Roti (from South Africa)

Compliments of Falula at the Cape Malay Cooking Safari

Ingredients:

750 ml (3 cups) flour

2 tsp baking powder

5 ml (1 tsp) salt

50 ml (4 tbsp) vegetable oil

Enough water to form soft elastic dough

250 g soft butter

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Mix flour, salt & baking powder in a large bowl.  Add oil and rub in with fingertips until fine breadcrumbs form.  Add water gradually and mix with hands until creating a soft elastic dough.  Cover and leave in a warm spot for a few minutes.  Roll out all of the dough together into a long piece, and cut the dough into pieces about the size of tennis balls. 

Roll the pieces into a ball and flatten with your hand.  Starting from the center moving outward, roll the dough on a floured surface to form a disc the size of a dinner plate. 

Spread butter on the dough. And then starting from one edge, roll it up.  Using your hands, roll the dough into one long piece.  Then hold on to each out while stretching (thumping the dough on the table) out. 

Starting from each side, roll the dough like a Swiss roll into a figure 8 style. 

Flip one side up and on top of the other side and then flatten with your palm. 

Cover with tea towel and leave to stand for 30 minutes.  Roll out each disc starting from the center outward to a thin shit.  Fry in hot oil until golden brown (approximately 2 minutes each side).  Serve warm with chicken curry and enjoy!