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Godamba roti
ගෝදඹ රොටි (godamba roti): paper-thin, stretched and folded griddle flatbread, flaky and chewy, for dhal and curry (plus 2 hours resting)
Walk down Galle Road through Wellawatte or Bambalapitiya in the evening and you hear the roti shops before you see them: one cook slapping balls of oiled dough into sheets so thin you can read through them, another clattering the kottu blades. That stretched sheet, folded into a square and cooked on the iron plate, is godamba roti, flaky and chewy, torn to scoop up dhal and chicken curry, or chopped up for kottu. Contains wheat. Chef's tip: rest the oiled dough balls for at least 2 hours; the gluten relaxes so the dough stretches thin without tearing.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup lukewarm water
- 6 tbsp vegetable oilfor coating, stretching and cooking
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour, ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar, add ¾ cup lukewarm water and knead for 10 minutes into a very soft, smooth, slightly sticky dough.
12 minStep 2: Divide into 6 balls, roll each in a generous coat of 3 ⅝ tbsp vegetable oil, cover and rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature.
5 minStep 3: Oil a clean worktop. Flatten a ball with oiled palms, then press and stretch it outwards from the centre, lifting and pulling the edges gently, until it is a paper-thin, almost see-through sheet about 40 cm across. Small holes don't matter. Common mistake: stretching dough that hasn't rested; it springs back and tears.
10 minStep 4: Fold the four sides into the middle to make a square about 15 cm across.
1 minStep 5: Heat a griddle or heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat, brush with a little of the rest of the oil and cook each roti for 1–2 minutes a side, until puffed with golden-brown patches and no doughy layers.
18 minStep 6: Stack the hot rotis, then clap each one between your hands to loosen the layers. Serve warm with dhal or curry.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does godamba roti take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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