespoon or two of water to thin it out the batter should remain thick but scoop-able.

Using 2 spoons or a squeeze ice cream scoop, fill your muffin cups almost all the way up. Since the batter is quite thick there is little chance of spilling over, filling quite high also makes pretty high domed muffins.

Reduce the heat of your oven to 190ºC / 375ºF for a Conventional Oven (Without Fan) or 180ºC / 350ºF for a Convection Oven (Fan Forced) then place your muffin tin in the middle of your preheated oven. 

Bake for 15 - 22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the tallest muffin comes out clean.

As soon as you can handle them (within 5 minutes), place on a wire rack to cool.

Notes

-Butter / Margarine adds flavour while oil makes the muffins moist, for that melt in your mouth experience. For the best in flavour and texture, I like to use a mix of both.

-Self-raising flour can work, remember to forgo baking powder, you still need baking soda to counter the acidity of the pumpkin puree. You may end up with a coarser crumb though.

-Fold the wet ingredients into the dry just until you have a batter being careful not to overwork the batter. Overworking the batter will make tough muffins.

-Preheating the oven at a higher temperature makes taller domed muffins

[pikatastelab]

ROSEMARY & GARLIC WHOLE WHEAT BUNS

These buns are great served alongside saucy food, so you do not feel bad about wiping the plate clean or as an accompaniment to soup. They are incredibly soft, fluffy and healthy perfect for soaking up that saucy goodness. They have a subtle hint of garlic and rosemary, you just have to try them to know how good they are.

This buns can be ready in 2 - 4 hrs including 15 - 45 mins of roasting or toasting the garlic, 15 mins of prep 1 hr 30 mins - 2 hrs 45 mins of proofing and 15 - 20 mins of baking. This recipe makes 6 - 9 buns.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

For the buns

3 cups (420g) of Whole Wheat Bread Flour

You can also use a 50/50 mix of All Purpose / Bread flour and White Flour.

3/4 teaspoon of salt

11/2 teaspoon of instant / active dry yeast -> You can use a full sachet.

1 tablespoon (21g) of honey

Honey, makes softer buns that rise better, However if you have none, sugar will work too.

1 - 11/4 cup of milk -> You can also use all water or a mix of water and milk

3 tablespoons (42g) of butter or olive oil (39g)

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, finely chopped / 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, minced

For roasting the garlic (optional step)

1 head of garlic -> Around 15 cloves

1 teaspoon of oil -> I love using olive oil

Tools

For the buns

Mixing bowl

Dry Measuring cups / Weighing scale

Measuring spoons

Liquid measuring cups

Small sauce pan (sufuria)

Wooden Spoon (mwiko)

Baking tray / sheet pan

For roasting the garlic (optional step)

Aluminium foil 

For toasting the garlic (optional step)

A heavy bottom pan

Procedure

Roasting Garlic in the oven (option A)

Preheat your oven to Conventional (without fan) - 400ºF / 200ºC | Convection (with fan) - 375ºF / 190ºC.

Peel the loose papery skin off the head of garlic.

Trim the top step of the garlic and cut its rear end enough to expose the cloves on the rear end only.

Place on a piece of aluminium foil, the piece of aluminium foil should be big enough to wrap around the garlic easily.

Drizzle the garlic with 1 teaspoon of olive oil then wrap it with aluminium foil.

Place in the preheated oven for 30 - 45 minutes until the cloves are completely soft.

Remove from the oven once completely softened, remove from foil and let them cool slightly.

Toasting Garlic in a dry pan (option B)

Separate the garlic into cloves but don't peel them.

Place a dry heavy bottom pan on medium heat and place your garlic cloves on the pan.

Let the cloves cook, occasionally tossing them so all the sides can get toasted.

The garlic cloves with turn black but don't fret the flesh will say nice and mellow inside.

Once the garlic cloves become soft and mushy (you will have to press them to know since as they cook they sort of puff up), place them aside to slightly cool.

Making the buns

Place a saucepan on medium heat then squeeze the flesh of the roasted garlic or toasted garlic cloves into it alongside the milk and/or water (Use the lesser amount of milk/water first and if you need more you can add the rest later), butter or oil, honey or sugar and rosemary. If you are in a hurry and do not have time to roast/toast your garlic, mince 3 garlic cloves and add them to the milk.

Gently stir the milk, butter, garlic, honey and rosemary as they heat and the butter melts.

Once the mixture is barely warm (the butter does not necessarily have to be completely melted), put aside and add in the yeast. If you are using instant yeast you do not have to add in the yeast, you can skip this step and go straight to mixing the dry ingredients.

Put aside until the mixture is frothy.

In a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and yeast (if using instant yeast). Mix until everything is well combined.

If using a stand mixer slowly stream the milk mixture into the dry ingredients as you slowly mix on low till everything is combined and you have a sort of shaggy dough. If working by hand, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until you get a shaggy dough.

Dump the shaggy mass onto your work surface and start kneading adding a little bit of milk/water at a time as needed until you get a soft and supple dough that is relatively smooth.  This will take around 10 minutes by hand and 6 - 7 minutes on medium speed by a stand mixer.

