UGANDA: Ugandan Chapati and Rolex Omelet Wrap

The flavors of this omelet were spot on! I've had eggs with cabbage, as we are big okonomiyaki fans, and I've had eggs with cilantro, as we spent seven years in the Southwest. But the combo of both in the eggs, along with some onions and tomatoes, was amazing.

Ugandan chapati is not the same as Indian chapati. The Ugandan version is softer, with more fat embedded between flaky layers, closer to an Indian paratha than an Indian chapati. I did not taste the chapati, but my family said they preferred it to the store-bought paratha I had on hand. Chapati are a yeast-less flatbread, so despite a few steps in making them, they still come together in less than 45 minutes.

Ugandan Chapati

2½ cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

4 tablespoons + 4 teaspoons of olive oil

4 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil

extra flour for dusting

1. Add flour, salt and sugar to a large a mixing bowl. Mix well. Add 4 tablespoons of the oil and rub into the flour.

2. Add ¾ cup of warm water. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Add a tablespoon of water at a time until that consistency is achieved. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. Divide the dough into quarters. Roll each part into a ball. Cover the balls with a damp cloth or place back under the plastic wrap to keep from drying out.

4. Sprinkle some flour on a work surface. Use a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 10-inch diameter circle. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat entire surface with ghee or the neutral oil. Starting from the bottom edge roll the dough up into a tight rope. Roll the rope back and forth a few times, pressing down gently with your fingers, to lengthen it.

5. Coil the rope on itself like a snail. Gently press the coils flat and roll out with a rolling pin to 8 inches in diameter.

6. Warm a griddle on medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the remaining olive oil to the griddle and swirl to coat the pan. Place the rolled out chapati on the pan over medium heat. Flip when golden, about 2-3 minutes, and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

7. Repeat with remaining balls of dough. Serve warm.

Rolex Omelet Wrap

½ medium yellow onion

¼ medium head of green cabbage

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 Roma or small beefsteak tomatoes

8 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 small avocado (optional)

8 teaspoons canola or other neutral oil

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.

2. Chop the onion [NOTE 1] and cabbage into small dice. Seed and core the tomato, and chop it into small dice as well.

3. In a large bowl beat the eggs with the salt. Stir in all of the chopped vegetables.

4. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in an 8-10" nonstick skillet, over medium-low heat. Pour in a quarter of the egg mixtures and swirl to coat the pan. (If you don't trust your ability to divvy up the mixture evenly, you can also beat 2 eggs at a time, then add a quarter of the veggies to the mixture, before adding to the pan.)

5. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom is fully set. Flip the omelet and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes until the omelet is cooked through [NOTE 2].

6. Slide cooked omelet onto a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and stay warm while preparing the other omelets.

7. To serve, place an omelet on a chapati and roll it up. If using the avocado, slice and add a few slices in an off-center line before rolling.

   
   

NOTE 1: My family does not love raw onion, so although not traditional to rolex I sautéed the onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil before adding it to the beaten eggs.

NOTE 2: If the size of the omelet and/or your pan make flipping it in one piece difficult, slide the omelet onto a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and finish cooking in the oven, raising the oven to 325° to have omelets finish cooking through while preparing the other omelets.

#omelet #omelette #rolex #eggs #uganda

FUN FACTS:

• Almost half the world’s surviving population of mountain gorillas live in Uganda.

• Uganda is thought to have the world’s smallest church. The stone “Chapel on Biku Hill” can only accommodate three people, including the priest.

• In Uganda grasshoppers are widely eaten, either boiled or deep-fried.