Roti

For other uses, seeRoti (disambiguation).

For the Indonesian island, seeRote Island.For the cooking method, seeRotisserie.

Roti

flat roti, also known aschapati
Alternative names	Ruti
Type	Flatbread
Place of origin	Indian subcontinent
Created by	Indus Valley civilization
Main ingredients	Atta flour
Variations	Chapati,Bajra Roti, Jowar Roti, Chawal ki RotiMakki ki roti,Rumali roti,Tandoori roti,Wrap roti,Roti canai,Paratha
Media: Roti

Roti(also known aschapati)is a roundflatbreadoriginating from theIndian subcontinent.It is commonly consumed in manySouth Asian,Southeast Asian,Caribbean,andSoutheast Africancountries.

It is made fromstonegroundwhole wheat flour,traditionally known asgehu ka atta,and water that are combined into a dough.Its defining characteristic is that it isunleavened.Naanfrom the Indian subcontinent, by contrast, is ayeast-leavened bread, as iskulcha.Like breads around the world, roti is astapleaccompaniment to other foods.

Etymology

The wordrotiis derived from theSanskritwordroṭikā,meaning "bread".

Types

1. Makki roti:cornflour roti served with sarson ka saag, a classic dish ofPunjab.
2. Akki roti: Rice flour roti with grated vegetables and spices, served with chutney, a famous dish of Karnataka.
3. Thalipeeth roti: Maharashtrian roti is made with bajra, jowar, rice, chickpea, and spices, served with yogurt or ghee, also popular in Karnataka.
4. Missi roti: Rajasthani roti similar to chapati with added spices like red chili, cumin, and turmeric, served with gravy or vegetables.
5. Kuttu roti: Buckwheat flour roti with potatoes, gluten-free and common during Navratri fasting.
6. Paratha:Wheat flour roti, plain or stuffed with various vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, or paneer, served with butter, curd, or alone.
7. Rumali roti: Thin, soft roti foldable like a handkerchief, popular in Awadhi, Mughlai, and Hyderabadi cuisine, best served with gravy.
8. Gur roti: Jaggery and whole wheat flour roti, small and thick, also known as meethi roti.

Preparation

Roti is made from a mixture of flour, water, and optionally salt and butter or oil.They are mixed together to create a dough which is left to rest. The dough is then divided into balls which are flattened with a rolling pin to form rotis. The rotis are then cooked on atavaor pan.

Variants

• 
  Roti in the Indian subcontinent
• 
  Singaporeanroti prataserved with curry
• 
  Plainrotiparatha
• 
  A Surinamese roti wrap with boiled egg and smoked chicken in theNetherlands
• 
  Indianthaliwithchapati
• 
  Tandoori roti served with other dishes in an Indian restaurant
• 
  A chef preparingrumali rotiin India
• 
  Bajharji maani (bajra roti) inTharparkar,Sindh
• 
  Spicy vegetables served with rotis
• 
  Roti stuffed withbananas

Indian subcontinent

See also:Indian bread,Naan,Paratha,Chapati,Kulcha,Tandoor bread,Makki di roti,andkottu roti

Many variations offlatbreadsand roti are found in many cultures across the globe, from the Indian subcontinent to Africa to Oceania to theMalay Peninsulato the Americas.The roti is a traditional flatbread from the Indian subcontinent.It is normally eaten with cooked vegetables or curries; it can be used as a carrier for them.It is made most often from wheat flour, cooked on a flat or slightly concave iron griddle called atawa.Traditionally, rotis have also been made from the flour ofmillet,maize,jowar,bajra,and evenrice.Tandoori roti is cooked by sticking the flattened dough to the inside wall of atandooroven, where it bakes quickly at a high temperature.Chapatis are made ofwhole-wheat flourknown asatta,mixed into a dough with water,edible oiland optional salt in a mixing utensil called aparat,and is cooked on atava(flat skillet).It is known asphulkainPunjabiandSaraiki,andmaaniinSindhi.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, there is a variant of roti calledpol roti(coconutroti),made of wheat flour, and/orkurakkanflour, and scraped coconut. Sometimes, chopped green chilis and onion are added to the mixture before cooking. These are usually thicker and harder than other roti types. They are usually eaten with curries, or some types ofsambolorlunu mirisand considered a main meal rather than a supplement.