Oil the dough and place in an airtight bowl at room temp for 1 - 2 hrs until doubled in size. Ensure the bowl is either covered tightly with plastic wrap or an airtight lid so the dough does not form a skin or dry out.

Once doubled in size, gently punch the dough down and divide into 6 portions.

Roll the portions into round balls by rolling the dough on your work surface. Do not push at the dough balls, gently move in a circular motion with your cupped hand until you get a very smooth ball. The traction between the dough and surface helps to get a smooth ball, so do not use any flour or oil on your surface.

Place the dough ball in an oiled and floured sheet pan (you can use baking parchment) to proof for around 30 - 45 minutes until doubled in size.

As the buns proof. Preheat your oven to Conventional (without fan) - 375ºC / 190ºC | Convection (with fan) - 350ºF / 180ºC.

Once proofed, place the buns in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 - 20 minutes rotating halfway until nicely browned and ready.

To tell if they are ready, tap the bottom of the biggest bun. If it sounds hollow, they are ready. If you want to be sure, an instant-read thermometer should read 85ºC (190ºF) - 95ºC (200ºF) in the centre of the buns.

You can optionally brush them with butter immediately they are out of the oven for a softer, buttery crust.

Move the buns onto a cooling rack as soon as possible to cool so they do not get soggy bottoms.

Notes

-Whole wheat flour does not develop gluten as well as white flour so you can opt to use only 30 - 60% whole wheat for a taller lighter loaf.

-Due to the aforementioned, ensure you knead the dough enough to develop enough gluten so your buns remain smooth and fluffy.

-Whole wheat flour absorbs more water than white flour but I found adding water a little at a time as you knead ensures you get a soft dough that is not only easier to work with but also one that has a better structure. Kneading in the water/milk helps build the gluten further.

-The timing is just a guideline, it can take longer or shorter for the dough to double in size depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

-If the buns get too dark before they are ready, tent some foil on them till they are done.

-Don't let the buns cool on the baking tray, move them to a cooling rack as soon as possible so they do not get soggy.

[pikatastelab]

SOFT THIN FLOUR TORTILLAS

I love a good wrap especially one made with tortillas so thin and so tender, that they almost taste like part of the fillings. All the while being able to stand up to even the wettest filling with almost no spillage. Seems impossible, I know but with some testing, I found the secret in making such tortillas.

This recipe makes 8 - 12 flour tortillas, in 45 mins - 1 hr including 15 minutes of prep, 15 - 30 mins of resting the dough and 15 minutes of cooking.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

2 cups of All Purpose / Chapati / Pastry Flour -> You can also use finely ground whole wheat flour (Atta Flour)

1/2 teaspoon of fine salt

1/2 teaspoon of sugar (optional)

I personally love my tortillas with a little bit of sugar. Barely enough to taste, I find it makes the flavour rounder and more balanced. However, you can omit it if you like.

4 tablespoons of cold cooking fat -> Any type of solid cooking fat will work

Butter, Vegetable fat(shortening) or lard can work here. If all you have is oil, you can use it too but fat makes a softer tortilla that is ever so slightly flaky.

2/3 - 3/4  cup of cold water

Tools

Heavy bottom pan -> Around 8 - 10 inches (10 - 25 cm)

Tongs -> Preferably metal

Rolling Pin -> Preferably one without ball bearings

Dish Cloth

Procedure

Add the flour, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl or food processor.

Mix using a whisk or if using a food processor, pulse a few times until combined and the ingredients are well dispersed.

Add the fat and pulse a few times if using a food processor. If working by hand, cut in the cold fat into the flour using a pastry cutter, fork, two butter knives or simply your fingers. Continue blending the fat into the flour until you get small beads of fat dispersed through out the flour. If using oil, add it in and mix with the flour, you can use a fork or your hands. You should end up with tiny lumps of oil covers in flour, try to get the small lumps dispersed through out the flour.

Add in the water, start with the lesser amount first adding a little at a time as you knead until you get a smooth and supple dough. It is best to work fast here so you do not develop a lot of gluten and the fat does not melt. If using a food processor, turn it on low then slowly stream the cold water as it runs until you get a cohesive dough. Place the dough on your work surface and knead only until the dough gets smooth and pliable.

Cover the dough in an airtight container, either one with a tight fitting lid or with plastic wrap then let it rest for around 10 - 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 - 12 pieces and roll the divided dough into balls, depending on the size of tortillas you're aiming for. The rounder the dough ball the rounder the tortilla.

Cover and let the dough balls rest for 5 - 15 minutes, the resting helps the gluten relax so making it easier to roll out the tortilla.

Once rested, you can choose to roll out all your tortillas then cook them, or roll out as you cook. I usually roll out as I cook so I put the pan on medium high heat to preheat first.

Flour your surface and both sides of the dough ball you are about to roll. Roll out the tortillas almost paper thin giving the dough quarter turns and flips every once in a while. This helps to keep the tortillas from sticking and keeps them nice and round. Flour the dough and surface as needed, you will shake off the excess flour later, for now, you just want the dough not to stick or crease.

