Roti with Coconut, Onion and Chili

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(Photo by avlxyz/Flickr)

If not available, moisten desiccated coconut
with a few tablespoons cold water, tossing until evenly moist. If
preferred, the onion and chilli may be omitted from the recipe.

Makes 12 rotis.

Ingredients

500 g/1 lb/4 cups fine rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
75 g/2 1/2 oz/1 cup freshly grated coconut or desiccated coconut
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ghee or butter
2 tablespoons very finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chili
1 egg, beaten
500 ml/8 fl oz/2 cups water
ghee or oil for cooking

Directions

Mix flour, baking powder, coconut and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the
ghee or butter, stir shallots and chilli through, then add egg and
sufficient water to form a dough. Leave dough to rest for at least 30
minutes, then take egg-sized pieces of dough and pat between floured
hands or roll lightly on floured board to a circle about the size of a
saucer. Cook on a hot griddle or heavy frying pan with only a very
light coating of ghee or oil. Serve with curries or sambals.

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)