3 cups whole-wheat flour

1½ teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon ghee or oil

1 cup lukewarm water

• In a large mixing bowl, stir together 2½ cups of flour and the salt. Add the ghee and, using your fingers, rub it into the flour and salt mixture.

• Add the lukewarm water and mix to form a dough. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Don't skimp on the kneading; it is what makes the bread tender.)

• Form the dough into a ball and place it in a small, oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

• Divide the dough into golf ball–sized pieces. Using a flour-covered rolling pin, roll each ball out on a flour-covered surface to approximately 6 to 8 inches in diameter and ⅛-inch thick.

• Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place a piece of dough on the hot surface. Using a towel or the edge of a spoon, carefully press down around the edges of the bread. (This will allow air pockets to form in the bread.) Cook for 1 minute. Carefully turn the chapati over and continue cooking for 1 more minute. Chapatis should be lightly browned and pliable, not crisp. Remove the bread to a basket and cover with a towel. Repeat until all of the rounds are cooked.

Asian Bread

Unlike in Thailand and most other Southeast Asian countries, bread is an integral part of the Indian diet. Most are not leavened and are made in individual servings, not in loaves.