Once the pan is very hot; a drop of water should bead and dance around the pan for a few seconds before evaporating, dust off excess flour from the rolled tortillas then place on the dry pan. You want the tortilla to bubble almost immediately and cook for less than 30 seconds on the first side. If it is taking longer than that preheat your pan longer.

Once the top gets sizeable bubbles (the bubbles should be around the size of your thumb pad) and the bottom side has light brown spots. Flip and cook for and additional 15 - 30 seconds till the second side gets light brown spots too.

You can choose to take the tortilla off the heat; which you should if you are not eating them right away. However, if they are to be served up immediately, I like to take them a step further and lightly char them on an open flame. This gives a slight smokiness that pairs so well with meat.

Place in between a clean dishtowel until you’re ready to serve.

Notes

-The amount of water you use will depend on the humidity in your area and type of flour, always start with the lesser amount and add little by little as you knead until you get a smooth and soft dough. 

-A rolling pin without bearings helps you control how you roll out the tortillas, I think it produces quite uniform tortillas that are well shaped, this is my opinion but you can use what you are comfortable with.

-The flour helps to roll out the tortillas nice and thin without crimping the edges or having some parts stick to your work surface. You can shake off the excess flour as you move the tortilla dough to the pan. 

-A dishcloth keeps the tortillas warm and soft while absorbing any condensation so they don't get soggy.

-Let the tortillas completely cool then freeze in a zip lock bag for up to 2 months. They can, however, stay at room temp for 2 - 3 day if stored in an airtight container.

[pikatastelab]

KENYAN BEEF DRY FRY

A Kenyan favourite, beef dry fry will usually be served at homes alongside kachumbari (salsa) and ugali. It is one of those comfort meals that are easy to make, tasty and very satisfying. There are a few ways to level it up, by putting in a bit of science and ingredient knowledge.

This beef dry fry recipe will be ready in 30 minutes time, including 15 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cook time. It serves 2.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

500g (Around 1 pound) of beef preferably sirloin -> Rump can also work but sirloin will be more tender and have a better flavour.

You can use flank and skirt steak as well, but only if you like your beef medium rare. Anything more will make your beef tough

1 large or 2 medium red onions

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of salt or to taste -> Use a little more if using coarse salt

1/4 - 1/2 a teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper or to taste -> A few twists of the pepper mill

Although I love convenient pre-packaged products, ground black pepper does not bring to the table even half of what cracked black pepper does.  So, try to use freshly coarsely ground or cracked black pepper, you will taste the difference.  

 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil for the pan -> Use your favourite high heat cooking oil

Tools

Wooden Spoon

Heavy bottomed pan -> A pan without non-stick coating is preferred. Stainless steel, cast iron even aluminium will work.

Procedure

If your meat is not pre-cut, cut it into thin long slices or around 1 inch (2.5cm) cubes - you can go as big or as small as you like, bigger if you like the rarer side of beef. Pat your meat dry for better sear; drier surfaces brown faster and better. Optionally, you can also dust some flour on the cut beef slices or cubes, this will help with browning. Ps: If cutting the beef proves to be a challenge, put it in the freezer for 10 - 15 minutes prior to cutting it. This will make the meat studier and help to get even slices/cubes.

Salt and pepper your beef. Briefly massage the salt and pepper into the beef so every piece gets properly seasoned. 

Peel and slice your onions into half moons; cut the onion into half, then with the cut side down, slice thinly across the onion, working from the tip to the root. Discard the root.

Place your pan on medium-high heat. The pan should get really hot, a drop of water shop bead and dance around the pan.

Once the pan is hot, add in the oil, and wait for it to start to shimmer, which should take seconds, if the pan was hot enough.

When the oil starts shimmering add in your beef taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Cook the beef in batches if the slices or cubes cannot all seat on the pan in one layer with some space between them.

Here comes the hard part, let the meat be, no tossing, stirring or moving. Let the searing and browning happen undisturbed for a few minutes (around 3 minutes). You will know they are ready to be flipped when you can see the meat has turned from red to brown at least halfway and it smells like barbeque or nyamchom.

If you are particular, flip the meat pieces so each side can get browned. However, if you are impatient, you can stir until the meat is browned and done to your liking. 

A few minutes before the beef is done. Add your onions and stir until the onions have softened but still have a little bite to them (that is how I like it). If you like your onions completely softened, take out the meat a minute or two before it’s done, sweat the onions until they turn translucent then add back your meat until it's done. It would take a few tries to tell the timing, however, if you use a good cut of beef like sirloin, overcooking it by a minute or two won’t destroy your dish.

Once done, take out the meat and let it rest for a few minutes before serving alongside ugali, kachumbari (salsa) and some greens like sukuma wiki (collard greens/flat leaf kale) or traditional greens like mchicha and managu if you like.

Notes

-The cut of beef is important here, I love sirloin, found around the back of the cow. It is a flavourful beefy cut that is quite forgiving even when you overcook it. Rump, from the hind legs of the cow is tougher but still OK. Skirt and flank, from around the belly are good only if you do not overcook them, am talking no more than medium rare. 

-Let your pan get HOT. Open the windows and if you have one, turn on the chimney hood in your kitchen. It takes a very hot pan to sear and brown the beef well. Things will get smokey so don't panic, it will pay off. 

