Roti is an Indian bread, round, flat and unleavened. Most Indian restaurants serve naan, a thin leavened bread made with sourdough, white flour and baked in the tandoori oven, while roti is traditionally cooked with whole wheat flour and cooked on a hot plate. It is a bread that is eaten every day, prepared daily and enjoyed with curry, chetney and many other Indian dishes. In addition, the roti is also used as a spoon to collect food and to make the classic "slipper". It is a delicious, versatile and surprisingly simple food to prepare; you can cook it safely at home. The doses of this recipe allow you to make 20-30 roti.
Ingrediants
- 390 g of semi-wholemeal flour or 195 g of wholemeal flour and 195 g of 00 flour.
- 2-5 g of salt (optional).
- About 15 g of clarified butter or oil.
- 240-360 ml of hot water.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Dough
Step 1. Choose the type of flour
The traditional preparation of roti involves the semi-wholemeal one also known as suitable flour. Sometimes, in recipes, you can find it in the ingredient list under the simple name of "atta" or "chapati flour". Remember that chapati is a different type of Indian unleavened bread, although the two terms are often used interchangeably.
- The suitable flour is a finely ground wholemeal flour and is the first choice for cooking a traditional roti;
- If you can't find chapati flour or you don't have any available, you can replace it with wholemeal flour. However, since this is heavier, consider "cutting" it with 00 flour in order to obtain a consistency more similar to that of atta.
- If that's all you have available, you can also use plain flour. In that case, you still need to use less water. Check carefully the consistency of the dough as you prepare it; you will find more details in the following article.
- Also, if you decide to use only 00 flour, the roti will not have the chewy texture and nutty flavor typical of this bread.
Step 2. Get the oil
You need a small amount of fat to grease the roti once kneaded and also to add to the dough itself (optional). You can use any type of oil: olive oil, seed oil or melted butter, even better if clarified.
Ghee is made by eliminating casein and simmering it to remove moisture until the solid part of the milk turns brown. This product has a color and aroma very similar to caramel and hazelnut. It also has a very high smoke point (around 190 ° C) and is great for frying. It is available in ethnic and organic food stores as well as in better-stocked supermarkets. If you wish, you can also prepare it at home
Step 3. Sift the flour and salt
Put the flour in a large bowl, in a food processor or in the planetary mixer (both with a mixing paddle). Add the salt and mix the mixture thoroughly.
Step 4. Add the oil or ghee to the flour
Not all roti recipes have a fatty ingredient, but this adds a little flavor to an otherwise very plain bread and makes it soft to the touch. Add the clarified butter to your taste, about 15 ml. Slowly stir the mixture until it becomes sandy.
Make sure your hands are clean if you have chosen to knead by hand. If you use a planetary mixer, set the minimum speed; if you rely on the food processor, pulse it until the mixture reaches the desired consistency
Step 5. Pour the water into the flour
Start adding the lukewarm water slowly. At first the mixture will be sandy, but gradually incorporating the liquid, it will take on the shape of a ball more and more.
- Do not overdo the water and do not pour it quickly; the dough must not become sticky, otherwise you will not be able to knead it.
- If you are using an appliance, you will need to stop it from time to time to scrape the edges of the container before putting it back into operation.
- In the end, the mass should be soft and slightly sticky; however, you shouldn't have any problems taking it off your hands. If it sticks to your hands, then the dough is too moist and you should incorporate some flour.
Step 6. Knead
Once a ball has formed, leave the stand mixer or food processor on for another couple of minutes or knead by hand for about five minutes. This is how gluten proteins are formed.
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The time required for the dough can vary and depends on the strength you apply or the strength your appliance is able to generate. You need to get an elastic, malleable mass that you can smooth out.
Make Roti Step 6Bullet1
Step 7. Let the dough rest
Once you have finished working the mass, sprinkle it with a little oil or clarified butter and cover it with a damp cloth (also paper). Let the dough rest for about half an hour or more.
This rest period allows you to cook softer roti. The gluten formed during the dough can relax and the air bubbles will be expelled from the mass
Part 2 of 2: Cooking the Roti
Step 1. Heat the cooking surface
To cook roti, you need a griddle, a cast iron pan with a diameter of 20-22 cm or a traditional iron tawa. Place the plate over medium-high heat.
- You can test the heat of the griddle by dropping a pinch or two of flour on the surface. When the flour turns dark, then the griddle is hot enough.
- Most recipes recommend that you heat the cooking surface while smoothing the dough. If this is your first time cooking roti, the process of preparing the dough discs may take a little too long and the griddle may become too hot or start to burn. In that case, it is best to wait and put it on the fire.
Step 2. Prepare the pastry board
You need a large, flat work surface to work the roti. A marble slab or classic chapati pastry board is ideal, but you can also use a large cutting board or kitchen counter. Remember to lightly flour your work surface and always keep some flour on hand to sprinkle your hands as you work. Flour the rolling pin too.
Step 3. Knead and divide the mass
Take the dough that has rested and knead it for about a minute or two, until it appears "relaxed". Divide it into balls of equal size (about 5 cm in diameter).
Step 4. Roll out the dough balls
Grab one and start flattening it between your palms. Flour both sides and flatten it on the surface with a rolling pin.
- Move the rolling pin constantly to give the dough a shape that is as circular as possible. Imagine that the roti is a clock: flatten it from six to twelve, then from seven to one, and so on.
- Remember to flip the disc of dough regularly, so that there are no thicker spots than others and don't forget to flour it, from time to time, along with the surface.
- Try to make discs with a diameter of 15-20 cm that are not too thin, otherwise holes will form or the dough could become sticky.
Step 5. Start cooking the roti
Place the disc of dough on the hot pan or tawa for 15-30 seconds. It must be turned when bubbles begin to form on the surface. Also observe the consistency: the roti becomes drier as it cooks. You can also peek at the side in contact with the pan by lifting the disc with a spatula or a pair of kitchen tongs - turn it over when you notice brown areas.
Step 6. Finish cooking
Bake the other side of the bread for another 30 seconds. The roti will start to swell (good sign!), But take a clean, dry cloth to gently squeeze it, focusing on the areas that rise (this way the air is distributed throughout the roti which will swell evenly) and on the areas that do not touch the plate.
- Don't be afraid to turn it upside down, as it won't stick and overcook. If you wish, you can also turn it a second time to brown the first side a little more.
- Depending on the heat reached by the cooking surface, it may be necessary to wait more or less time between one "turn" and the next. Be much more careful about how the roti cooks than the cooking time.
Step 7. Remove the bread from the plate and move on to the next disc
Place the cooked roti in a clean, dry cloth and brush it with a little oil or clarified butter; finally wrap the edges of the cloth over it. This way the bread stays warm and soft as you cook the other roti.
Step 8. Enjoy the fruit of your labor
For a true Indian feast, try cooking raita sauce, curry and tarka dal too. Pair these dishes with freshly cooked roti!
