Chapat (Parsi Sweet Pancakes)
Chapat is a traditional Parsi sweet pancake, rich with the flavors of coconut, almonds, and pistachios. This historical recipe from 1900 creates a decadent, crepe-like flatbread that is crisp on the edges and tender in the center, perfumed with rose water, cardamom, and nutmeg. Cooked slowly in ghee, these golden delights are perfect for a festive breakfast or an indulgent tea-time snack.
Ingredients
- 8 cups Fine wheat flour (Maida) (Originally '2 Tipri'. Estimated as approx 2 lbs based on ratios.)
- 3 cups Ghee (Originally '1.5 Seer'. Used for frying and greasing. Can use less as needed.)
- 1/2 cup Buffalo milk (Originally '0.25 Seer'. Use whole milk if buffalo milk is unavailable.)
- 2 cups Sugar (Quantity estimated based on similar recipes (original text unclear). Adjust to taste.)
- 1 cup Almonds (Originally '1/4 Seer'. Blanched and peeled.)
- 1 cup Pistachios (Originally '1/4 Seer'. Shelled and unsalted.)
- 1 tablespoon Cardamom powder (Originally 'Tole Stha' (approx 1/2 tola).)
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg powder (Originally 'Tole Vya' (approx 1/4 tola).)
- 7 whole Eggs
- 1 whole Large coconut (For extracting coconut milk. Can substitute with 2 cups thick canned coconut milk.)
- 5 teaspoons Rose water
Instructions
- 1Blanch the almonds and pistachios, peel them, wash them, and dry them. Grind them finely or pound them into a paste.
- 2Grate the coconut. Add a little water and squeeze the grated coconut to extract the milk. Strain through a cloth to obtain about 1/2 Seer (approx. 2 cups) of thick coconut milk.
- 3In a large bowl or soup plate, break the eggs and beat them thoroughly with a fork. Transfer to a tinned vessel. Add the flour and mix well. Gradually add the coconut milk while mixing to ensure no lumps remain. Then add the sugar, cardamom, nutmeg, ground almonds, ground pistachios, and rose water. Add the buffalo milk as needed to achieve a consistency similar to thick dudhpak (a pourable pancake batter).
- 4Cover the batter and let it rest for one hour.
- 5Heat a flat pan (tawa or griddle) on a slow fire. Grease the entire surface with a little ghee. Pour a ladleful of batter onto the pan and spread it evenly from the outside in to form a round pancake. If holes appear, fill them immediately with a little more batter. If the pancake is small and thick, spread the batter slightly with a spatula to fill gaps. When the bottom layer is red/golden brown, carefully loosen the edges and flip it over. Add a little more ghee around the edges. Fry until the second side is also golden brown. Fold and remove. Repeat with remaining batter. Note: Use more ghee if a crispier texture is desired.