-Do not overcrowd the pan, work in batches if you have to. Overcrowding will make the meet steam rather than sear. Searing locks in the juices in the beef, so your dry fry will be juicy and flavourful. 

-Do not overcook the meat, I know as Kenyans meat has to cook and cook and cook because we fear that undercooked meat will give us bacteria and worms. However, 5 - 10 minutes is enough depending on how well done you like your beef and how thin or small your pieces are. 

-I used to think resting the meat was not really beneficial since your meat will go cold. Well, trust me I tried it both ways and resting really does make the meat juicier. So let the meat rest, if in a hurry 5 minutes can do but I usually shoot for 10 - 15 minutes. If you are afraid of your meat going cold, cover it with foil until you are ready to serve.

[pikatastelab]

COCONUT & CARDAMOM MAHAMRI

Mahamri are a sweet yeast fried dough made with coconut and a hint of cardamom. They can be eaten as a snack or for breakfast. Good on their own or served with tea, coffee or mbaazi ya nazi (pigeon peas cooked in coconut).

This recipe makes 8 - 10 mahamri in 3 - 6 hrs including 30 minutes of prep, 21/2 - 5 hrs of rising and proofing the dough and around 20 minutes of cooking. 

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

For the dough

2 cups of All Purpose / Bread Flour

5 - 6 tablespoons of sugar

1/2 a teaspoon of fine salt

1 to 2 teaspoon of instant yeast -> Around half to a full sachet

Due to the amount of sugar, this dough takes a while to rise. If you have time, use a teaspoon and let it rise overnight on the counter. If in a hurry use 2 teaspoons then let it rise for 1 to 2 hours. You can use active dry yeast too if that is what you have on hand, just warm the full amount of coconut milk/milk or water, then add the yeast in it and let it bloom for 5 - 10 mins till foamy. You may need to add a bit more flour to compensate the extra liquid or cut back on a bit of the thick coconut milk.

1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cardamom seeds or ground cardamom

Fresh cardamom is more potent so use less of it as compared to ground cardamom, unless you like an intense cardamom flavour. You can choose to grind the cardamom seeds or leave them as they are once removed from their pods.

 1/2 cup of full-fat coconut cream

You can use yoghurt, milk or sour cream instead then add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk powder to the dry ingredients. If using yoghurt or milk you can also add 1 - 2 tablespoons of coconut oil/butter/ghee or any other oil you like. Since full-fat coconut cream has plenty of fat, no need to add extra fat or oil. --- You can also use canned coconut milk, just open it upside down, drain the thin coconut milk/water (save it for later) and use the thick milk here. 

2 - 4 tablespoons of thin coconut milk/milk/water

For Deep Frying

1 - 2 litres of high heat cooking oil or enough to fill your pan/pot halfway (around 2 inches from the bottom).

Vegetable or peanut oil works well. If you are daring you can also use a mixture of coconut oil and ghee.

Tools

Deep heavy bottom pan/pot.

It should be around 3 - 4 inches (7.5 - 10cm); 2 inches of oil should reach no more than halfway.

Skimmer or slotted spoon

Deep Fry thermometer (optional) -> This is optional but very helpful 

Wire rack or paper towels

Procedure

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, yeast and cardamom then mix till all the ingredients are well dispersed.

Add the sugar to the coconut cream and mix until the sugar is partially dissolved. Add the coconut cream and sugar mixture to the dry ingredients then mix until you get a shaggy dough. Dump on your counter and knead adding the thin coconut milk/milk or water until you get a smooth dough. The dough should still be slightly pliable but firm. It should not be sticky. If it is sticky add a little flour and knead some more. Because of the amount of sugar, it takes longer to develop gluten on this dough so ensure you knead the dough well, I mean around 15 minutes by hand, 8 - 10 by machine. A well-kneaded dough won’t absorb a lot of oil while frying. To check if the dough is well kneaded, gently poke it with your finger, it should spring back and you should easily form a very smooth ball.

If you make yeasted doughs often, the dough might feel firmer than you are used to. Don’t worry the final product won’t be tough at all. If using active dry yeast, warm the whole amount of coconut milk/milk or water then add the yeast to bloom until foamy. Once bloomed, add the mixture to the dry ingredients first then add around 3/4 of the coconut cream adding more as needed. If using oil or fat, add it after the dough has formed then knead till smooth. You can also use a stand mixer, start on low until all the ingredients are incorporated then knead for around 8 - 10 minutes on medium speed till the dough is smooth and cleans the side of the bowl. 

Once the dough is smooth, form it into a ball, oil it then place it in a mixing bowl to rise. Tightly cover the bowl with either cling film or a tight fitting lid, keeping the dough air tight so it does not dry out. Let the dough rise at room temp for 2 - 4 hrs until risen. It will not completely double in size, but it should have risen quite a bit. 

Once rise, gently deflate the dough then portion it into 2 - 3 pieces if you want triangle mahamri or 6 - 8 pieces if you want the circle mahamri then form the dough pieces into balls.

