SOFT AND FLUFFY ROTI

SOFT AND FLUFFY ROTI

Roti is a flat bread very common in Sub-Continent areas. For those who make it at home, it is a challenging process. To get it all puffed and soft, requires a technique that I have tried to demonstrate here for those who are learning how to make a perfect roti. There are many kinds of roti that are made, like Rumali Roti, Gujrati Rotli, Chapati, Tandoori Roti, and many more. This roti is commonly made in Punjabi households.

INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH 

4 Cups Wholewheat Flour

1 Level tsp salt (Optional)

Some warm water for Kneading

This much flour will yield 4 to 5 rotis depending on the size of the roti

OPTIONAL: To get a softer version of roti, you can add a little bit of fresh milk before you add the water to complete the kneading. Or you can add 2 Tbsps of Milk Powder along with the ingredients before the addition of water to knead. A pinch of Soda Bi-Carbonate can also be added to the flour before kneading. 

METHOD

Place the flour in a large bowl. Add the salt if using and gradually keep adding the water while gathering the flour around to form a lump. Once the lump has formed, now wet hands and knead it well until you get a smooth, soft and pliable dough. The softer your dough, the softer the roti will be. Cover and keep aside for at least an hour.

After the resting period, grease your hands and gather the dough, to make a smooth ball. Take smaller portions of this dough and form 5 or 6 equal sized balls. Dust each ball lightly with dry flour and place on your worktop or rolling board. Meanwhile, place your gridle (tava) on heat. It should not be too hot. To check if it is at right temperature, sprinkle a few drops of water on it. If the water immediately forms into little dew drop shapes, you have the right temperature.

Using a rolling pin, roll out the ball of dough into a circle. Make sure it is not too thin. It has to be approximately of thickness shown in this pic.

Lift it off the board deftly onto your hand and place it on the hot gridle

Within a few seconds, it will start to dry up in patches as shown in this pic. Do not wait for it to dry up completely.

Quickly and deftly flip it over. Lower the heat at this stage. Keep lifting and rotating on and off until you see little pockets of bubbles that appear on the surface. Take a clean tea towel, wad it up to form a pad. Increase the heat at this stage. With the wadded up tea tea towel, start patting the roti all around the edges with light pressure. As you pat you will see the roti rising in places. Flip it over once again

Once flipped over, it should look like this, as shown in the pic. It will start puffing up in places - as shown

Repeat the same process of patting with the wad of towel, concentrating around the edges of the roti and you will see it puffing up more

As you can see here..the roti will keep puffing as you keep patting it around. Please be careful at this stage, because if the roti splits open, it will release steam which is of extremely high temperature and you can get a very serious burn on your hand. SO PLEASE..be careful!

And soon you will have a very puffed up roti 

Transfer it into your platter or basket lined with tea towel or any clean kitchen cloth. Pile other rotis over this and once done, cover well to keep warm. They will remain warm, soft and fluffy for some hours.