East African Chapati With Beef Stew Recipe
Today's recipes are packed with flavor and texture. The chapati is easy to make with this guide and can even be frozen for later use.
Ingredients
For the plain chapati
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, optional
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup warm water
For spinach chapati
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 3/4 cup warm water
For chili chapati
- 3 chopped chillies
- 3/4 cup warm water
For the Kenyan beef stew
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 pounds beef stew (like sirloin steak tips), cubed into bite-sized pieces
- 2 medium onions, cut into large chunks
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded, minced, optional
- 2 tsp curry powder (of your choice)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
- 4 tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup tomato puree (not paste or sauce)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, picked (leaves only)
- 3-4 cups low-sodium beef stock
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 2 cups fresh peas
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the chapati dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour(s), cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Stir in the olive oil.
- For flavored chapati, blend spinach + water or chilies + water. Use this instead of the plain 1 cup water.
- Slowly add the liquid while mixing until a soft, elastic dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for about 10 minutes.
- Divide into 4–6 pieces, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Shape the chapati
- Using a rolling pin, roll out one dough ball on a lightly floured surface.
- Then, roll the flat disc into a roll starting from one end.
- This roll can then be slightly flattened. Grab one end of the "log" and start rolling it inwards. Keep twisting it around itself so it ultimately creates another disc-shaped ball. Tuck the outer end piece into the center.
- Finally, roll this ball into a flat round sheet again. Each sheet should only be ⅛ inch thick. This is a very thin flatbread with many layers.
- Repeat the whole process until all your chapati has been shaped and rolled.
Cook your chapati
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Cook each chapati for 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown spots appear. Do not add butter or oil to the frying pan.
- Finally, while the chapati is still warm, add a dollop of butter and brush it over the entire surface.
- Remove the chapati from the heat. Either keep it warm in a low-temperature oven or allow it to cool.
Make the Kenyan beef stew
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Brown the beef on all sides, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté onions and celery for 2–3 minutes. Add garlic and Scotch bonnet (if using) and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in curry powder, smoked paprika, and white pepper. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Return beef to the pot. Add diced tomatoes, tomato puree, thyme, and 3 cups of stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1–1½ hours, until beef is tender. Add more stock as needed.
- Stir in bell pepper and peas. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Finish with chopped parsley and season with salt and black pepper.
Serve
- Pair warm chapati with a hearty scoop of beef stew. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 483kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 21gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 573mgPotassium: 615mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 671IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!