Sunday, 3 August 2014

Sainsbury's Chapati

I quite often have a chapati instead of a naan as a side to Indian meals. They're a lot lighter, less bready and not as filling. Admittedly, I would probably prefer a naan in most cases but if you want a lighter curry experience, they're a good choice. So it was nice to see Sainsbury's now do their own version in the fresh ready meals chiller sections.



You get two in a packet, which seems right to me. I don't want the masses of naans or breads you get in other supermarkets or particularly the ones you find in the ambient aisles. I just wanted a little something extra to go with a homemade curry I was making that wasn't as calorie heavy as a naan since I was going to have rice with it as well.

Visually, they look very good. Very thin and flat with a lovely colour and lots of grooves, air pockets and texture for an authentic feel. They're super quick to cook - you can either heat in the oven for 2-3 minutes or dry fry them in a pan for a minute each side, which is what I did.



And either I was very lucky or the cooking instructions are spot on because this really did cook to absolute perfection. It had a lovely crisp texture that when you tore a bit off sent lots of lovely little shards and crispy bits scattering over the plate - just like when I have one at an Indian restaurant. It definitely mimicked the unleavened flatbread well.

That's not to say it's dry or crunchy - it is still a soft, doughy bread at heart for mopping up sauce but due to its thiness it has a little crispiness and interesting flavour from all the air pockets.



If I'm honest it did taste a bit like naan rather than the more dense texture of a chapati from my local but it was lovely nonetheless and a lot tastier than most other supermarket naans. It may not be fully authentic but it's a good choice for a homemade curry. And then when I eat out I will go back to a proper, high calorie naan!

Price: 80p but currently 25% off at 60p
Available: Sainsbury's

Pros: Good value for a little extra, less calories than naan, visually appealing, cooks well, lovely taste, texture and feel
Cons: Not as good as an authentic Indian restaurant version (but then again supermarket stuff never is)

Score: 8/10

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