The Roti bread is a quintessential part of the Indian curry dish. The
Roti is used to conveniently take up the sauce and like most dishes of
Indian origin, it is eaten with the hands. Making a Roti can be quite a
challenge, and even some Indian housewives have trouble with it. Getting
the dough in the right shape is a special difficulty that requires some
practice. This is the reason why most people prefer the simple
alternative of purchasing frozen ready-made rotis from Asian shops.
However, the taste is always better when the roti is prepared at home,
with all the attention and care of the cook.
Ingredients:
3 cups of plain flour
1 pinch of Salt
½ cup of milk
¼ cup of water
Pinch of Sugar
Butter
Peanut oil
Steps:
Put all the flour in a big bowl to facilitate handling of the
dough.
Pour in the milk and the water a little at a time just enough
for a firm dough.
Add some salt and sugar (to taste).
Knead the dough continuously with the hands until the dough
softens and has an elastic consistency.
Wrap in plastic or aluminum foil and leave the dough overnight.
On the next day, small pieces are taken off the dough and rolled
in flour. Make them into small balls and place on a tray. Make as
many as the dough will allow.
A small amount of butter is taken in the palm of hands and
rubbed over the balls. Place back over the tray and allow resting
for 2-3 hours.
Pour some oil over a flat surface. Place a ball at the center
and flatten it with a rolling pin. Get it as thin as possible. It is
easier to have a rectangular shape but many people also have round
shapes, which is more complex to achieve. The process is repeated
with the remaining balls.
Put some oil on a flat frying pan and put in the flattened
dough. Fry until a golden crust appears. Flip on the other side and
repeat the procedure.
Remove the bread and squash with the hands to take off
over-burned (black) shreds.
Serve immediately.
The roti is a part of traditional Malay dish that is inspired from
Indian cuisine. It is fun and challenging to prepare but the results are
simply outstanding. It accompanies every type of saucy dish. Try it with
some delicious mutton curry or chicken curry. A soft and crunchy roti is
the centerpiece of your dish. It provides delicious consistency to the
food that rice or other staples do not give. It is a nice variation to
consider when trying out Malay cuisine even though success may not come
until some sessions of bizarre outcomes. After many fruitless trials,
you will certainly develop your own technique for getting the dough into
shape and kneading the dough appropriately, which form the base of good
roti preparation
