Recipe - Coconut Roti

Coconut Roti – is an easy accompaniment to any meal. You can serve it for breakfast slathered with butter, at lunch with a condiment of your choice or for dinner with a hot and spicy curry. In Sri Lanka they are served on roadside carts as a sandwich with Kata Sambol (a condiment made with dried chillies, minced onions and dried Maldive fish) sandwiched between them. This is an easy flatbread to make, except for the shaping! If you are anything like me - I cannot roll a perfect circle to save my life – use a bowl with a sharp edge. The rest is simple.

1. In a mixing bowl pour in 1 cup of flour (any plain flour like spelt is OK, I used Atta as I like the nutty texture).
2. Add ½ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut (fresh is preferable), 1 shallot finely chopped and 1 minced green chlli/chilli flakes (optional).
3. Stir 3/4 tsp sea salt into ½ cup warm water.
4. Oil your palm with a tsp of oil.
5. Add salt water to bowl and knead with your hand. (Flours have different moisture levels so add extra if required - I added an extra tablespoon of water as I felt it was a bit dry).
6. Divide dough into 4 balls.
7. Roll into rounds (or use a cutter to get uniformity).
8. Heat a tava/frying pan on medium high.
9. Place a roti on it and brush with oil, then flip immediately.
10. Brush the other side.
11. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side.
12. Check for little brown spots this indicates they are done.
13. 12. Repeat with the other 3 rotis.  

NOTE:  I got 7 from this quantity as I used an 11cm cutter