Making roti
Today marks my 8th attempt to make proper Roti since the pandemic started. I have been trying to make a soft Roti since last year 😅. The previous 7 attempts were not all disaster but the end result was a stiff mess that was only edible when eaten right off the pan. This is how my attempts went.
I used kitchen aid mixer to help with the kneading. It all came out stiffer than a rock and I ended up throwing away the kneaded flour.
Added salt. Some of the rotis are eatable but something is not right. Most of it came out crisp like a papad (crepe). Trashed.
Water. Salt. Oil. Flour. All in precise measurement as per some youtube video. Roti is eatable but is stiff when it cools off.
Tried dabbing oil on the roti while its on the pan. I have unlocked the skill to make thinner rotis but it still doesn’t come out soft.
A friend suggests covering up the flour with a damp cloth after kneading. The kneaded flour and the rotis came out softer than my previous attempts but its not quite right.
Another friend suggests trying to make it like a phulka. I resort to kneading by hand and flipping it over the open fire to have it swell up like a phulka. My best work ever.
My mind is suitably blown after watching this video. They are using maida (another type of wheat flour. Its finer than the wheat flour I am using). Tried the same with the atta I have been using but it doesn’t work well. It came out really soft but its thick and the inside is not cooked well. It takes a long time to cook just one roti over low flame. Not worth the effort.
Bought a small pack of premium flour, kneaded by hand and used a new pan. My best work ever in the 6th attempt feels like shit in comparison. I guess using a good flour made all the difference because the roti is softer even when it has cooled down and tastes much better.
The new flour made a huge difference. I could feel by the texture of the flour while kneading that the roti would be good this time. The roti came out good but it could be better. Now that I have the right flour and the process down pat, I am going to experiment adding salt, oil and using a cast iron pan to see how I can improve the taste and texture.
Day 80 - Join Me in #100DaysToOffload