The perfect roti

[TinTin]

Please help!!

I'm trying to recreate the wonderful rotis i enjoyed on a trip to Trinidad. I'm making the roti with split peas in the centre but i cannot get the roti to turn out with the flexibility to allow me to wrap the curry inside. They turn brittle and crack. Can anyone help?

[saltwater]

:D :D :D
That is dhalpurie.

[sapodila]

Tell us exactly what you're doing. We'll help you from there.

[Sumana]

I can't make paratha to save my life :(

[sapodila]

Dhalpouri Roti
For Roti

2 lb. sifted all purpose white flour
4 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp sugar
vegetable oil for basting
water for kneading - average about 1pint

Filling for the roti

1 lb yellow split peas ( Dhal )
1 head garlic, minced
5 - 6 leaves bandania (culantro) crushed
1 tsp. turmeric powder
2 thsp. cumin ( geera)-roasted and ground
average about 6 cups water
salt to taste

1)Wash Dhal ( yellow split peas ) and drain
2) Cook Dhal with Turmeric for about 15-20 mins until the Dhal grain can be easily crushed between fingers, but don't let it melt
3) Grind Dhal in a food processer or in a hand mill
4) Combine ground Dhal, salt, garlic, bandania (culantro) and ground geera in a large bowl and set aside

5) Mix flour with baking powder and salt
6) Add enough water and knead into a soft dough- rest dough for about 10 - 15 mins.
7) Divide dough into about 10 - 12 equal pieces, then shape into balls- rest again 15 mins.
8) Flatten each ball add a little dry flour and 2 heaped thsps. of Dhal mixture into the middle of each flattened dough.
9) Bring up all edges to the center and stick together to hide the Dhal in the middle and re-shape into balls

Heat tawah, baste tawah with oil, use some roll up thick paper towel.( I know you don't have a puchara :D ) .

Roll roti into 8"- 10" diametre circles ( depending on the size of your tawa) place on hot tawa to cook. Turn
over, baste top side of roti, turn over, baste other side and turn over again, press on the edges to make sure that it is coked then fold and remove.

Add your favourite condiments and you're set.

[serenity]

Gosh that sounding so good!
Now ah hadda go and find a roti shop for lunch.

[sapodila]

Give it ah try..............Sumi

Paratha

1 lb flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water (please average this)
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
Crisco vegetable shortening ( please use approx 1 full tsp for each )
oil for cooking

1) Sift flour together with baking powder, sugar and salt
2) Add enough water and the milk to make a smooth, soft elastic dough, use oil around bowl sides to prevent sticking and knead well
3) Cover dough with a damp cloth and rest for 15 mins
4) Divide into 4 -5 equal parts and shape into balls ( make small enough to fit your tawa when rolled out )
5) Flour board and roll out dough to about 6 -7" in diameter, then spread with crisco and sprinkle with flour
6) Make a cut from the center of the circle to the outside edge, then roll dough into a tight cone. Push top of dough in and tuck in bottom and press flat- Rest for another 15 mins
7) Heat tawa or griddle - brush with oil ( use folded paper towel )
8) Roll dough out on a floured board as thin as possible.
9) Place on tawah and cook, flip over spread oil, flip over again spread oil on other side..it will raise at this point. Press edges to make sure it cook
10) For easy breaking up..... use a kitchen towel to put each roti as you cook... bring up the cloth around the roti....use your rolling pin to pound on the roti then place on paper towels.
11) Repeat steps 8 - 10 for each roti.

That's it.....Now you have paratha roti as silky soft and delicious to eat with your favourite side dish.

[sapodila]

Gosh that sounding so good!
Now ah hadda go and find a roti shop for lunch.
And here I could swear that you going to try an cook this roti :D

[serenity]

Gosh that sounding so good!
Now ah hadda go and find a roti shop for lunch.
And here I could swear that you going to try an cook this roti :D

Meh mother does complain how ah wasting she flour and flour gone up and the dog cah take no more of my concotions etc. :roll:

[sapodila]

Gosh that sounding so good!
Now ah hadda go and find a roti shop for lunch.
And here I could swear that you going to try an cook this roti :D

Meh mother does complain how ah wasting she flour and flour gone up and the dog cah take no more of my concotions etc. :roll:
You need to surprise her. She sounding like my Mom. When she leaves the house to go to a funeral, wedding, prayers etc. get busy in the kitchen. I told my Mom that I am a better cook than she is....she agrees and so does everyone else close to home :D

[serenity]

I'll be the undercover cook! :lol:

[sapodila]

I'll be the undercover cook! :lol:
That's the idea! :D

[littleone]

i like to cook, but i don't know why i HATE the feel of flour. i can't stand the sound that it makes between your fingers or when it spills on the floor and it's impossible to sweep it all up an then you feel it under your feet when you walk....yuck... allyuh think is possible to need flour and bailay with a rubber gloves on??

[saltwater]

i like to cook, but i don't know why i HATE the feel of flour. i can't stand the sound that it makes between your fingers or when it spills on the floor and it's impossible to sweep it all up an then you feel it under your feet when you walk....yuck... allyuh think is possible to need flour and bailay with a rubber gloves on??

Same way i feel about flour..oh geed..I cannot stand the feel of it on my fingers or on any surface. I go into recoil mode. But after ah get thru that I does make a good roti.

[saltwater]

Gosh that sounding so good!
Now ah hadda go and find a roti shop for lunch.
And here I could swear that you going to try an cook this roti :D
She had me fooled to. It was reading like she was going to cook it.

