How To Make Paratha Roti From A Trinidadian Buttery Indian Flatbread Recipes

PARATHA ROTI (BUSS UP SHUT)

Steps:

• Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the water gradually to make a dough. The dough will be slightly sticky and very flexible. However, after some gentle kneading it should come clean off your hands. Knead the dough together until it comes together in a nice ball, don't knead it any further.
• Leave to rest for at least 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
• Split the dough into 4 separate balls to make 4 paratha roti with a diameter of about 22cm each. Adjust the number of portions based on your pan size.
• Roll out the dough in flat circles. It will be slightly sticky, so use ample flour.
• Cover the dough with a thin layer of ghee, make sure to spread it out evenly.
• Lightly dust the top with a little flour (this makes it easier to roll).
• Now make a cut from the center of the dough circle to the outside and start rolling the dough from that cut in a circle to the other side of the cut (see image in the post). You will end up with a cone. Ensure that the bottom doesn't have fat sticking out, stretch the outer layer of dough to cover the inner layers. Now push the pointy top of the cone inside to tighten and dust with some flour. Pushing it into the middle helps create all those dough layers!
• Leave to rest for another 15-30 minutes, even better would be at least an hour. A longer resting period makes it easier to roll out the dough.
• Heat a flat baking surface on a medium heat (e.g. using a tawa).
• Roll out the balls of dough and bake on the flat surface on a medium heat. Coat the top with a thin layer of ghee (or clarified butter). When the top starts getting drier, turn the dough around. Again, cover the topside with a thin layer of ghee.
• Towards the end, when the dough starts to be cooked through, take two spatulas and loosen the paratha by inwards pushing on the sides of the paratha. Due to all the rolling you should have made layers of dough with fat in between. By 'beating' the paratha and folding it together you help all the layers get loose and flaky.
• You want the different layers to separate, so crinkle and beat until you see them coming apart. The paratha is ready once it has turned slightly brown and a loosened up structure.

ROTI RECIPE (BUTTERY INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Make the dough. In a large bowl or stand mixer, use a fork to whisk together 2 cups bread flour and 1 teaspoon salt. (I prefer kosher salt, but table salt is fine.)
• Add 2 tablespoons melted butter* and mix it in with the fork until the flour is crumbly. Make sure to break up any big chunks.
• Add 2/3 cup warm water. Mix it together with the fork until the dough pulls together. At this point, I start using the dough hook attachment on my stand mixer, but you can also turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Scrape down any dough that sticks to the side, but it should form itself into a ball pretty quickly.
• Rest the dough. When you are done kneading, shape it into a ball. Leave it in the bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rest for 20-45 minutes. The longer you rest the dough, the softer and more pliable your roti will be, and the easier it will be to roll out. (It will not rise at all, so don't expect it to look different after the rest period. This ain't no yeast recipe.)
• Roll out the dough. Prepare a work surface with a light dusting of flour. Divide dough into six equal parts. Use your fingers to pinch each piece into a smooth ball. (see photos)Take one ball and pat it into a disk with your fingers. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rough circle about 8-9 inches across. It should be rolled out very thin, see photos. (If you want to roll all the dough out at once before frying, stack the sheets, each one separated with a square of parchment paper so they don't stick together. I prefer to roll out my next piece of dough while I'm frying the first one, so I don't do this.)
• Cook the Roti. Set a cast iron skillet, griddle, or large frying pan over medium or medium high heat. Let it preheat for at least a couple minutes so that it's very hot.Add about a teaspoon of butter to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom.
• Transfer the very thin sheet of roti dough to the pan. Wait about 6 or 7 seconds, then use your fingers or a spatula to flip the roti over. You may need to add more butter; if there is not enough, the roti will not be soft. It will cook in 30 to 50 seconds. Adjust the heat as necessary so that the roti cooks quickly (under a minute) but does not burn. Every stove is different so you will have to play around. You will know it is done when light brown spots appear on the side that is cooking. The top should have a few bubbles. Flip the roti back to the original side (using more butter if necessary) just until the brown spots appear, another 20-30 seconds.
• Steam the Roti. This step is super important to get soft and pliable roti! Place a paper towel inside a large ziplock bag. When the roti is done frying, place roti on top of the paper towel in the bag. Top the roti with another paper towel (it should not be touching the plastic or it will get soggy.) Seal the bag. As you fry the remaining roti, add them to the ziplock directly on top of the first roti, with a paper towel on top. The roti will steam each other in the center. Keep the bag closed as much as possible. You can also skip these steps and steam roti in a tortilla warmer.
• Serve the roti hot, with curry and rice.
• Store leftover roti in a ziplock bag lined with paper towels.
• Freezing Roti: Layer your roti between sheets of parchment paper so they don't stick to each other, and seal in a ziplock bag. Store flat in the freezer.To reheat, you can either let thaw in the bag at room temperature, then reheat gently in the microwave (don't overdo it or they will get tough.) Or you can re-grill the roti straight from frozen, using the same method as the first time.

