Roit (Dhalpourie)

Roti (Dhalpourie)

Roti background:

Roti is a very popular dish in Trinidad & Tobago where there are shops selling roti with different curry fillings (meat fillings - curry beef, shrimp, chicken or goat & non-meat fillings - curry potatoes). There are also different types of roti such as Dhalpouri, Dosti, Bus-up-shut (Paratha) and Sada roti.

Please be aware that these are Trinidad-East Indian dishes and are often quite different from East Indian dishes cooked in India.

Equipment: A suitable flat iron surface like a large frying pan, a griddle, or ideally, a flat iron plate called a 'tawah' or 'plateen' A brush like a barbecue brush to apply the oil; some simply tie a few strips of cloth to the end of a wooden stick (called a 'puchara')

Roti (Dhalpourie)

Ingredients:
8 oz flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 oz margarine or ghee
1/4 pt cooking oil
3/4cup flour
Method:
Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Rub in the margarine or ghee Using water, mix into a soft but not sticky dough Leave to stand for about 10 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces. Roll each piece out thinly on a floured board. Spread oil evenly over the surface and sprinkle lightly with a pinch of flour. Fold in layers round or square so as to trap air. Leave to stand 10 minutes or longer if desired.
Fillings:
1 1/2cups boiled split peas (not soft)
1 to 2 tablespoons geerah, cumin seed
3 tablespoons minced onion
1 peg garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt

Small piece of saffron (if desired)
Method:
The peas should be soaked overnight and boiled with the saffron until barely soft. Parch the geerah in a frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, salt, and peas. Grind or mash well. Place 2 or 3 tablespoons of this mixture in a hole made by the finger in the top of each of the roti balls.(Or roll the roti out to about 1/4 inch thick, place 2 or 3 ablespoons of the dhal mixture in the centre, and form into balls again). Roll out filled ball very thinly Place on hot greased baking stone. Cook on one side, turn over and grease Turn over again and grease Cook until nicely browned and puffy, which will take about 10 minutes