Pol roti
Coconut flatbread with onion
Pol roti: thick Sri Lankan coconut flatbread with onion and green chilli, cooked on a dry griddle
Pol roti is the hearty coconut flatbread that rural Sri Lankans eat for breakfast or an evening meal, cooked on a flat iron pan (thachchi) and torn up with lunu miris, parippu or a spicy potato curry; you'll see it stacked in glass cases in kades from Anuradhapura to Matara. Wheat flour is mixed with lots of freshly grated coconut, finely chopped onion and green chilli, and the dough is patted out thick by hand, so the roti come out chewy, with toasted coconut flecks and a sweet, savoury smell. The common mistake is rolling them thin: pol roti should be a good 1 cm thick and soft inside. Chef's tip: pat each roti out on a banana leaf or oiled baking paper and flip it straight onto the pan; it's too soft and crumbly to lift any other way.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz plain flour
- 5 ½ oz freshly grated coconutfresh or thawed frozen
- 1 red onionsmall, finely chopped
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 8 fresh curry leavesfinely chopped
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup waterapproximately
- 1 tbsp coconut oilfor your hands and the pan
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz plain flour, 5 ½ oz freshly grated coconut, 1 red onion, 2 green chillies, 8 fresh curry leaves and ¾ tsp salt in a bowl, rubbing the coconut into the flour with your fingers.
Step 2: Add ½ cup water a little at a time and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds together. Don't knead it much; the coconut should stay in visible flakes.
3 minStep 3: Divide into 8 balls. With lightly oiled hands, pat each one out on a piece of oiled baking paper or banana leaf into a round about 12 cm across and 1 cm thick.
5 minStep 4: Heat a heavy frying pan or tawa over a medium heat and wipe it with a little 1 tbsp coconut oil. Flip a roti onto the pan and peel off the paper.
2 minStep 5: Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, pressing lightly with a spatula, until both sides have golden-brown spots and the roti sounds hollow when tapped. If the outside browns before the middle is cooked, turn the heat down.
8 minStep 6: Keep the cooked roti wrapped in a cloth while you cook the rest. Serve warm with lunu miris, parippu or a curry.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pol roti take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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 red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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