Roll out each piece of dough into a circle of around 1/4 inch thick (around 2/3 a centimetre) to 1/2 inch thick (around 1 1/4 a centimetre); depending on how “meaty” you like your mahamri. If making triangle mahamri, cut the dough into quarters. Do not roll the dough too thin or it either won't puff up well or will dry out and turn out hard.

Place on a floured surface then let the mahamri proof, covered for another 1/2 an hour to 1 hour. The mahamri should look soft and the cut edges will look sort of rounded.

Fill your heavy bottom pan around halfway with a high heat cooking oil, then place on medium heat. If using a thermometer place it in the oil too.

Let the oil heat to around 175ºC (350ºF). To test if it is ready, dip a clean dry wooden utensil into the oil. If bubbles immediately form around the utensil your oil is ready.

Gently place the mahamri into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd them so the temperature of your oil remains steady.

The mahamri should puff almost immediately. If not, spoon some hot oil over the ones that don't puff until they do. Once they puff flip them so they do not crack. Cook the for around a minute or two occasionally flipping them until they are nicely browned on both sides.

Using a skimmer remove the mahamri and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

Let them cool for a few minutes then serve.

Notes

-Ensure you knead the dough well to form enough gluten, the gluten will act as a barrier so that the mahamri do not absorb a lot of oil while frying. 

-If you want to reduce the time, you can warm the coconut milk slightly before adding to the dough.

-Do not overcrowd the pan as you cook, this will lower the temperature of the oil taking much more time to cook the mahamri, this will result in tough soggy mahamri.

-Mahamri are best eaten the same day they are made, but if you want to store them, let them cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can also choose to freeze them for months then refry them for around a minute when you need a "fresh" hamri without the fuss.

[pikatastelab]

CLASSIC WHITE BREAD

There is nothing like homemade bread, the aroma as it bakes and the flavour is truly unbeatable. Unfortunately, most people shy away from making their own bread because it's hard, or so they think. Well, it may seem daunting and long but there is nothing hard to it. So get your flour ready because we are going to debunk the complexity of bread.

This recipe makes one medium loaf in 2 hrs - 3 ½ hrs, including 40 mins of prep, 1 ½ hrs - 3 hrs of rising & proofing the dough and 30 mins - 40 mins of baking.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

3 cups of Bread / All Purpose flour

1 tablespoon of sugar

You can add or reduce this based on your reference I like to use 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of sugar per cup of flour. Please note that sugar also inhibits gluten formation so I wouldn’t add more than 2 tablespoons of sugar per cup of flour.

1/4 tablespoon / 3/4 teaspoon (4g) of fine salt

1/2 a tablespoon of dry yeast -> You can use a full sachet too. Both instant or active dry yeast will work.

1 tablespoon of butter/margarine.

You can add or reduce this based on your reference I like to use 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of fat per cup of flour. Oil can work as well.

1/2 cup (120ml) of warm water -> The water should feel slightly warm to the touch if it's too hot, it will kill the yeast.

1/2 - 2/3 cup (120ml - 160ml) of warm milk -> You can still use water instead of milk.

The amount of milk or water you use will vary depending on humidity and various other factors. Also adding all the liquid at once will make a sticky dough that is hard to handle which may lead you to add more flour than necessary as you knead. Start with the lesser amount then add a little at a time as you knead until you get a smooth dough.

Tools

Dry measuring cups and spoons / digital scale

Liquid measuring cups

Mixing bowl

8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″  (Around 22 cm by 11 cm) loaf tin. It should be around 21/2 inches (6cm) high.

Cooling rack

Procedure

Add the yeast and sugar to the warm water, stir and set aside for 5 - 10 mins to proof until foamy. This is not necessary especially if you are using instant dry yeast, however, it helps to ensure the yeast is still alive preventing disappointments later.

If using instant dry yeast, you can skip this step and mix the yeast and sugar together with the dry ingredients.

As you wait for the yeast to proof, add the remaining dry ingredients; flour and salt into a mixing bowl and mix well.

Once the yeast has proofed and foamy, add it to the dry ingredients alongside the milk or additional water; start with the lesser amount of milk or additional water first adding more as needed. Mix with your hands or wooden spoon until you get a sort of shaggy dough. If you are using oil instead of butter or any solid fat, you can add it alongside the liquids too. A stand mixer fitted with the dough hook can be used instead, mixing on low speed until the wet and dry ingredients are mixed.

If kneading by hand, dump the shaggy dough onto your work surface and knead for 8 - 10 minutes until you get a smooth dough. If using a stand mixer, mix the dough on medium speed for around 5 minutes until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and looks smooth. As you knead, either by hand or mixer, keep adding the remaining water a splash at a time until you get a soft dough.

To check if the dough is well kneaded, poke the dough with your finger, if the dough springs back, it is ready. A well needed dough will also be very smooth and won’t easily tear. If your dough keeps on tearing after serious kneading, let it rest for 5 minutes then knead again. I will be smooth in no time.

Mix the butter or fat into the dough until well incorporated and the dough is smooth again.

Form the dough into a ball, oil it then place it in a tightly covered bowl at room temperature for the first rise. It usually takes around 1 hr - 2 hrs until the dough doubles in size. Ensure the bowl is tightly covered, you can use cling film or a tight-fitting lid. This will ensure the dough remains draught free preventing it from drying out and forming a crust.

