Trinidadian Paratha Roti Recipes

BUSS UP SHUT PARATHA ROTI RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Then make a well then add oil, followed by warm water, knead dough for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to form soft and sticky dough.
• Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Set aside and let it rest for 15- 30 minutes
• The resting of the dough helps to relax the gluten and make it not only easier to work with but also produces tender paratha.
• Place each one piece on a heavily floured board and roll out dough into a circle. They do not have to be perfect circles.
• Using your fingers or knife rub shortening/ butter (about a tablespoon) on the surface of the dough, lightly sprinkle with flour.
• Using a knife make an opening from the center of the dough roll dough clockwise to form a cone.
• Pleat the ends into bottom of cone and push cone tip inwards. Place in an oil pan and cover with damp clothe.
• Repeat this process for other 5 pieces of dough. Oil each piece to prevent dough from drying out.
• Let it rest for about 2 hours or more covered.
• When ready to cook, heat up griddle, crepe pan or tawah to medium heat.
• Gently flatten out each cone and roll out. Begin rolling out the dough from the center working outwards.
• Rotate the dough out each time you roll it. This helps to make a perfect circle, about 10 inch circles, make sure they are thin at the edges.
• Gently place dough on the griddle (I used crepe pan to make paratha- a skillet will work as well).
• Heavily oil the other side of the dough making sure you oil the edges too.
• Cook until tiny bubbles / air pockets appear on the top of the roti, then flip dough.
• Making the torn up shirts can be achieved in several ways
• Crush paratha with two spatulas while still on the griddle
• Place paratha in a large bowl with a lid and shake the heck out of it
• Place in a clean cloth cover and shake it up.
• Serve warm.

TRINIDAD PEPPER ROTI

Steps:

• Peel, dice and rinse potatoes. Place in a pot over high heat and cover with water. Stir in salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain completely and cool.
• TIP TO SAVE TIME:Alternately, you can boil the potatoes with the skin on and use a potato ricer which separates the skin from the potato and mashes it at the same time.
• While potatoes are cooking, place the remaining ingredients(make sure they are dry) in a food processor and mince until fine(alternately you can grate the carrot with a grater).
• Add minced veggies to potatoes, mash with a fork or masher until lump free and thoroughly combined. Add salt and roasted geera(cumin) to taste.
• Grate cheese
• Mix butter and oil until incorporated and fluffy.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
• Gradually add water to make a shaggy, soft dough. Tip: You want a soft sticky dough, if it's too sticky and unable to handle well, add 1 teaspoon flour at a time until you can work with it.
• Form into a large round and rub 1 tablespoon oil over dough. Cover with a cloth and let it rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and form each into into a ball(loyah). Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes, minimum.
• Using one dough ball at a time, roll out into a large circle using a rolling pin. Using your fingers (or the bottom of a spoon or brush), rub the surface of the dough with the butter-oil mixture.
• Sprinkle on flour. Cut dough downwards with a knife from the center of the dough downward. Roll clockwise into a cone. Take the end of the dough and tuck it under the base of the cone.
• Push the tip of the cone downwards into the dough. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover dough and let it rest for 15 minutes minimum.
• When ready to cook the roti, heat tawa, dry cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot and brush with a very little butter-oil mixture.
• Working with one ball of dough at a time (keep the remaining dough covered), and using just enough flour to prevent sticking to the counter and rolling pin, press dough into a small flat circle (about 4 inches).
• Using the rolling pin, roll the dough(loyah). Flip, rotate and roll until it becomes a thin, even 10 inch round(or as wide as your tawa/griddle), making sure that the edges are not thick. If you can't make it round, don't worry, it tastes just as good and you have the opportunity to stretch and fix once it's on the tawa. Roll out a second dough, ensuring that it is the same size as the first.
• Divide the potato filling into thirds and place 1/3 on one of the rolled out dough. Spread the filling evenly with a fork or your hands, leaving half inch edge all around.
• Sprinkle on 1/3 cheese or to taste(I prefer less cheese if using yellow cheddar).
• Place the second rolled out dough on top of the filling, pulling the edges to line up equally with the first.
• Seal the edges by pressing with a fork or pinching a small piece and roll and twist upwards.
• When the tawa is hot, pick up the filled dough carefully, place it on the palm of your hands and lay it gently on the tawa.
• Tip: Press the surface of the dough with the palm of your hands to flatten and disperse filling that may have moved while transferring.
• Brush about 1 tablespoon butter mixture over the surface of the roti and cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip when the bottom is golden brown.
• Drizzle or brush butter mixture over the other side. Flip.
• Cook for a minute more, spinning roti slowly in a clockwise direction to allow the oil to spread and the roti to cook evenly. Press edges with a dabla or flat wooden spoon or spatula to hasten cooking. Repeat flipping and cooking if necessary until the roti is fully cooked.
• When the pepper roti is fully cooked and is a nice golden brown on both sides and crispy, use two wooden spatulas to transfer to a flat surface (lined with parchment paper). Cut into quarters or eights and enjoy hot!
• You may wrap immediately in a clean, dry cloth, however, I highly recommend eating and serving it while it's hot and crispy.

