MZANZI TRAVEL - ISSUE 2

Cape Malay Roti – Serves 6-8,
depending on the size
My mom taught me how to make roti and when it came to roti
ingredients, she refused to skimp on the butter used for this recipe. As a
little girl, I would happily sit in the centre of the kitchen floor, munching
on a warm roti while watching her fry up the rest. My lips and cheeks
would be covered in roti flakes and my little hands would glisten with
traces of the ghee!
For the oil and butter mixture (ghee)
150 g butter
¾ C (180 ml) vegetable, canola or sunflower oil
For the dough
3 C (750 ml) cake flour
½ C (125 ml) self-raising flour
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
3 Tbsp (45 ml) butter, at room temperature
1 C (250 ml) boiling water, cooled slightly
Preparing the ghee
Place the butter in a bowl and melt in the microwave oven. Once
melted, stir in the oil and then set aside.
Preparing the dough
Step 1
1. Place the flours, salt, butter and warm water into a mixing bowl
and use the handle or back of a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients
together.
2. The flour will cool the water and make it easier for you to work with
using your hands to mix and knead the dough.
3. You should have a very sticky dough. In fact, it is ideal to have the
dough moist because you can always add additional flour to get it to
the consistency that you require.
4. Knead the dough to form a fairly soft and pliable texture.
5. Use a pastry brush to grease a bowl with the ghee before placing the
warm dough in the bowl.
6. Cover this with plastic wrap and set aside for at least 20–30 minutes.
Step 2
1. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll it to resemble
a thick log (4–5 cm thick should do). Use a sharp knife to cut the dough
into 6–8 even portions.
2. In the meantime, rub a little oil onto your hands. Take the dough balls
and very lightly coat them with ghee, using your hands. This assists with
keeping the dough balls moist.
Step 3
1. Use a rolling pin and roll out one of the dough balls into a thin circle.
Try and get the layer of dough rolled out as thinly as possible.
2. Dip the pastry brush into the ghee and spread it generously over the
flat layer of dough.
Step 4
1. Take the one end of the dough and roll it up to form a thin rope.
2. Simply take the ends of the dough rope and ever so gently, lift and
tap it on the surface you are working on. Stretch it a little as you are
tapping it against the work surface, thus making it more pliable.
3. Lay the dough rope back onto the working surface.
Step 5
1. We’re getting ready now to form the S-shape of the roti. Roll up
the ends of the dough rope, one side clockwise and the other anticlockwise.
Once they meet to form the ‘S’, fold one half of the ‘S’ (either
top or bottom)flat on top of the other.
2. The dough should now resemble a moist and round spiralling disc.
Place this on a glass plate and repeat with the rest of the dough balls.
3. Cover the raw roti balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1
hour before frying.
Step 6
1. Heat a pan or roti skillet over high to medium heat and brush the
surface with ghee.
2. Roll out the roti discs to about 20 cm in diameter or to the size of a
smallish dinner plate.
3. Place the roti in the pan and brush lightly with ghee, then flip it over
after 2-3 minutes. Repeat this step once or twice or until the roti is
golden and partially crisp. Remember to brush lightly with ghee every
time you flip the roti.
Step 7
1. Remove the pan and lay the the roti on a flat surface. Bring the edges
together with your palms like you’re gently scrunching or wrinkling the
roti to fluff it up.
2. Place on a serving plate and serve with hot curry.
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 2 | 33