Once the dough doubles in size, gently deflate the dough then flatten it into a thick rectangle around an inch (21/2 cm) thick, 9 inches (23 cm) wide and 12 inches (30 cm) long. These dimensions are not set in stone, just try to have the shorter edge roughly the length of your loaf tin.

Tightly roll the dough along the longer side to form a log around the length of your loaf tin, then pinch the seam to secure it. Grease and flour your loaf tin then place your formed loaf in the tin pinching and securing the ends under the dough.

Let the dough proof for 30 mins to 1 hr until it has doubled in size and has risen around an inch from the rim of the tin.

As the dough proofs, preheat your oven; Conventional (without fan) - 350ºF / 175ºC | Convection (with fan) - 325ºF / 160ºC for a minimum of 15 mins up to 1 hr. If you are using a baking stone, preheat for a minimum of 1 hr.

Check if the dough has proofed by poking gently with your finger. If poking the dough leaves a small indent that doesn’t quickly fill up, it is ready to be baked. If the dent fills up quickly let it proof a little longer. 

Bake in the bottom half of the oven for 30 mins - 40 mins rotating halfway, until the top is nicely browned and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. The inside temperature should read 85ºC (190ºF) - 95ºC (200ºF). If the dough browns too much during baking, tent a sheet of aluminium over it till it is ready.

Once ready, place it on a wire rack to cool. You can choose to brush the crust with butter to create a shinier, softer crust that has a subtle buttery taste.

Let the loaf cool completely before cutting into it.

Notes

-Try to use a loaf tin that is close to the dimensions given to ensure you get a tall, evenly sized loaf.

-A well-kneaded dough will rise well, trapping all the air bubbles produced by the yeast thereby producing a light loaf. Ensure your kneaded dough is very smooth and springs back when poked. Also if using a mixer, be careful not to over knead, knead no more than 5 - 6 minutes and at a steady medium speed.

-Placing the dough in the oven at just the right time will give you a loaf, that is not only taller but looks and tastes great. An under-proofed dough will be dense and might crack in the oven while an over proofed dough will have a sour taste, coarse crumb and may collapse.

-As soon as the loaf can be handled, take it out of the loaf tin and cool on a wire rack otherwise you will end up with a soggy loaf.

-Cutting you bread before it cools, might dry out your bread and a hot loaf does not taste as great.

[pikatastelab]

BASIC CREPE RECIPE

I love crepes, they are quick and easy to whip up and are very versatile. They can be served for breakfast, brunch and dessert just by swapping the filling and reducing/adding the sugar in the batter. I found a way to get that tender lacy crepe that tastes great even on its own. Try it, you may just become a crepe master in your own kitchen.

Makes 8 - 12 crepes in 30 mins to 2 hrs 30 mins including 10 mins of prep 0 - 2hr of resting the batter and 20 mins of cook time.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

1 cup of All Purpose Flour -> Cake or Pastry Flour can work too

1 1/2 cup of milk or water -> A combination of both can work too

You can use all milk, all water or a mix of both. Water makes a thinner batter and milk makes a tastier creamier crepe that browns much faster. I like to combine both 1 cup milk and 1/2 a cup of water so I get a thinner batter with the creaminess of the milk.

2 large eggs

A small pinch of salt -> Around 1/8 of a teaspoon

2 - 4 teaspoons of sugar (optional) -> Omit of making savoury crepes, use less if filling with a sweet filling

I like my crepes a bit sweet especially when I am not using a sweet filling or when am having them on their own. I also like the contrast of the sweet crepe and salty filling like salsa or sausage. However, the amount of sugar you use depends on your taste. 

 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract -> Use the good kind, omit if making a savoury crepe.  If using the imitation vanilla essence, I find I need a little less since their flavour is very strong, too much and it tastes medicinal (my luck with these might bad).

1/4 - 1/2 a cup of unsalted butter -> For greasing the pan so you can use melted, solid, brown or even clarified butter.

Tools

Crepe Pan / Any 8 - 10 inch pan can work -> preferably not non-stick (I find that crepes cooked in a non-stick pan do not brown well)

Spatula -> An offset spatula will work great here

Procedure

If you have a blender.

Add all the ingredient in a jug or bowl if using a hand blender, or into the jar of a blender if using a countertop blender. If using a countertop blender, always add in the wet ingredients first.

Blend until you get a smooth lump free batter.

If you do not have a blender

Mix all the dry ingredients except sugar in a bowl until well combined.

Mix the sugar and the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, mix thoroughly aiming to get the sugar dissolved as much as possible.

Make a well in the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients mixing until you get a smooth batter. I found adding the wet ingredients in bits helps to get a smoother batter.

Once the batter is ready

Sieve the batter into a jug, try to work out any lumps especially if you did not use a blender.

Cover with cling film then rest the dough for 30 mins up to overnight. If resting for a maximum of 1 hour, you can leave the batter on the counter anything more will have to be chilled to keep the batter fresh. This helps the flavours meld and the flour hydrate making your crepes very tender. Try not to skip this step especially if you mixed the batter without a bender.

