How to Make Rotis

This month Neetika Singh shows you how to make rotis, a staple of the South Asian meal. You can get the ingredients and supplies at most South Asian grocery stores.

Ingredients
Laxmi Whole Wheat Atta
Water

Supplies

Instructions
1) Start adding water to the dough, little by little until the dough becomes a paste. The dough should resemble play-doh. It should not contain too much liquid but should also not be too hard.

2) If you are not making the rotis right away, store the dough in a covered container and place a thin wet cloth over it. This holds the moisture within the dough. You can make rotis with this dough for up to 3 days.

3) Sprinkle atta over your hands to prevent the dough from being too sticky to work with. If the dough is still sticking, use more atta on the dough and your hands. Take a piece of the dough and roll to make a small ball. The ball should be a little about the size of a golf ball.

3) Sprinkle atta over your hands. The dough will be sticky, so the atta allows you to pick it up without having the dough stick to your hands. If the dough is still sticking to your hands, add more atta to the dough and your hands. Take a piece of the dough and roll to make a small ball. The ball should be a little smaller than a tennis ball.

4) Dip the ball into the dry atta, then flatten the ball with your hand.

5) Put the ball on the cutting board. Using the rolling pin, flatten it out. It should be thinner than a pancake. One method to get it round is to flatten half of it, dip it in the dry dough, flip it over, then flatten the other half. Making the roti perfectly round takes practice, so don't be discouraged if it comes out looking deformed!

6) In between rolling it and making it round, preheat the tava on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Make sure the tava doesn't get too hot. You also want to be sure it is hot enough. Hold your hand over it to check whether it is warm enough.

7) Put the roti on the tava.

8) Wait only about 10 seconds and then turn the roti over.

9) After 3-4 seconds, the roti will fill with air and begin to rise. At this point, turn it over again.

10) Wait a few more seconds. Then press the roti with the rolled-up end of a towel, using medium pressure all the way around. Turn it over and do the same. Check to see if it is done. Roti will be medium brown and will not feel dough-like when done.

11) Apply ghee, butter or if you are health conscious, serve plain. Serve with a vegetable, curry, chicken or just about anything. You can also use it as a gyro.

Neetika Singh cooks rotis in Bowie, Maryland.