BUSS UP SHUT (PARATHA ROTI)

Steps:

• Whisk milk powder, baking powder, granulated sugar, and 2 cups (240 g) flour in a large shallow bowl. Add about a fourth of ¾ cup warm water (110°) and mix in a wide circular motion with your fingers to gently combine (do not knead). As mixture becomes dry, add more of the water, little by little, and keep mixing gently until a shaggy dough forms; it should be soft and sticky, without dry spots. (Depending on the humidity, you may not need all of the water.)
• Drizzle 1 Tbsp. oil over dough and gently press with your knuckles so that the top of dough is covered with oil. Cover bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rest in a warm spot 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix shortening and ghee in a small bowl until smooth.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands and gently fold dough over on itself once or twice, then roll into a fat cylinder. Working quickly, without handling the dough too much, divide dough into four equal pieces and gently form each piece into a ball. Cover balls with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes.
• Roll out a dough ball on a lightly floured surface into a 5-6"-diameter round. Brush with a quarter of shortening mixture and sprinkle evenly with flour. Cut a slit halfway across the dough, from the center to the edge. Starting on one side of slit, fold cut edge of dough at about a ¾" interval. Continue folding process until you reach the other side of the slit and have formed a cone. Pinch together edges at wide end of cone to seal, then bring both point ends together at the top and gently push in toward center of cone to create a dimple (you don't need to push in too far). Push point at narrow end of cone in toward the center. You should now have a ball with a dimple on each end. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and repeat with remaining balls of dough. Cover balls with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.
• Heat a tawa or griddle over medium until a drop of water immediately sizzles on surface, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a ball of dough on a dimpled side on a lightly floured surface. Gently flatten into a round with your hands, turning once if desired, then roll, rotating often, to a ⅛"-thick round, about 10-12".
• Brush tawa with a thin layer of oil. Cook roti until it begins to bubble slightly across the surface, about 20 seconds. Brush surface of roti with oil and continue to cook until bubbles across surface increase and roti is stiff enough on bottom side to turn, about 1 minute more. Turn roti over and brush surface with oil (bubbles may deflate; that's okay). Using a spatula, move roti around to avoid hot spots and ensure even cooking, pressing on edges and uncooked spots to increase contact with pan. Continue to cook, turning every 30 seconds or so, until cooked through and both sides are speckled with golden brown spots, 1-2 minutes more. Using 2 spatulas, push opposite edges of roti toward the center. Smack down on the bunched roti with the ends of the spatulas to break up and flake, then turn roti over. Repeat process, scrunching and smacking roti from different directions, until flaky and lightly shredded. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel set inside a bowl or basket and wrap up to keep warm. Repeat with remaining dough balls and more oil, adding finished roti to bowl and covering tightly with towel as you go.