Once rested, mix the batter and thin it out with milk or water if it became too thick, the batter should be the consistency of buttermilk / sour milk thick enough to coat a spoon but thin enough to quickly coat the pan.

Heat a dry pan on medium heat. Let it heat up for a few minutes, test the temperature by dropping a drop of water on the pan. If the water sizzles and dances on the pan for a few seconds before evaporating, it is ready.

Grease the pan with around 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of butter. Ensure you spread the butter all around the surface of the pan.

Add around 1/4 cup of batter on your heated pan and immediately swirl your pan so as that the batter covers the entire bottom of the pan. This should be done as quickly as possible since the batter cooks quite fast.

Let the crepe cook for around 1 - 2 minutes till the top has set and the edges begin to brown.

Flip the crepe and cook the other side for 15 - 30 seconds.

Remove the crepe and place it on a wire rack to cool or in a warm oven If you want to stack them up for storage, stack each crepe between greaseproof paper.

Notes

-Try not to stack your crepes without greaseproof paper, they will steam and though they may still be good they won't be great. 

-I found a good heavy 'sticking' pan browns the crepes better than a non-stick pan. Carbon steel and aluminium work great. Just remember to grease it well.

-Letting the batter rest makes a huge difference, try it.

[pikatastelab]

KENYAN FOOD: SOFT LAYERED CHAPATI

Chapati is one of those meals that grace almost every Kenyan ceremony. Over the years I have developed a recipe that produces soft and flavourful results.

Produces 8-12 chapatis in 1 - 2 hrs including the 15 minutes of prep 45mins of resting the dough and around 1/2 an hour of cooking.

Tools & Ingredients

Ingredients

For the dough

4 cups (560g) of All purpose / Chapati / Pastry Flour

1 teaspoon (6g) of fine salt

1/2 - 1 teaspoon (2g - 4g) of sugar (optional)

You can use more or less sugar if you like. There are times I like a bit of sugar and times I prefer none. Try both ways and see what you prefer.

1/4 cup (56g) of cooking oil/cooking fat -> Butter/margarine or ghee will produce very flavourful results

Cooking fat produces much better results - softer, flakier chapatis with more defined layers. The type of fat you use depends on your taste. I like ghee, I love the nutty and buttery flavour it gives the chapatis. You may also use butter. Leaf lard is a natural, mildly flavoured alternative to vegetable fat. I used vegetable oil to show that you can get stellar results even with cooking oil.

 11/2 - 2 cups (360ml - 480ml) of hot water -> Straight off the boil

For making the layers + rolling the dough

Around 1/4 cup (56g) of cooking oil/cooking fat

Just like with the dough, cooking fat, lard, butter or margarine with produce more defined layers. But I have used vegetable oil to show how you can get the same results with just the oil and a bit of flour.

Around 1/2 cup (70g) of All purpose/Chapati/Pastry Flour

 For cooking the chapati

Around 1/2 cup (112g) of cooking oil/cooking fat

Apart from the flavour, the type of cooking oil/fat does not matter. Do not use butter/margarine as they may burn and the moisture they contain may produce a tough result

Special Tools

Rolling Pin -> Preferable one without ball bearings

Tawa / griddle -> Any chapati pan you prefer

Procedure

Making the Dough

Put the dry ingredients (flour, salt and sugar, if using) in a mixing bowl. You can sift the flour first if you like but it is not mandatory.

Mix the dry ingredients until they are well mixed and combined.

Add the oil or cooking fat into the dry ingredients. Blend the fat or oil into the flour with a fork or pastry blender until the roughly mixed.

With your fingers tips, rub in the fat or oil into the flour until you end up with a mixture that looks like coarse crumbs.

Add the very hot water into the flour mixture a little bit at a time, the water should be straight of the boil. Every time you add the water, the flour that is in contact with the hot water will sort of clump together. Break and mix the clumps with a fork or wooden spoon. Working fast continue adding the water while mixing until you have added the whole11/2 cups of hot water. Ensure the water you add in is very hot, if it cools reheat it till it boils before mixing it in. Be very careful during this step, do not use your hands to mix the dough yet, a fork or wooden spoon(mwiko) will work well.

Once the whole 11/2 cups of hot water are added, work the dough with a wooden spoon (mwiko) to incorporate the flour into the dough until the dough is slightly cooler to the touch. Once slightly cooled, start kneading. The dough will at first seem dry and not as soft as expected but do not be tempted to add more water yet. Continue kneading until all the flour is incorporated. At this point, if the dough still seems dry and not pliable, you may add water a tablespoon at a time. Since the dough will soften when it rests, I find I rarely need more water and if I do a tablespoon or two is usually adequate.  Ps: How firm or pliable you make the dough - depending on the amount of water you add, depends on your preference during handling. I like a somewhat firm but pliable dough. Firm enough so it does not stretch out of proportion when transferring the rolled out chapati to the pan and pliable enough so I do not use too much effort to roll it out. I find adding too much water makes a soft and pliable dough that is a nightmare to handle leading to excessive use of flour; over flouring will beat the purpose anyway.

Continue kneading the dough until you get a fairly smooth dough. With this hot water dough, there is no need to knead until your tired. Since our aim is not to develop a lot of gluten, just knead till you get a smooth dough. The hot water also denatures the proteins in the flour so you won't be able to develop much gluten either. 