Another variety of roti popular in Sri Lanka iskottu roti,which is made up ofparathaorgodamba roti,These are cut into small pieces,small in size and rectangular or square in shape. Then on a square heating pan, vegetables and onions are fried. Eggs, cooked meat, or fish are added to fried vegetables and heated for a few minutes. Finally, the pieces of cutparathaare added. These are chopped and mixed by repeated pounding using heavy iron blades/spatula, the sound of which can be heard from a long distance. Depending upon what ingredients are used, the variations are vegetable, egg, chicken, beef, mutton, and fishkottu roti.It is sometimes prepared and served as a fast food dish.

Godamba rotiis another variety found inSri Lanka.Plaingodamba rotiis eaten with curryor it can also be wrapped around a savory filling.

plain chapati/roti, commercially prepared

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,245 kJ (298 kcal)
Carbohydrates	46.36 g
Sugars	2.72
Dietary fiber	4.9 g
Fat	7.45 g
Protein	11.25 g
Vitamins and minerals Vitamins Quantity %DV† Thiamine (B1) 46% 0.55 mg Riboflavin (B2) 15% 0.2 mg Niacin (B3) 42% 6.78 mg Pantothenic acid (B5) 12% 0.58 mg Vitamin B6 16% 0.270 mg Folate (B9) 15% 61 μg Vitamin E 6% 0.88 mg Vitamin K 0% 0 μg Minerals Quantity %DV† Calcium 7% 93 mg Iron 17% 3 mg Magnesium 15% 62 mg Manganese 54% 1.25 mg Phosphorus 15% 184 mg Potassium 9% 266 mg Sodium 18% 409 mg Zinc 14% 1.57 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	33 g
Selenium	53.7 ug
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated usingUS recommendationsfor adults,except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation fromthe National Academies.

Caribbean

Roti is eaten widely across theCaribbean,especially in countries with largeIndo-Caribbeanpopulations such asTrinidad and Tobago,Guyana,Suriname,andJamaica.Originally brought to the islands by indentured laborers from the Indian subcontinent, roti has become a popular staple in the culturally rich cuisines of these countries. In the Caribbean, roti is commonly eaten as an accompaniment to various curries and stews. The traditional way of eating roti is to break the roti by hand, using it to sop up sauce and pieces of meat from the curry. However, in the Caribbean, the term roti may refer to both the flatbread (roti) itself and the more popularstreet fooditem, in which the roti is folded around a savory filling in the form of a wrap.

Theroti wrapis the commercialization of roti and curry together as a fast-food or street-food item in the Caribbean. This wrap form of roti originated in southern Trinidad. It was first created in the mid-1940s by Sackina Karamath, who later founded Hummingbird Roti Shop inSan Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago.The wrap was convenient, as the meal could be eaten faster and while on the go, as well as keeping one's hands from getting dirty. In Trinidad and Tobago, various wrapped roti are served, including chicken, conch, goat, beef, and shrimp. Vegetables can also be added including potato, pumpkin, and spinach as well a variety of local condiments, with pepper sauce (hot sauce) and mangochutneybeing the most popular. The roti wrap quickly gained popularity across the island and spread throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The wrap is now simply referred to as a roti or just roti. The growth in popularity has recently led to referring to the flatbread itself (roti) that surrounds the filling as a "roti skin" or "roti shell", a practice that is now common in both restaurants and commercial companies. Various types of roti are eaten throughout the West Indies. They are most prominently featured in the diets of people in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname. Caribbean-style roti is primarily made from wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and water, and cooked on atawa.Certain rotis are also made withgheeorbutter.

