Roti Prata — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A flaky, crispy-yet-chewy Indian-influenced flatbread made by stretching dough paper-thin, folding it into layers, and pan-frying on a flat griddle until golden, served with curry dipping sauce.

Ingredients

500g all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
250ml water
60ml ghee or vegetable oil (plus extra for coating)
Curry sauce: 2 tbsp curry powder, 200ml coconut milk, 1 onion diced, 2 cloves garlic, 1 potato cubed, salt

Instructions

1 Mix flour, salt, sugar, egg, and water into a soft dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
2 Divide into 8 balls, coat generously with ghee, and rest covered for at least 1 hour (overnight is best).
3 On an oiled surface, flatten each ball and stretch by hand until paper-thin and translucent.
4 Fold the stretched dough into pleats, then coil into a spiral. Flatten gently into a disc.
5 Cook on a well-oiled hot griddle for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and flaky.
6 Clap the cooked prata between your palms to separate the layers and create fluffiness.
7 Serve hot with curry sauce made by simmering curry powder, coconut milk, potato, and seasonings.

Did You Know?

The dramatic tossing and flipping of prata dough by skilled prata makers is a mesmerising street performance — some can stretch it to cover an entire table.