1

Having been around the Caribbean a few times I got used to eating Roti from street vendors. Normally young guys and girls who would make them at home, put them into an insulated box and sell them on the street for a few dollars (ec). The wrapper that these delicious and filling snacks is what makes them so fantastic. Light, and almost translucent, they somehow manage to contain the spicy/curried contents even whilst the eater devours it. Now, we can argue about what is truly a Roti, flat beads etc... but I am not interested in that, I want to know how (and what type of flour to use) to make the covering for what is considered to be a Caribbean Roti. PS: The best ones always seem to come from Grenada.

Wikipedia has this, but somehow it is not quite right for what I want. I have tried looking into rice wraps, not quite the same as they are more Asian. Please help...

Improve this question
6
  • 1
    Hi Stephie, great, but not quite the same thing, the Roti wrapper I am looking for is like tracing paper, but soft, yet somehow holds everything inside. When you buy them you normally get one (very) small paper serviette, which is more than enough as the contents don't spill out. Yes, sounds a bit fantastical, but they are. An aside to this is I quite often make samosas out of left over curry, but use filo pastry and fry them. These wrappers seem to be more steamed.
    – dougal 5.0.0
    Feb 3, 2017 at 6:58
  • If ever you get the chance to eat a proper Roti, go for it, they may be simple, but somehow, they are just great. It's great to be back, thanks!
    – dougal 5.0.0
    Feb 3, 2017 at 7:13
  • I've moved some comments to chat - they were about more meta things. Feel free to keep discussing the question itself here.
    – Cascabel ♦
    Feb 3, 2017 at 14:01
  • @Stephie Hm, I just realized you linked to wrap roti but the question links to plain roti (which has a section on the Caribbean but no pictures, definitely none of the wrap) so I'm not 100% sure your comment was obsolete, or what the difference is. The wrap roti looks relatively light and translucent to me.
    – Cascabel ♦
    Feb 4, 2017 at 1:57
  • I doubt very much this is it, but "rice paper" (mostly tapioca, actually) wrappers are both translucent and flexible (once dipped in warm water for a few seconds, anyway.)
    – Ecnerwal
    Feb 4, 2017 at 2:50

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

Your question intrigued me and I'm curious to know what these rotis are like. I make rotis often and have for a number of decades but I learned how originally from a Punjabi family. I don't really make them the same way as I've developed my own method over time. I use a mix of white flour, whole wheat and soy flour with a handful of wheat germ added. I don't butter mine when finished cooking either. My rotis are soft and hold up well as I also use them as a wrap instead of tortillas or pita bread. So I'm thinking a certain difference in flours can affect how they hold up for wraps.

I did some searching online and found a recipe for Caribbean wraps and filling that's supposed to come from Trinidad. Looking over different Caribbean roti recipes, one thing I noticed is they all have baking powder in them. I've never used it myself for rotis so perhaps that also affects how they turn out. The recipe link I'll give also adds a pinch of yeast that might help. All I can suggest is to try a small batch and see how they turn out.

Here's the recipe link. The part for rotis is at the bottom of the recipe.Trini Roti recipe

Improve this answer
6
  • Hi Jude. I will certainly take a look. I've just spoken to someone who says that they are made from chickpea/flour - so will look into that as well.
    – dougal 5.0.0
    Feb 4, 2017 at 2:47
  • Hi again Jude. The Trini Roti looks great, but the wrap isn't quite what I'm looking for - however I have book marked the site as I'd never seen it before so many thanks for that... off to look at rice paper now, will keep you posted.
    – dougal 5.0.0
    Feb 4, 2017 at 3:02
  • 1
    A caution about chick-pea flour I learned about first-hand and read later on. As you'll no doubt already know, legumes can make a person gassy. Chick-pea flour has an especially bad reputation for that. Soy flour can too but not nearly like chick-pea flour. I wonder if adding soy flour helped make my rotis softer and hold together well. --- Reading through some older posts here that the addition of a small amount of baking powder to dough imparts a degree of resiliency and softness - though not nearly in the amount called for in the recipe I linked you to!
    – Jude
    Feb 4, 2017 at 3:20
  • Thanks Jude, will keep it in mind about the 'gassyness'. When making 'ordinary' roti's I sometimes add baking powder, but have never got the results that I am after for this particular wrap. I am doing a bit more research to see if I can track down how these things are made... watch this space.
    – dougal 5.0.0
    Feb 4, 2017 at 3:31
  • 2
    I can't comment in the other group of comments above as I don't have enough 'reputation' to. But something about rice paper wraps - I do a lot of Asian cooking and the rice paper I buy for making cold summer rolls are rice with a bit of tapioca flour only. I doubt they'd suit you as they're quite fragile and can tear easily if not handled carefully. I can't imagine trying to put hot curries in them.
    – Jude
    Feb 4, 2017 at 3:34

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.