Groceree logoGroceree

🌍 African recipesSide dish

East African Chapati

By Groceree

Also known as Kenyan Chapati · Chapo

Soft, flaky flatbreads made by rolling oiled dough into coils, resting, and rolling out again so they cook in layers. Unlike the puffed Indian roti, East African chapati is fried in oil and pulls apart in sheets.

Last updated

A stack of golden, flaky, layered flatbreads with brown spots, one torn to show layers
Servings
Makes 8
Prep
40 min
Cook
25 min
Total
1 h 50 min

Ingredients

  • plain flour500 g
  • salt1 tsp
  • caster sugar1 tbsp
  • warm water280 ml
  • vegetable oil100 ml

Instructions

  1. 01

    Mix the , and , add the and 2 tablespoons of , and knead for 10 minutes into a soft, smooth dough.

  2. 02

    Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

  3. 03

    Divide into 8. Roll each into a thin circle, brush with , then roll it up like a rope and coil the rope into a snail.

  4. 04

    Rest the coils for 15 minutes, then roll each out to a 20 cm round.

  5. 05

    Cook on a hot dry pan for 1 minute until bubbles appear, flip, brush with , and flip again, pressing with a spatula until golden-spotted and puffed. Brush and cook the other side.

  6. 06

    Stack the chapatis in a cloth to keep them soft, and scrunch the stack between your hands to loosen the layers.

Notes

  • The oil-and-coil step makes the layers. Skip it and you get a flat, chewy bread.
  • Keep them wrapped in a cloth as they cook so they stay soft.
  • Eaten with beans, sukuma wiki or stews — chapati and madondo are a Kenyan Sunday lunch.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
660 kcal
Protein
13 g
Carbs
98 g
Fat
24 g

Estimated from the ingredients.

From a video to your shopping list

Saw a recipe on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube? Share it to Groceree and the ingredients land on the list everyone at home shares.

  1. Find a recipe video

    01

    Find a recipe video

    Any recipe on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or a website.

  2. Find a recipe video

    Groceree iconGroceree
    02

    Share it to Groceree

    Tap Share and pick Groceree. The app reads the recipe for you.

  3. The recipe is in the app
    03

    The recipe is in the app

    Ingredients, quantities and steps, ready to cook from.

  4. Pick what you need
    04

    Pick what you need

    Untick what is already in the cupboard and add the rest.

  5. It’s on the shared list
    05

    It’s on the shared list

    Sorted by aisle, on every phone at home, in real time.

More African recipes