Cover the dough with cling film, a plastic bag or with the mixing bowl turned over the dough then let it rest for 30 minutes up to overnight. It is important to keep the dough covered and airtight so it does not dry out and develop a crust. You can also refrigerate the dough for 2-3 days, then let it come to room temp (around an hour) before the next step. After resting, the dough should be smooth, soft and pliable. Diving the dough

Divide the dough into 8-12 pieces. Roll the pieces of dough into smooth tight balls. I usually tuck the dough into itself making a sort of ball with a small seam on the side where you tucked in the dough. I then put the dough seam side down on a clean un-floured and un-oiled surface and roll it in a circular motion, gradually cupping it in my hand till it forms a smooth and tight dough ball. You can use whichever method you like. The rounder the balls the better the circles you will roll out later.

Let the dough balls rest covered for another 5-10 mins. I like using plastic wrap or a plastic bag here, just like before, this keeps the dough from drying out and developing a crust. Creating Layers

Once rested you can proceed the create the layers, starting with the dough ball you formed first. This can be done several ways but I am going to show you the way that works best for me developing nice thin distinct layers. Apply a little oil or fat on your work surface then roll out the dough balls as thin as you can. The shape does not matter much here just aim for an even thin layer being careful not to tear the fragile dough.

Apply a thin coat of fat or oil on the dough, around a tablespoon. The if you like or if you are using oil – I highly recommend this – sprinkle a little flour on the rolled out dough, this helps the layers stay separate.

Roll the dough into itself to create a sort of rope then start coiling the ‘rope’ into a disk. Do not coil it all the way just yet. Halfway, continue coiling the ‘rope’ on top of the already coiled disk. Tuck the end in the middle to give a clean finished look. The coil will end up looking like a double layered disk. With the tucked end down, flatten the disk slightly with your fingers then put aside. Do this with all the remaining dough balls then let them rest for 10-15 minutes, covered. Rolling The chapati

Flour your work surface and pat the top and bottom of the first dough you coiled in some flour then start rolling out your chapati. To create nice circles keep giving your dough quarter turns after a few rolls. Keep flipping the dough and lightly flouring your surface (where necessary) as you roll out the dough to ensure nothing sticks. The chapati should be around 20 centimetres (8 inches) wide and 1/2 a centimetre (1/5 of an inch) thick. You can make them thinner, thicker, wider or smaller depending on how you like them. You can either roll as you cook or roll them all out, then cook. Cooking the chapati

Place a tawa or griddle on medium-low heat and let it preheat. You will know it is hot enough when a drop of water sizzles and dances on the pan for a few seconds before evaporating. Place your chapati dough on the hot un-oiled tawa or griddle.

Let the chapati cook till the top looks opaque and should start puffing up and forming bubbles. When the bubbles are around the size of your thumbprint, flip the chapati, the cooked side should be cooked but not browned, this should take no more than a minute. If it has browned too much or takes longer than one minute, reduce or increase your heat respectively.

As the other side of the chapati is cooking apply a bit of oil around a teaspoon to the cooked side. Spread the oil or fat around the cooked side of the chapati not forgetting the sides then flip the chapati again for the oiled side to brown. You may use a spoon, butter knife, spatula, pastry brush or whichever tool you like to spread the oil or fat onto the chapati.

Check if the oiled side has browned to your liking, if not let it cook a little further. I like mine golden with deep brown spots. Once browned flip the chapati and repeat this process with the other side. Monitor the heat as you cook, if the chapati gets huge black spots, reduce the heat. If it takes a long time to brown increase your heat.

If you want soft chapati but are not so keen on crispiness, place the cooked chapati between a kitchen towel, stacking the cooked chapatis in the towel as you go along. They will stay warm till ready to serve. I however like the crispiness of the chapati so I place the chapatis on a cooling rack till ready to serve. I usually do not stack them up as this makes them steam: steam is the enemy of crispiness. If you like them to stay warm place them in a warm oven as you cook the rest.

Serve the chapatis with your favourite beef stew, soup, beans, lentils or simply serve with tea.

Notes

-Always use very hot water, straight off the boil to make your dough. The water denatures the proteins in the flour resulting in a very soft almost melt in your mouth chapati. The hot water dough is also very easy to work with, it does not spring back and can stretch pretty thin.

-Try not to use melted butter if you can help it. It may produce a tougher result.

-If the bubbles that form while cooking the chapati keep the chapati from staying in contact with the pan, gently press the chapati with a clean dish cloth or spatula to ensure even brownness and cooking.

-Do not use a lot of oil to brown the chapati, this makes the chapati too oily and not that great to eat.

-Limit condensation on your chapatis as much as possible. Place the cooked chapati in a dishcloth or cooling rack. Keeping them in a non-absorbent dish will make them soggy.

-Store the leftover chapatis in an airtight container, ziplock bag or wrap them in plastic wrap. They can stay on the counter for 2-3 days or be frozen for months.

-To warm leftover chapatis, place on a dry hot pan over medium heat then let it warm on both sides for around 10-15 seconds per side