Easy Guyanese Oil Roti (Paratha)
This easy Guyanese oil roti recipe for beginners makes melt-in-your-mouth paratha style flatbreads with flaky, buttery layers. Serve this popular flatbread as a side with your favorite meals.
Servings 5 roti
Calories 452kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups All purpose flour plus 1 cup for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon rapid rising yeast
- 1 1/4 cup warm water (about 110°F)
- 1/4 cup room temperature fat like vegan butter, ghee or oil
- 1/2 cup oil like sunflower, avocado or vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar (to activate the yeast)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and rapid rising yeast, then whisk together until fully combined.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the warm water. Then Use a spatula to mix the water and flour together to form a soft dough ball
- Then cover the dough and let rest for 20-30 minutes. After the dough has rested for at least 20 minutes, divide the dough into 5 equal pieces
- On a floured surface roll the dough out until it is a thin (about 1/8 inch) flat disk. Next, add about 1 tablespoon of fat to the rolled out dough, rub the fat over the entire surface of the rolled out dough
- Then roll dough into a log. Next, Swirl the dough log around your finger to form a circular dough ball that looks like a cinnamon roll. Then tuck the loose end of the log into the bottom of the rolled up dough. Repeat for other 4 pieces of dough.
- Cover and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before moving to the next step.
- When ready to cook, preheat a large skillet / tawah (traditional cast iron skillet for roti) on medium heat. Roll out one of the buttered roti doughs (oiled off roti) into a large thin disk, about ⅛ inch thickness (like a large tortilla)
- Place roti on the warm skillet or tawah. Cook until tiny bubbles / air pockets appear on the top of the roti (for about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Flip and brush with cooking oil and cook for another 30 seconds (or for as long as it will take to apply the oil)
- Flip again and apply oil to the other side. Cook for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute, then remove from heat
- Clap the roti by placing the cooked roti on a flat surface. Fold the roti in half then push the roti into itself with your palms. Similar to compressing an accordion. Or keep it simple and put the roti in a covered bowl and shake to separate the layers and release the air pockets
- Serve your roti warm and with your favorite curry
Video
Notes
- This is a non-traditional recipe that uses yeast.
- You can also make the loi into a square. Start by folding one end of your buttered and floured flatted roti dough up to the center. Then fold the other end over to meet the edge of previous fold. Next, the right edge over to meet and the center. Then fold the left edge to meet the right fold.
- Clapping roti may be daunting but it is a great step to conquer over time. Feel free to place the hot roti in a tea towel for easy clapping.
- See above for some easier options for rolling out the roti dough.
Nutrition
Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 275mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4mg