Bread is a staple food throughout the world and every country and culture has something unique. In Cape Town you'll find Cape Malay rotis, a delicious unleavened flatbread. Rotis are served in place of rice especially at family gatherings or special occasions.

It's not the easiest thing to make and I know of a few people who have struggled with making rotis, I myself did not get it right the first time. After trying a few times, I finally got it right and it was definitely worth trying again and again.

You don't have to be experienced with making bread or working with dough to make rotis...

Here's a step by step recipe with pictures...

Ingredients

• 750 ml cake flour
• 100 ml self raising flour
• 5 ml salt
• 50 ml cooking oil
• 400 ml cold water
• 50 ml butter
• 50 ml oil
• 100 ml cake flour

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the oil, rubbing it in to form a crumbly mixture. Add half the water and mix to a soft dough, keep adding water or flour until a soft pliable dough is formed. Cover with cling wrap or place in a clean unused plastic packet. Leave in a warm place for 30 min.

Remove from cling wrap or plastic and roll the dough out in an oblong shape and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece out on a lightly floured surface to a circle about 20 cm in diameter and dot with 15 ml butter then sprinkle with flour.

Roll the dough into thick ropes, stretching the dough as you're rolling, then roll the dough into two mini circles on opposite sides. Place one circle on top of the other, continue until all 8 pieces of dough are done. Keep the dough covered at all times with cling wrap or in a plastic, to keep the dough from drying out. Once all 8 pieces of dough are done leave covered for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to a circle 20 cm in diameter. In a small bowl mix 50 ml melted butter with 50 ml oil. Heat a frying pan or a roti pan, if you've got one, then brush the roti with the butter and oil mixture. Place the roti on the heated pan, then brush the other side of the roti with the butter and oil mixture. Make sure the heat is not too high or else the rotis will burn, a medium heat should be fine.

Keep turning the roti until done, when done remove the roti from the pan and pat the roti between your hands to fluff the roti up a bit...

And there you have it, a delicious Cape Malay Roti to serve with a curry of your choice 😊

Roti and Mince Curry

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All photos are my own

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