ரொட்டி (rotti) and sambol is my ‘home’ or ‘comfort food’.
அம்மா (amma) makes it with her eyes closed. I find getting the heat balance for the ரொட்டி too annoying – which is my Aries impatience shining bright. As a result, my rotti it ends up being too carboardy. (It’s meant to be soft).
When talking about cuisine from other countries with அம்மா, we often come back to (in tamil) – ‘nothing is better than ரொட்டி and sambol’. 🙂
I love ரொட்டி with curry, ரொட்டி with sambol, ரொட்டி with sambol and banana, ரொட்டி with mangoes….
INGREDIENTS FOR ROTTI
2 cups plain flour
1 cup self-raising flour
2/3 tsp salt
1 tbl butter (I use oil)
1 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
2. slowly add the water until the mixture is rolled into a ball.
3. Leave aside for 30min-1 hour.
4. Break up the mixture into balls a little bigger than limes.
5. Flatten 1 ball with the palm of your hands and then use a rolling pin to roll it into a flat circle.
6. Put the rotti on a flat fry pan set to medium heat.
7. Put some butter on the exposed side of the rotti.
8. Cook for 30 seconds and then turn it over.
7. Put butter on the newly exposed side and cook for 30 seconds.
8. Keep repeating this till cooked. It should take less than 5 minutes.
9. Use the back of a wooden or plastic spoon to press the rotti down intermittently while it is frying.Note – you can keep the rotti mixture for about 5-6 hours.
INGREDIENTS FOR SAMBOL
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 of a medium-sized lemon
1/4 of a small onion fried
1/2 a tomato
12 dried chillies (or less/more depending on spicy vibes)
15 curry leaves
1/2 spoon salt
The non-veg variety would have maldive fish flakes (see previous Omlette post)
1. Sprinkle 2 tbl water on the coconut and put in the microwave for 1 min.
2. Put all ingredients minus the lemon in a grinder and grind.
3. Remove from grinder and place in a serving dish.
4. Squeeze the lemon and mix it through the sambol.
My Tamil Kitchen 