Recipe corner: Super quick, no yeast flatbreads

Happy Yorkshire Day! I should really be sharing some pictures of sheep strewn dales to mark the occasion, but instead, I am going to talk about one of West Yorkshire's most venerable food institutions.  Curry.

I love a good curry.  I'm not really fussy, although I tend to avoid anything so spicy that it will completely numb the palate - spice should enhance, not kill, flavour (I also do not think that eating should be some sort of endurance test). However, a nice, well flavoured curry with a kick of chilli heat is a thing of absolute beauty.

So let's talk sides, because, in general, I would quite happily forego rice completely if I've got some chapati or similar to use as an accompaniment.  And you know how sometimes you are having curry for dinner and it gets to about an hour beforehand and you realise that you've completely forgotten to provide said bread?  This, my friends, is the recipe for you.  It doesn't have any yeast in it so it doesn't require proving (and thus additional preparation time), it is easy and quick, uses ingredients that you'll probably have in anyway, and it produces a really tasty flatbread.  Perfect for scooping purposes.

NB: These also make excellent alternatives to a tortilla wrap, being quite robust.  This little beauty is stuffed with leftover tandoori chicken and coriander rice, with aubergine pickle, raita and shredded lettuce - almost like an Indian spiced burrito.

Ingredients

150g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out
25g butter
90ml skimmed milk
Vegetable oil (for cooking)

Makes 2 largeish flatbreads

Melt the butter into the milk - you could do this in a pan but, to be honest, it;s probably easier to do it in a microwave proof jug.  Give it a few short blasts so that the butter is just melted and the liquid is not too hot.

Measure out the flour, add salt to taste and then bit by bit, pour the liquid in to the flour and combine.  The easiest way to do this is to make your hand into a claw shape and use it to gently bring everything together.  You may not need all the liquid to create the soft but not too sticky dough.

Sprinkle the worktop with flour, tip out the dough and knead lightly for a couple of minutes until smooth.  Then wrap in clingfilm and set aside for around 30 minutes.  I find that keeping it in the fridge at this stage makes it easier to handle when you are rolling it out.

When it is time to cook, get a large frying pan on the hob.  While it is heating, divide the dough in two and, on a floured work surface, roll out into a round flatbread shape, about half a centimetre thick.

Brush the surface of the pan with oil (I use a silicon pastry brush for this job) and then whack in the first of your flatbreads.  Cook for about a minute and a half on one side and then flip over and do the same on the other.  The dough will start to bubble slightly and acquire golden brown spots like so:

Repeat with the other piece of dough.

Serve with curry and a smug expression.