Pol Roti Coconut Flatbread Recipes

SRI LANKAN POL ROTI (COCONUT ROTI)

Steps:

• Place the flour, desiccated coconut, salt, onion, and chili in a large bowl. Mix to combine well.
• Mix the water and coconut milk in another bowl or jug.
• Add the liquid to the flour mixture, a little at a time, while stirring the flour with your fingertips (or with a fork).
• After adding about ½ of the liquid, gently stir the mixture. You will have some clumps and dry spots of flour. Drizzle the liquid over the dry parts of the flour, while mixing, to form a dough.
• Add 1 or 2 more tbsp of water ONLY if needed. The dough should come together, but still have dry spots on the surface. This is OK.
• If you add too much water, sprinkle in a little extra flour and lightly knead it into the dough (don't over-knead!). Shape the dough into a rough ball.
• Cover the dough (or the bowl) with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours (room temperature is fine). If you want to store the dough for up to 24 hours, then refrigerate it.
• The dough should become really soft after it has rested. If it's very sticky, generously flour the dough and the work surface to prevent it from sticking to your counter.
• Transfer the dough to your floured work surface. Cut the dough into 8 wedges. Lightly roll up each section into a rough ball. See pictures in the post.
• Take each dough ball and sprinkle some flour on top and on the work surface. Flatten it to a disc, and then roll it out to a circle using a rolling pin. The roti should be about 0.4 - 0.5 cm thick, and about 12 -15 cm (5 - 6 inches) in diameter. Cover the rolled out roti with a cloth napkin or plastic wrap (so that it doesn't dry out), and repeat rolling out all of the dough portions.
• Preheat a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium or medium high heat.
• When the pan is heated, transfer a roti onto the skillet and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes, until the bottom starts to develop brown spots.
• Flip the roti over and cook the other side for 2 - 3 minutes, until you get brown spots on that side too.
• Place the cooked roti on a wire rack to cool down. Repeat with the rest of the roti.
• Eat the roti warm or at room temperature.

POL ROTI (COCONUT ROTI/INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix together the flour, coconut and salt.
• Add some water.
• Grease your palm with a little butter.
• Then, mix the batter well to form a dough.
• (The idea behind greasing your palms is to avoid the batter from sticking to your palms).
• Add chillies and onions.
• Mix well.
• Divide the dough into 6-8 equal sized balls.
• Then, using a rolling pin, on a floured board, roll out each ball into a round roti.
• Heat a flat pan (tawa).
• Put the roti on it in the middle of the pan.
• When one side is cooked, turn it and cook the other side until light brown specs appear on either side.
• Remove from pan.
• Serve hot with Pol Sambhar (recipe posted separately).

POL ROTI (COCONUT FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Sift flour into a bowl and mix in salt and coconut.
• Add as much water as needed to have a stiff dough that doesn't stick to your hands. knead well.
• Separate into even balls and flatted to make circles, 1/2" thick and 3 to 4" wide.
• Sear both sides on a hot frying pan or cast iron skillet abt 3 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked in middle.