• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

3. Divide the dough into 6 parts. Oil your hands and roll each ball between the palms of your hands in a circular motion until the dough is smooth. Press to flatten. Lightly oil each ball.

4. Heat tava/iron griddle or a heavy fry pan on medium-high heat. Lightly oil the griddle and wipe off excess. Adjust heat as needed. If tava is too hot, the roti will burn and stick to the tava, and if not hot enough, it will a take a long time to cook and become dry.

5. Line the counter with an 8-inch-square piece of wax paper. Place the oiled ball in the center of the wax paper. Place another piece of wax paper on top. Roll dough into a 6-inch round.

6. Remove the top wax paper and pick up the bread with the bottom wax paper. Flip it carefully onto the heated griddle. Remove the top wax paper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it becomes firm and easy to pick up. Turn over with a flat spatula and cook roti on the other side, until light brown spots appear on the underside, another 2 to 3 minutes.

7. If you are using an electric stove, heat a burner on high and place a wire rack directly on the coils, creating a space between the coils and the rack. If you have a gas stove, place the wire rack on the stove rack. Using full heat, place the bread directly on the wire rack. Grill roti on direct heat on both sides, turning with tongs.

8. Lightly brush top of roti with oil. Oiling keeps the roti softer and moist. Serve immediately, or place in an airtight container to serve later.

NOTE: Since corn roti take a long time to cook, I often use two griddles to speed up the process. These are best eaten within a few hours of preparing, as they do not keep well.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING:

Calories: 145; Total Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 0.5 g); Carbohydrate: 22 g; Protein: 3 g; Fiber: 0 g;

Sodium: 1 mg

Soy Products

I HAVE INCLUDED ONLY a few soy recipes in this book, but they feature a cross section of soy products and will add an excellent variety to your repertoire.

Soybeans, soy flour, soymilk, and soy granules are not new to Indian cuisine. Back in the early 1970s, soy products were introduced in India. My mother was actually one of the recipe testers at the G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttaranchal. There was a group of eight women who tested recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts using soy products. They published a book with some 250 recipes. Pant University was one of the agriculture universities chosen by the Indian Agriculture Department to test and integrate soy products into the Indian market. At that time, my friends and I would go down to the local coop and have a glass of cold soymilk. Today, many shops carry cold plain and flavored soymilk among their line of beverages.

Soybeans and soy products occasionally require some flavoring, herbs, and/or spices to enhance their flavor or mask a “beanie” taste. In general, soybeans, soymilk, soy yogurt, texturized vegetable protein (TVP, or soy granules), and tofu all integrate well into Indian dishes.

Tofu

Tofu works well as a substitute in paneer (fresh Indian cheese) dishes. Use extra-firm tofu, as it holds up better in the curry sauce and is closer to the texture of paneer. Tofu by itself is relatively bland and absorbs the flavor of the curry sauce. Most tofu comes packaged in water. Remove the tofu from water, cut into cubes or strips, or grate, as desired, and place on a dry kitchen towel or paper towels to help remove excess water. Tofu has a sponge-like quality, so when you remove the excess moisture, it can better soak up the curry sauce, marinade, or spices, intensifying its flavor. Pea-and-Tofu Curry (page 176) and Spinach and Tofu (at right) are crowd pleasers.

Tofu is typically packaged in water, which should be discarded prior to use. If you use only part of the tofu, place the remainder in an airtight container, cover with fresh water, and store in the refrigerator. If you change the water daily, the tofu will stay fresh for up