Spiced Fennel & Chive Filled Chapati with Lots of Salt & Ghee

I’ve been thinking about spicy chapati covered in salt and melted ghee. Maybe it’s the snow and rain we’ve had this week, or maybe it’s the sunshine we have now and the miraculous survival and growth of the greens in our garden that were covered in snow and frozen for days during the last few storms, barely, yet adequately protected by their row cover. These are lemony, crispy, satisfying envelopes of spiced fennel and chives and the addition of fried apples and fried parsley (two of my favorite things) and yogurt makes them beautiful and well rounded. I originally ate these for dinner with ground lamb, and for the lunch the next day with a simple garden side salad. The ghee-fried apples are equally tasty for dessert, again with yogurt and the addition of cinnamon. Start this recipe by making the chapati dough two hours before dinner so it has time to rest.

Chapati dough

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sprouted whole wheat flour
½ tsp sea salt
¾ cup ghee, melted

Method

Stir together the flour, salt and ½ cup water until the mix comes loosely together, then transfer to a work surface and knead for around 5 minutes, or until the dough is cohesive and smooth. 

Divide the dough into 8 pieces, roll into balls, then place in a dish and cover with the melted ghee and allow to rest, covered, for 2 hours or so. Prepare the spice mix, fennel and toppings while the dough rests.

Roll the dough into squares. Rubbing a little more ghee on the surface and fill with the spiced fennel and chives. Fold the square closed at the sides and then top and bottom to seal in the filling. It helps to use a little ghee to help seal the pockets. 

Heat a large cast iron and add half of the leftover ghee. Fry the chapati squares until they are crisp and browned on each side, adding ghee as needed and working in batches to avoid overcrowding. 

Once all the chapati’s are fried, throw the sliced apples and parsley into the hot, sizzling ghee. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon and fry until slightly browned and crispy. 

Serve the chapati with the fried apples and parsley, whole milk yogurt, a simple side salad, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Spice mix

2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cracked cumin seeds
6 cloves minced garlic
1 inch minced ginger 

Method

Using a mortar and pestle, grind the coriander and cumin seeds, then add the rest of the spices and stir to combine.

Fennel + Chives

1 fennel bulb sliced thin
1 bunch chives, chopped
Olive oil or ghee
Sea salt
Lemon 

Method

Heat a cast iron to medium-high and add oil or ghee to the pan. Add the fennel and chives, salt to taste and squeeze lemon juice on top. 

Cook until the fennel is softened, and both the fennel and chives are slightly crisped. Move the fennel and chives to the side of the pan and add a little more oil or ghee. Bloom the spice mix in this part of the pan until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes, then stir it into the fennel-chives. Remove from heat, and fill the chapati.

Toppings

1 apple thinly sliced 
1 bunch parsley coarsely chopped
Whole milk plain yogurt

See steps 5-6 in the chapati dough recipe.