Kids' Cooking Idea: Indian Chipatis (flatbreads)

For our budding chef/ scientist, we play lots of kitchen games. We like to drop everything in water and see if it sinks or floats before eating it. We like to see if it tastes different dipped in water. And we like to cut things apart. This time, we have found an activity that puts something together.

My son is now 2 years and almost 2 months old. He loves to help in the kitchen and garden, and takes a strong interest in whatever my husband or I am doing. Making chipatis, or Indian flatbreads, is really fun with him, and he likes to eat them, too.


We got the recipe from my favorite Indian cookbook, called 5 Spices, 50 Dishes. It is 2 cups of flour (1 1/2 c. whole wheat and 1/2 c. rice flour is what we use) mixed with a teaspoon of salt, then water is added and mixed until it feels like dough. You then let it rest for a bit (10 minutes or so is fine). Then the fun begins.

We set the little guy up facing the stove but away from the heat on a barstool. He insisted on a napkin to keep his lap clean (I am not kidding~ see 2nd photo). Then we brush the counter with flour, and split the dough into 8-10 small balls and give him one at a time. He uses his small rolling pin from his play kitchen from Ikea but I am sure he could manage an adult tool. I showed him how to make one, then he was good to go rolling it and flipping it and making it thinner.

Then the adult takes it and puts it in a hot skillet for a minute on each side, then, if you have gas, put it on an open flame for about 5 seconds, or until it puffs up then sinks again. If you have an electric range, flip it back to the 1st side and take a wet dish towel and press on the edges of the chipati until it puffs up then down again. Serve as soon as they are all done cooking.

He really likes eating these, and cooking them, too. They go great with a curry, or any other tortilla use. Have fun!

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