Clearly the first rule of roti is that the first roti off the pan is torn apart on the plate as it cools and eaten. Was that just something that happened in my house growing up? The rule has stuck and the tradition continues.
The other rule is that left-over roti is best enjoyed the next day, gently warmed on a spiral stove burner. Well, not too gently, because you need a little bit of sizzle. When it just starts to stick to the burner so that it starts to burn you pull it off and flip it over. When I was little we had no rules about carcinogens, so just work with me ok. The hot roti is turned over and spun around at intervals to ensure even burning/warming. The roti is then spread with jam - find the chunky pieces of apricot in the jar if you can - and enjoy with tea. Tea boiled on the stove (of course!), served with extra sugar.
Speaking of sugar - someone used to make roti and then sprinkle coconut and sugar on the last one right before it came out of the pan. That special roti was always shared among the kids playing outside. Being called in for a sugar roti was the best thing ever. Was it Aunty Lima that used to make sugar roti?
With a doubt it's Appa who made the prettiest roti. It was always perfect and delicious. It was a little thicker than my mother made her roti, and maybe Appa used real ghee, but Appa's roti always seemed extra delicious.
The other roti rule was that the last little piece of dough, was rolled into a little mini roti. The little mini roti was always given to the baby in the house. I had many years of mini rotis in my childhood.
We still eat the first roti off the plate, but now that my baby is 21 I skip the mini roti. I would still warm my roti on the stove, but I don't have a spiral stove burner, and the open flame of my gas stove doesn't do my mother's memory justice. It also creates far too much smoke and sets off the smoke alarm! So we warm the roti in the toaster oven and then eat it with jam. The tea usually has cold milk and no sugar. I don't even know if I actually love it as much, or if it's just one of those childhood things that you did then so you continue to do.
The other rule is that left-over roti is best enjoyed the next day, gently warmed on a spiral stove burner. Well, not too gently, because you need a little bit of sizzle. When it just starts to stick to the burner so that it starts to burn you pull it off and flip it over. When I was little we had no rules about carcinogens, so just work with me ok. The hot roti is turned over and spun around at intervals to ensure even burning/warming. The roti is then spread with jam - find the chunky pieces of apricot in the jar if you can - and enjoy with tea. Tea boiled on the stove (of course!), served with extra sugar.
Speaking of sugar - someone used to make roti and then sprinkle coconut and sugar on the last one right before it came out of the pan. That special roti was always shared among the kids playing outside. Being called in for a sugar roti was the best thing ever. Was it Aunty Lima that used to make sugar roti?
With a doubt it's Appa who made the prettiest roti. It was always perfect and delicious. It was a little thicker than my mother made her roti, and maybe Appa used real ghee, but Appa's roti always seemed extra delicious.
The other roti rule was that the last little piece of dough, was rolled into a little mini roti. The little mini roti was always given to the baby in the house. I had many years of mini rotis in my childhood.
We still eat the first roti off the plate, but now that my baby is 21 I skip the mini roti. I would still warm my roti on the stove, but I don't have a spiral stove burner, and the open flame of my gas stove doesn't do my mother's memory justice. It also creates far too much smoke and sets off the smoke alarm! So we warm the roti in the toaster oven and then eat it with jam. The tea usually has cold milk and no sugar. I don't even know if I actually love it as much, or if it's just one of those childhood things that you did then so you continue to do.
This sounds delish! My mom used to make this too but she called it chapati. We had it served with curry chicken and potatoes.
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