[sapodila]

Aye alyuh oma! it duh taste "yuck" and "geed" wen alyuh eating it? an why can't you keep the flour inside the bowl instead of on the floor? Here's a tip for Littleone. Clean the kitchen sink and place your bowl / basin in the sink then knead your flour there... so none will fall on the floor and you would not have to step on it or clean it up that way :lol: .

[punjabtrini]

I cheat sometimes (well, most the time).

You make the dhalpurie (aloo, cutup chicken/beef or whatever with the spices) but you either use na'an (nan) or pita bread as the parata. Some pita or na'an you already come wrapped so you just warm or hot up then add dhalpurie to yuh liking.

[Solachica]

It cheap and less work now days to just buy the roti :D
For prayers etc my family dont cook the roti themselves anymore becos it does be stress to find people to help do it so they just order the roti by the coolers. :geek:

[littleone]

sap, why i wasn't smart enough to think of that? ah go give it ah try. but ah still cyah stand to the feel of flour.

[greypatch]

yea buy the roti

this is a dying breed them roti makers

[Sumana]

^^ Mamoo...when u goin 'n teach me to make roti

[Jenny]

oh gosh...this is perfect...the one thing i cant make good is fry bake and roti...
for some reason my bake doh swell....so it does be like crisp bread...but still tastin nice eh...
and i use self raisin flour....i doin something wrong??

[sapodila]

I DO NOT USE self rising flour........HOWEVER....... when you use self rising flour to make roti..........MIX half self rising AND half ALL PURPOSE flour. Do NOT add anything else to it. NO more salt, sugar or baking powder.

[bunta]

you're beyond help
stick to bread.
import your rotis


Please help!!

I'm trying to recreate the wonderful rotis i enjoyed on a trip to Trinidad. I'm making the roti with split peas in the centre but i cannot get the roti to turn out with the flexibility to allow me to wrap the curry inside. They turn brittle and crack. Can anyone help?

[Mivo]

I never use self rising flour ah use pillsbury or gold medal all purpose flour

[sapodila]

That's what I use too..... but Robin Hood and Five Roses is still the best eh! ;)

[Jenny]

I DO NOT USE self rising flour........HOWEVER....... when you use self rising flour to make roti..........MIX half self rising AND half ALL PURPOSE flour. Do NOT add anything else to it. NO more salt, sugar or baking powder.


thanks eh Sap, I goin to try it again this weekend. I always thought that self raisin woulda give you a niceer lighter roti...
will let you know the results of my efforts.. :)

[brag]

I tried an South West Indian roti recipie once by just mixing a cup of hot water and a cup of flour with a fork--nothing else. Make small balls from the dough and press them with your hands to make a roti. Grease the tawa or baking stone a little and flip over on both sides, pressing the edges and wetting the roti a little as it cooks until it rises to make a perfect roti which is a little chewy but delicious. I believe how the gluten is allowed to develop by the mixing, makes the difference in how the rioti comes out.

[sylvestter]

there is a reason that there are roti-skin makers!

$4.00 for a dhalpouri skin
$14 for a buss-up-shut skin

easy fix.

[Jenny]

I made roti...i loved it....I dont have a tawa though, my mom bring one for me this year.
So I mek it in a big frying pan....then I do some fancy balancing and sakey the roti....heh...It was nice....heavyish though, guess I kneaded it to hard? Sapodilla, how do you get a light and soft roti??? Is it all to do with the kneading?? I used bread flour though, maybe daiz the problem??

[sapodila]

Great effort Jenny! Don't give up. Try making the dough Pliable. Do not knead the flour HARD. maybe you should not 'over knead' or add a little more water to make a softer dough. Better luck next time.

[Sumana]

there is a reason that there are roti-skin makers!

$4.00 for a dhalpouri skin
$14 for a buss-up-shut skin

easy fix.


lol that's what i told the bf too!!!

[Jenny]

So finally I got my tawa, and I have a big burn on my hand to show my efforts for making roti....basically my palm touched the hot tawa when i was trying to make the roti swell.
Still kinda heavy...I need to practice to knead!

[amzz]

there is a reason that there are roti-skin makers!

$4.00 for a dhalpouri skin
$14 for a buss-up-shut skin

easy fix.


now 7 and 27/30 respectively

still an easy fix?

[Aurea]

Give it ah try..............Sumi

Paratha

1 lb flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cup lukewarm water (please average this)
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
Crisco vegetable shortening ( please use approx 1 full tsp for each )
oil for cooking

1) Sift flour together with baking powder, sugar and salt
2) Add enough water and the milk to make a smooth, soft elastic dough, use oil around bowl sides to prevent sticking and knead well
3) Cover dough with a damp cloth and rest for 15 mins
4) Divide into 4 -5 equal parts and shape into balls ( make small enough to fit your tawa when rolled out )
5) Flour board and roll out dough to about 6 -7" in diameter, then spread with crisco and sprinkle with flour
6) Make a cut from the center of the circle to the outside edge, then roll dough into a tight cone. Push top of dough in and tuck in bottom and press flat- Rest for another 15 mins
7) Heat tawa or griddle - brush with oil ( use folded paper towel )
8) Roll dough out on a floured board as thin as possible.
9) Place on tawah and cook, flip over spread oil, flip over again spread oil on other side..it will raise at this point. Press edges to make sure it cook
10) For easy breaking up..... use a kitchen towel to put each roti as you cook... bring up the cloth around the roti....use your rolling pin to pound on the roti then place on paper towels.
11) Repeat steps 8 - 10 for each roti.

That's it.....Now you have paratha roti as silky soft and delicious to eat with your favourite side dish.


Thank u sooooo much!!

Aurea

[sapodila]

Aha! Aurea making roti too! :D nice! Practice makes perfect. You all will get the hang of it. Keep trying and don't give up!