Rumali roti

Thanks, Malathy for sparing your valuable time and among busy work of managing such a big site to post your comments here. Incidentally, I was once a member of an equally big site with more than 9000 members and the reason of its success was that they were providing direct downloads from their server of movies and music. But, once they found out that it is not financially viable and removed the downloads the other forums alone could not sustain and they had to close. In that respect, IL being a purely interactive forums growing in size is remarkable and all credits go to you and the moderators. I wish it grows further.
Regards,

TDU

 

Hi, Sudha

It is nice to see you back in IL. You learn to make good Rumali Rotis and give to your hubby. Then, you can sing 'Unnai alli eduthu ullankaiyil madithu kaikuttaiyil ( Rumali rotiyil ) olithu kolven pin viduthalai seythu vendum varam vaangi kolven'. :-D

Regards,

TDU

 

Dear Varloo,

You are right about our women making kozhukattai choppu, murukku, jangiri etc. My sister used to make Sevai (rice noodles) not through Sevai naazhi, but in a towel with a small hole. She will squeeze the arisumaavu in the towel and get thin sevai. We were a big family and my mother and eldest sister used to grind dosai maavu. We used to eat as dosas being made hot hot and in the end very little maavu will remain. They used to say 'Araichavaluku aatukallum vaathvaluku dosakallum than micham'. Poor people.

Regards,

TDU

 

Dear Abha,

Thanks for your info on roti making. While I can make good dosas, I find it tough to make good rotis. I have tried using a slightly wetcloth to touch the roti on the thava and then spin it. I have watched some north indian ladies in my friends' house in Mumbai do this expertly. As they used to spin the roti will get puffed and it will be very soft. Some people used to cook the roti directly on the gas flame and then also the roti used to get puffed.

For good dosa making, you have to have the thava in medium heat first. Then spread little oil. Some people use big onion cut into a slice for spreading the oil. When you first pour the dough, do not try to spread. Let it get roated like uthapam. Then for second time onwards, try to pour the dough in concentric circles starting from larger outer one reducing in size at the centre. Then slightly spread the dough to fill the gaps. Next, pour oil around the periphery and some in the middle. The most crucial thing to do next is to slightly remove one edge with a flat and long spoon to see whether dosa can be changed sides. Some people keep the long spoon in water. After the first one or two dosas you will find the rest coming nicely and easily to remove. You can sprinkle little water on the thava in between making dosas to remove the excess heat.

Regards,

TDU

 

Dear Sriniketan,

Thanks for asking the info. Actually I should have given with the original post itself. Here are the details of its making and the photos of roti itself and a chef making it.

Roomal or Rumal means handkerchief. Since this bread is as thin as a handkerchief. it has got its name as 'Rumali Roti' (Bread as thin as a handkerchief)

Ingredients:
1/2cup Whole Wheat Flour (Atta)
50 gms Maida
1/2 tsp Baking powder
2-3 tbsp oil or melted ghee
Water to knead
A pinch of salt

Method:

•Sieve wheat flour, maida, salt and baking powder together.

•Pour oil or Ghee in the flour and add water bit by bit and make a soft & elastic dough and keep it covered with moist muslin cloth or a damp cloth used to cover roti dough for 1/2 an hour.

• Knead well again and make small balls of the dough. Roll like a normal roti, ofcourse try to make it a little thin and not very thick like u make for parathas.
Here comes the trick that u see chefs do in hotels where there is courtyard cooking done. Now place the roti on the back side of your palms (palms facing down), circle your wrist slowly in an anti-clockwise motion. Try to swing the roti in the air, again let it land on your palms, make a large very thin circle 12" diameter. It should be as thin as tissue and expanded well.

If you can’t do the chef’s trick never mind, just roll each ball into a thin roti using little dry flour (it should be thin as a tissue)

•Heat an inverted griddle(tawa).

•Place the rumali roti carefully over it and cook till done. This roti takes harldy 1 minute to cook, once it is done, fold it like a handkerchief.

•Serve rumali roti hot. It should be eaten whilst hot. Once cold it becomes very elastic and difficult to chew.

**Some people add eggs for softness or to stretch the dough further, but it isn’t necessary.

 

We have the authentic South Indian Woodlands in our campus on the West Side Drive off Muddy Road in Gaithersburg.