GUYANESE POTATO ROTI
There are a few recipes from childhood that I haven’t had in years that I’ve wanted to recreate. The problem with this is that not only am I cooking based on a memory, but one from when I was a child with less sophisticated taste buds. It proves to be a bit of a challenge, sometimes its a hit and others a miss. Yesterday I managed to fall right in the middle, not a miss but just not what I remember.
I decided to make aloo paratha or potato roti. I did my research and came up with own combination and spices based on what I think it should taste like. Technically it turned out perfect, the flavor was good, but it didn’t fulfill my childhood crave. Something was missing. I will be making this again and I’m sharing this recipe with you because while it doesn’t satisfy my craving it is delicious!
Aloo Paratha
adapted from Manjula’s Kitchen
Dough
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup water
pinch of salt
Filling
2 medium potatoes, boiled until tender
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp chopped scallion
black pepper to taste
oil
To make the dough, combine flour and salt, add water. Knead dough until its smooth. Dough will be soft. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
To make the filling, crush cooled boiled potatoes with a fork until smooth. Add cumin, garlic, onion powder, salt, black pepper and scallion. Mix well.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Do the same for the potato mixture and form into balls. Roll the dough into circles large enough to cover the potatoes, about 3 inch in diameter.
Place potato in the center of the flattened dough. Seal by pinching the edges of the dough together to form a ball. Repeat until 6 balls are formed.
On a well floured surface roll, place each ball seal side down and press slightly to flatten. Roll gently into 6 inch circles. Set aside on a well floured surface and repeat.
Heat tawa. When tawa is hot, place roti on the tawa. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute and flip.
Lightly brush oil over the top. Lightly press edges against tawa. Flip after 30 seconds and oil. Flip once more and after about 30 seconds remove from heat. Repeat. Serve warm.
yum! I will try.
I looks great, brings back memories of my Nanny. I have to try this. Love your recipes.
Forgive the misspelling, I meant to say “It looks great”. just rushing as usual.
mmmmm…..
this looks nice – I tend to add more cumin though, I like aloo with lots of geera. And maybe some hot pepper. But other than that the method is pretty much what I am used to!
I agree with you chennette, I think it needs more of a kick. Next time I will add real pepper, like wiri wiri or scotch bonnet and more indian spices.
OMG that looks so good.
Great recipe, glad you wanted to recreate a childhood memory..I often do with much less tasty results!!
sweetlife
i would suggest authentic Indi CURRY Powder to the seasoning- what do you think???
Margot, next time I will definitely make adjustments to the seasoning of the potatoes. It needed more of a kick and curry does sound like a great addition.
It may not have satisfied your craving but your pictures are making me crave it that’s for sure.
I love how they puff up when being cooked! Looking forward to seeing you trying other flavour combinations.
Oh these look great Jehan. You know this is perfect for lenten food this holy week.
Jehan, I have tried your potato roti and it was great, it did take me back to my Mum’s potato roti. The only thing I tried different and this is based on my memory of my Mum’s was that I used roasted cumin which makes a huge difference. Thanks again and I will be making some more this coming weekend.
Does the dough require baking powder
No the dough has no baking powder.
Hi, I was wondering about how will the roti come out with no baking powder! I just tried kneading a little flour as a test without baking powder, and it was doughy!
It’s doughy because it’s uncooked. This recipes requires no baking powder.
I think maybe if you try chive instead of scallion, and maybe a little mexican cilantro. Also I don’t know if I would use curry. Maybe some gheera or masala. I’m not Guyanese, I’m Trini, but I do know it is sometimes hard to recreate the exact flavor you remember.
Hi jehan do you have a recipe for pot bake and homemade bread thanks for ur delicious reipes I have tried a few and came out excellent
Hi Christine, bread will be coming soon and so will pot bake.
hi i love ur recipe i tried it and it came out great and taste wonderful i had also added a little hot pepper to mines
Jeha, my recollection is that guyanese foods are very ethnic specific. Most of the foods (recipe) that you blog and boast about are east indian in origin. What about foo foo, cook up rice, metamjee etc. You know what I mean
Hi Kimberli, Guyanese cuisine is made up of Indian, British, African and Chinese influences. While I may have a large amount of Indian dishes since I am sharing the recipes that I grew up on, there are creole dishes such as Black-eye Peas Cookup, Metemgee and Boil and Fry on my blog. I also have Chinese influenced dishes such chowmein and fried rice. As for Foo foo, it was a dish I don’t like and my mom never made it. IF you have any request feel free to email me and I will do my best to provide a recipe.
“Guyanese cuisine is made up of Indian, British, African and Chinese influences”
You forgot Portuguese and Amerindian. At one time Portuguese made up 10% of the population, More than the “other” percentage in most of the British Caribbean colonies
You are trying to remake it but
this believe it or not this has more spices than what I remember my grandmother used to make. I doubt even the Cumin (geera) which is strong. I dont remember the green onion
Guyanese indian food is not that spicy. Believe it or not Latins use way more cumin (which is Indian spice/ maybe middle eastern) than Guyanese
Creole dishes…meat soups, sous (may actually be portugese)
Its not that easy to unravel what food belongs to who…beside the indian food. Even cookup rice and pelow in Trinidad, (they actually use the Indian/middle eastern term Pelou)…have indian origins…the rest of the caribbean cook the rice and meat seperately. Cookup pelou seems to be a caribbean versionof pelou/Biriani
Hi Paul, you are absolutely correct about the Portuguese and Amerindian influences, it was an oversight on my part. I’m aware that the Latin community uses a lot of cumin. I have both the cumin used by the Latin community and the Indian cumin(geera) and the Indian cumin is much stronger in flavor. I agree with you about it being difficult to figure out which food belongs to which cuisine. I believe that over the years we have combined cuisines.
Hey J what brand of flour did u use or it doesn’t matter?
It doesn’t matter.
Hi Jehanp did you use all purpose floor.
Yes it was all purpose flour.
What about baking powder to your dough, did you miss that ingredient?
I did not, the recipe is correct as written.