Trinidad and Tobago

Roti in Trinidad, Jamaica and theLeeward Islands

Food	Image	Description
Sada roti		This is a plain roti, made of white flour. It is the simplest roti to make, and is the most commonly consumed roti in Trinidad. It is a popular breakfast option there,and is enjoyed in combination with various curried meat and vegetable dishes. This type of roti is a staple food consumed for both breakfast and dinner by Trinidadians.
Paratharoti		A layered roti made with butter, usually ghee (clarified butter), but any butter can be used.Ghee is rubbed on both sides, then it is cooked on atawa(a round, flat metal griddle used in Indian & Pakistani cooking). This gives the roti a crisp outside and small patches of light browning. When the roti is almost finished cooking, the cook begins to beat the roti while it is on the tawa, causing it to become light and flaky.Paratha rotiis more rich and flavorful than plain roti.Parathais enjoyed with almost any accompaniment. As with other rotis, it is commonly eaten with curries and stews. It is also traditionally eaten with fried eggs or egg dishes and a cup of tea. In Trinidad,parathasare colloquially called "buss-up shut" ( "busted-up shirt" ) because the roti resembles a tattered and torn-up shirt.
Puri		This is a roti where two layers are rolled out together and cooked (after rolled it's fried directly in hot oil. Some like to first half cook it on a tawa and then fry (because the puri then soaks up less oil) in thekadhai.This type of roti is eaten with a specialhalvawhen a child is born and in the mrityubhoj(tehrvi/death ceremony).
Dhalpuri		A roti with a stuffing of ground yellowsplit peas,cumin(geera), garlic, andpepper:The split peas are boiled until they areal denteand then ground in a mill. The cumin is toasted until black and also ground. The stuffing is pushed into the roti dough, and sealed. When rolled flat, the filling is distributed within the roti. It is cooked on thetavaand rubbed with oil for ease of cooking. This type of roti is most commonly eaten with a variety of curries. It is also the roti of choice for the making of wrap rotis.
Wrap roti		A popular wrap made by folding a combination of meat and vegetable curries inside of a dhalpuri roti: The curry or stew often contains potatoes and/or chickpeas as a filler as well as the essential meat component, although vegetarian options are common as well. Popular fillings include curried chicken, goat, conch, duck, beef, shrimp, and vegetable. An assortment of optional condiments are also common such as pepper sauce and mango chutney.
Aloo puri / potato puri		A roti similar to adhalpuri,but withaloo(potato) substituted for thedhal.Thealoois boiled and milled, and spices and seasonings are added before being sealed in the dough. Thisaloofilling is also used when makingaloopie oraloo choka.

Guyana

Guyanese roti, clapped and ready to be eaten

Dosti rotiis common in Guyana.A small amount of fat is placed in each piece of dough before it is rolled out to make the roti softer. Usually,vegetable oilis used, but butter, ormargarinecan also be used. Ghee is not used in everyday cooking, but is used on special occasions, especially amongst Hindus. The roti is usually clapped by hand or beaten a bit, hot off thetava,so it softens but does not break.