BUSS UP SHOT ROTI

Steps:

• Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and slowly add water until all flour is mixed. Dough should be soft and a little sticky. Form into a ball.
• Cover dough with oil and let it rest for 1 hour, covered.
• Split dough into smaller tennis size balls (6 approximately)
• Mix together in a small bowl butter and ghee. Set aside
• Press dough down to form an ~6-8" disc.
• Add 1 tsp of ghee and butter mix on top the dough and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle flour over ghee/butter mix evenly. (Doesn't need to cover it entirely)
• With a knife cut from the center of the dough and out. (Radius of the dough). Only one cut.
• Take either edge you cut from and roll the dough following the circle of the dough until its like a roll. Should form into a cone shape. Stuff both ends of the cones into the center of the dough.
• Cover and rest for 30 minutes
• Roll dough out (~12 inches) circular.
• Place on hot pan. Cook 30 seconds. Flip. Brush oil evenly. Flip. Brush with oil
• Place roti into a napkin. Wrap it up and pound on it with a spatula or fist to "buss it up". Look almost ripped up, showing flakiness.
• Done

BUSS UP SHUT (PARATHA ROTI)

Steps:

• Sift and mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add enough of water. Knead to a soft dough. Form four loyas or balls and leave to "rest" for about 15 - 30 mins.
• Roll out the dough. Spread butter or ghee and sprinkle with flour. Make a cut from the centre out to the edge and roll making a cone. Press the peak and flatten the centre of the cone. Leave to "rest" about 15 - 30mins
• Roll out on a floured board Using the flat side of a cup or other utensil, dip into butter or ghee and coat an already hot tawah. Place the dough onto the tawah.
• Spread the ghee or butter on one side using the flat edge of the cup, then turn over onto the other side to cook.
• Spread butter or ghee on the other side the same way. When cooked on both sides use a dabla to break up the roti. (You can alternatively, wrap the roti in a clean cloth and beat with you hands or bailna).

HOW TO MAKE PARATHA ROTI FROM A TRINIDADIAN (BUTTERY INDIAN FLATBREAD RECIPE)

Steps:

• Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together.
• Next add boiling water using a spoon or flexible spatula to mix in the water to your flour one-half cup at a time.
• There may be flour left over in bottom of the bowl so now use your hands to fully incorporate the rest of the flour into the dough.
• Put extra flour on your cleaned countertop and gently knead dough. Form a ball. Do not over knead your dough. This isn't a loaf of bread. The extra dough is meant to help the dough not stick to your countertop, so don't over flour it either.
• Rub oil around the ball of dough and place dough back into the mixing bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow to rise for 20-30 minutes.
• After rising, remove from bowl and place back on countertop. You will lightly sprinkle flour down on the countertop again before putting the dough down. Form a log-like shape with the dough a cut 5-6 equal parts.
• Each piece makes one roti so follow the next three steps per roti. Example: Don't roll out all the dough then move to the next step for all 5-6 pieces, rather roll out each piece of dough, oil it down, roll back up, and set aside.
• Roll out each piece. When rolling out the dough make sure your rolling pin is floured and also the countertop. Roll it out as thin as possible without tearing. Make sure the edges are thin also.
• Oil down the roti. This means brush one side of the rolled out dough with softened butter (or vegan butter). I usually use vegan butter because roti can be healthier and vegan.
• Re-roll the roti. We cut a slit into the dough and roll into a cone shape. Then push large part of one into the top and push down the top. *I like this Youtube video tutorial to show you how thin the roti should be rolled out and also how to re-roll it. If you are on Instagram, go to @thenaturalfoodie_ and in my highlights I have some videos.
• Now put the kitchen towel back over all of the roti dough balls and allow to rise another 20-30 minutes.
• Right before you begin rolling out these pieces of dough is when I recommend heating up your tawah or cast iron skillet. I put mine on medium-high heat, so 7 on my stovetop. Do not add oil or butter to it. That comes later. Additional tip: Just like the steps above perform per roti. When the tawah gets really hot (so like after the first three rotis), I take the tawah off the heat to the burner next to it and then roll out the roti and put tawah back on the heat right before placing rolled out roti onto it. My Instagram highlight on Roti will show you what I did.
• Roll out roti, again paying close attention to the edges. Make sure to sprinkle flour on countertop again like you did before when rolling out the roti. Make it as thin as possible. I recommend start from middle and roll up, then start from middle and roll down, then start from middle and roll out to each side from center. Continue this pattern until roti is very thin. The roti feels very soft and smooth.
• Carefully place roti on hot tawah or cast iron skillet. Immediately brush top side with oil all over including edges. Immediately flip and repeat with brushing oil. Tip: This should take 90 seconds both sides for the entire cooking time of the roti. Go to my Instagram Roti highlight to see how I did it.
• When you take the roti off the tawah, place it on a kitchen towel and "clap" the roti. See my IG highlight on how to do this, but basically clap your hands together while they are around the towel holding the cooked roti. Then transfer to a large bowl. Your roti is done! Repeat per roti and remember, practice makes perfect! *See the rest of the post for photos included in step by step guide.

