Roti

From Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day by Leanne Brown. Makes 16.

These are a staple flatbread in many parts of India.  They’re quick to make and very tasty when fresh.  Enjoy them with a curried filling, dip them in soups or stews, or fill them with eggs at breakfast.  I like them with hummus and sliced cucumbers for lunch. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt (I use Kosher salt)
• 1 cup water (I used a bit more to make sure the dough was moist enough.)

Method

• In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients using your hand.  It should form a fairly moist dough.  Knead until smooth (about 5 minutes) and form into a ball.  Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel and set aside for ten minutes to an hour.
• Divide the dough into 16 small balls.
• Sprinkle the countertop with flour and place one piece of dough in the middle.  Cover the ball with flour on all sides so that it doesn’t stick to the surface, then gently roll it out with a rolling pin or bottle if you’re in a pinch until it’s thin and flat, about 1/8” thick.  As you roll the dough, be sure to unstick it from the counter and flip it over.  To make it round, roll straight in front of you, then turn the dough 90 degrees and roll out again. 
• Place a non-stick skillet on medium heat.  Once the pan is hot, add the roti and cook until the dough lifts away from the pan around the edges and small bubbles form.  Flip the bread over and cook the other side.  This goes very quickly.  You want to see light-brown bubbles all over the dough;  don’t let it get too dark, though, as this will make the roti too crunchy to use for rolls.  Repeat this process until you’re finished with the dough.
• Keep the roti under a towel on the counter or in a warm oven until ready to serve. 

Cost: 50¢ total, or 3¢ per roti

A disclaimer.  I use heritage wheat for taste and to support the farmers and millers providing heritage wheat.  Cost for my version of Roti is about: $1.00 total, 5¢ per roti.