Whole wheat flatbread baked twice until completely crispy and long-lasting — the traditional travel bread of Uttarakhand shepherds and mountain traders carried for weeks on long journeys.
Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp ghee
Water — enough to knead a very firm, stiff dough
Ghee for serving
Method
Knead wheat flour, salt and ghee with water into a very firm, stiff dough — much firmer than regular chapati dough.
The firmness is essential for the bread to hold its shape through double baking. Cover and rest 20 minutes.
Divide into 8 balls. Roll each into a fairly thick circle — about 5 to 6 mm thickness, 14 cm wide.
Noticeably thicker than chapati.
Heat a dry tawa on medium with no oil. Cook each roti on the dry tawa for 3 to 4 minutes per side until fully cooked through but only lightly coloured — not charred. This is the first bake.
Once all rotis are first-baked, place them back on a very low tawa or in an oven at 150°C.
Bake slowly for 20 to 25 minutes turning every 5 minutes until completely dry, hard and crispy all the way through.
They should feel like crackers and snap cleanly when bent.
Cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container for 2 to 3 weeks.
To eat: break into pieces and eat with ghee and tea, or soften briefly in warm dal or soup before eating.