• A good roti in Guyana is very soft, with layers (almost likepastrylayers if possible), which remains whole.
• The type of roti is determined by what is placed in the dough before it is rolled out. Various types includedhalpuri, aloo(potato) roti, and even sugar (to keep the kids busy, while the mother finishes cooking).
• In Guyana, a rolled-out, thin, flat dough like a roti that is deep-fried in ghee is called apuri.Therefore, adhalpuriis not really a puri.
• Another item prepared like roti is bake or bakes or floats. A Guyanese or Trinidadian fry bake seems to be more similar to an Indian puri. A bake is made with butter or margarine and has a different ratio of flour to fat. It is made much quicker than roti and is usually made in the mornings. Dough is rolled out and cut into shapes or rolled into small rounds. Guyanese bakes are fried, but bakes from other parts of the West Indies can be baked in an oven. Bakes are usually paired with a quickfry-upfor breakfast or dinner,stewedsaltfish, or eggs ( "western" style, with onions, tomatoes, green peppers). Bakes are also made in other parts of the West Indies, including Trinidad, Barbados, and St. Vincent. In Trinidad and Tobago, a "bake and shark" is a popular street-food sandwich in which fried shark is placed between two halves of a sliced bake with local condiments. Pepper sauce,shado beni,garlic sauce,tamarind, and mango chutney are most common, as well as lettuce, tomato, and cucumber for fillers.

Suriname

In Suriname, roti refers mainly todhalpurioraloo puri.It is most often eaten with curried chicken. As in Trinidad and the West Indies, roti can also refer to the stuffed roti wrap. This dish is usually eaten out of hand. Due to a mass emigration of Indian Surinamese in the 1970s, roti became a populartake-outdish in the Netherlands. It usually includes chickencurry,potatoes, a boiled egg, and various vegetables, most notably thekousenbandoryardlong bean.Another variation includes shrimp andaubergine.The meat with gravy, potatoes, egg, and yardlong beans are served side by side on a plate, with thealoo purifolded in fours on top.

Southeast Asia

A Thai "โรตีกล้วยไข่ /rɒtiː klûaj kʰàj/": roti with banana and egg, drizzled with sweetened condensed milk

Roti Telur and Teh Tarik in Malaysia.

InIndonesiaandMalaysia,the term encompasses all forms of bread, including Western-style bread, as well as the traditionalIndianbreads.

InThailand,โรตี is a popular street food that can be eaten as a dessert or as a side dish. Some Thai curries can also be accompanied with a side of roti, primarily Southern Thai curries.

InCambodia,រ៉ូទី is a dessert that is sold as street food. It is similar to both acrêpeand paratha.

South Africa

Roti was initially introduced to South Africa by Indian migrants during the 19th century, and subsequently became incorporated intoDurbancuisine. It is widely eaten by the Indian communities living in South Africa, and is either eaten as a flat bread or a wrap with locally made curries.

Roti is also often eaten in Cape Coloured and Cape Malay Communities. Two types of roti are eaten: chapati/flat roti and paratha/flaky roti. Flaky roti is also called Malay roti. When eaten with a curry filling, usually mutton, chicken or mince, the roti is called a Salomie. A roti gatsby is a popular takeaway dish where the bread of the filled gatsby, a popular sandwich is replaced several rotis and folded.

Mauritius

Similarly as with other countries that were part of theIndian diaspora,roti was introduced toMauritiusbyIndian migrants/indentured labourersduring the 19th century, and has since been a staple ofMauritian cuisineand a common street food.Roti generally refers tofarata(a local pronunciation ofparatha), a pancake made of wheat flour and water;other variants includedholl puri,which is layered, and stuffed with boiled and grounddal/split peas,andti puri,a smaller roti that is fried and usually served with seven different curries.

Iran

In Iran, the two variants of roti are calledkhaboosandlavash.These two breads (the former of which is almost exactly prepared like Indian roti) are quite similar to other rotis.

Elsewhere

Roti shops are now abundant in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Owing to Canada's considerable immigrant populations from both South Asia and the Caribbean, roti and its variants are popular there. AsIndo-Caribbean peoplemoved to North American cities such as Toronto, New York City,Miami,Los Angeles, and Montreal, they exported with them the wrapped version of roti. A distinctTorontooffering is the "East Indian roti", a variation on the stuffed roti from theWest Indies.In some of these cultures, rotis are also being used in the place of pita bread when making burritos, quesadillas, or any other kinds of wraps.

See also

• Bhatura
• Jolada rotti
• Kulcha
• Luchi
• Tortilla