BUSS UP SHUT (PARATHA ROTI)

Steps:

• Sift and mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add enough of water.
• Knead to a soft dough and form four loyas or balls and leave to "rest" for about 15 - 30 minutes.
• Roll out the dough after "resting".
• Spread butter or ghee and sprinkle with flour.
• Make a cut from the center out to the edge and roll making a cone.
• Press the peak and flatten the center of the cone. Leave to "rest" about 15 - 30minutes.
• Afterward, roll out on a floured board.
• Using the flat side of a cup or other utensil, dip into butter or ghee and coat an already hot tawah.
• Place the dough onto the tawah.
• Spread the ghee or butter on one side using the flat edge of the cup, then turn over onto the other side to cook.
• Spread butter or ghee on the other side the same way.
• When cooked on both sides use a dabla to break up the roti to give the ripped up, flaky appearance.
• You can alternatively, wrap the roti in a clean cloth and beat with your hands or bailna.
• The finished buss up shut ready to be served.

TRINIDADIAN PARATHA ROTI

Steps:

• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Slowly pour in 1 cup of the warm water; mix very lightly with your hands until a portion of the dry ingredients come together into a shaggy, fairly dry dough. Transfer that portion to a plate. Repeat mixing with another cup of water, then followed by the last cup of water, sprinkling in additional water as needed in the last batch to form "shaggy dough".
• Return shaggy dough portions to the mixing bowl and knead lightly it, adding oil, to form a soft mass. Coat bowl with oil then cover dough with a damp kitchen towel until dough is relaxed (or until it has properly "soaked" as they say in Trinidad), about 1 hour.
• Divide dough into 8 portions and gently form into smooth balls. Dust the balls with flour and place them about 4 inches apart on a floured baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel; let rest again for half an hour (or more, if you like) until dough relaxes again.
• Working one at a time, roll a dough ball on a floured surface into a thin round. Spread a thin coat of softened butter on the entire surface. Sprinkle flour on buttered surface. Following photos, slit dough with a knife from center to an edge. Starting on a cut end, roll dough in a cone shape. Using your thumb, tuck the dough into the open end of the cone, filling the hole completely. Then press the pointed end of the cone, and lightly press the dough back into a ball shape and return it to the floured baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Let dough rest again, about 15 minutes.
• When ready to make the roti, set out a plate and two clean kitchen towels. Heat a large skillet, griddle (or tawa if you've got one) over medium heat. When skillet is properly heated (very important), roll one of the dough balls on a lightly floured surface into an approximate 10-inch round. Brush skillet with butter (or ghee) and then lay the roti on the hot skillet. When small bubbles appear over half the roti surface, about 1½ minutes (if roti is cooking too fast, lower heat), lightly brush with butter and then flip. Continue to cook, occasionally spinning roti to prevent burning and pressing down on the edges with a spatula or wooden spoon so edges cook properly. When second side is done, lightly brush the first side with butter again. Flip one last time just to let the butter soak in. Roti surface should be slightly crisp and lightly spotted browned.
• Place the roti into the center of one of the clean towel, fold each side of the towel over to cover the roti, and twist the ends of the towel to create a candy-wrapper shape. Grabbing each twisted end of the towel, smash your fists together to break up the roti layers. Transfer roti to the plate lined with the other kitchen towel; cover roti to keep it warm. Grease skillet and repeat with remaining dough balls, occasionally shaking the "beating cloth" over the sink to get rid of crumbs. (Or eat them like I do. ???? )
• Photos by The Ivory Hut & Tom

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.