Dhapate: A Maharashtrian Staple Bread

Dhapate is a traditional Maharashtrian thalipeeth, a multi-grain flatbread that is both healthful and tasty. It's a simple and quick Indian flatbread recipe that's great for breakfast or as a snack. It is a common breakfast item in Maharashtrian and Indian households. Dhapte means to pat or slap, the flatbread is shaped by patting the dough with hands. Earlier, people used to directly pat on on the pan with wet hands. Garlic, onion, coriander, and spices flavour these healthful flatbreads, which are prepared using three types of flour, jowar, whole wheat, and besan.  

Dhapate is made in a reasonably simple manner. You'll need to mix all of the ingredients together to produce a dough, then pat it into a circular disc and fry it in a pan. Deep-frying is also an option. 

Ingredients 

For Making a Paste

1/2 cup tomatoes, coarsely chopped

5 garlic cloves (lehsun)

1 tablespoon green chilies, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp coriander, chopped (dhania) 

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds (jeera)

1 teaspoon of carom seeds (ajwain)

For Making the Dhapate 

1 cup jowar flour (white millet)

½  cup whole wheat flour 

½ cup of besan

¼ cup bajra flour (black millet)

¼ cup of rice flour (chawal ka atta)

½ cup onions, finely chopped 

1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

2 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander (dhania)

1 tbsp sesame seeds (til)  

1 tbsp coriander powder (dhania)  

Salt to taste 

½ tsp oil oil for brushing  

1/8 tbsp cooking oil

Method 

To prepare dhapate, combine jowar flour, whole wheat flour, besan, bajra flour, and rice flour. Now add, onions, coriander, sesame seeds, turmeric powder, coriander powder, prepared paste. Using around 1 cup of water, and salt knead into a soft dough. Make equal parts of the dough. Place a butter paper on a clean, dry surface, place one part of the dough on it. Using wet hands keep tapping to make a 175 mm (7") diameter thin circle. Make hole like impressions with your index finger at gaps. Heat a non-stick tava, coat it with ½ tsp of oil, and gently remove the dhapte from the butter paper.

Cook, covering, for two minutes over medium heat, or until thoroughly cooked. Flip and cook from both sides till light brown in color, speard another 1 tsp of oil evenly over it.  Repaeat the process to make rest of the dhapate. Serve hot with curd or thecha. 

Green Chili Thecha Recipe

Grind together 15 green chilies, 10 garlic cloves and salt to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle or a blender. Transfer the ground chilies in a bowl or a bottle. In a tadka pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ½ tsp mustard seeds and once they splutter add the ½ tsp asafetida and turn off the heat.  Pour this tempering over the green chilli thecha and mix well.