Soft rotis

Last weekend we had my friends from work round for lunch so that my wife could put faces to the names she keeps hearing apart from the enjoyment of good food and good company.
The menu was jerk chicken, lamb carry, and rice and peas.  Because the lamb carry generates a lot of lovely sauce we needed something to mop it all up so a little research on line came up with a recipe for rotis.  Rotis are a flat bread like chapattis and are very popular in the Caribbean where they are used like tortillas and wrapped around savoury fillings.  Mine were a little irregular in shape for that but served the purpose perfectly and tasted delicious.  They will definitely be making another appearance on the menu.  This recipe made 12 rotis.

SOFT ROTIS

 

• 350g plain flour
• 1 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 250ml boiling water, straight from the kettle

Put the flour into a bowl with the salt.  Stir in the oil followed by the hot water.  Bring together with a tablespoon because it will be hot.  Flour your worktop then tip out the mixture and knead until it forms a soft pliable dough.  This could take up to five minutes and the dough will absorb a lot of flour from the surface so keep it to hand to stop it sticking.  It should look like this or better.

 

Once you reach this stage let the dough rest under the upturned bowl for five minutes whilst you melt the butter and heat a heavy non-stick frying pan.  Heat it on a low heat till you're ready then turn it up.

Roll out the dough into a large thin circle shape and brush all over with the melted butter.

 

Roll the dough up towards you so that you have a long even snake like shape

And then cut it into twelve even pieces

Take one of the pieces and roll it into a ball.  Place the ball onto the work surface and with the palm of your hand flatten it into a circle then roll it out into your roti. 
Dry cook your roti in the hot pan.  After 10 seconds turn it over and cook until bubbles start to form then flip it over and finish off the first side.  The brown patches are a desired finish but try to get as much flour off them as you cab before they go in because the excess flour will burn and stinks!
Put your cooked rotis onto a plate and cover with a clean tea towel.  Mine kept warm and soft for an hour.