ORGANISED BY the National Council for Indian Culture in Jamaica, the festival takes place at Club India, 28 Lady Musgrave Road, St. Andrew, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
There will be eight different rotis on sale, along with curried goat, curried mango, curried potatoes, dhal, jerk and barbecue chicken, ackee and saltfish, aloo choka (mashed potato), as well as authentic north Indian dishes.
If that's not enough for a
bellyful, the assortment of Indian breads and food samples from companies like Wisynco Trading, GraceKennedy, Home Choice, T Geddes Grant and House of Spice may just do
the trick.
There will be roti making demonstrations, henna
painting, roti eating contest and a cultural show, featuring Indian dancing, live Indian music, fashion show and other acts. Admission is free.
Vishu Tolan, head of the organising committee, says
the idea is to make this an annual event.
INDIAN BREADS
Indian breads are different from the traditional western bread. In northern and central India, people usually serve roti (flat bread) with the meal. Roti is usually unleavened (made without yeast or any other leavening agent).
Indian breads are usually made from whole wheat flour. The dough can be prepared quickly. Most Indians make their bread fresh every day by hand and cook in Tava (which is like a heavy iron skillet or griddle). The roti dough can be rolled out as soon as
kneaded but waiting half an hour or so does not do any harm. To save time, one can make the dough a day before and store in the refrigerator overnight. Just take out the dough and put in a warm room for an hour before rolling out.
The most common Indian breads are simple Roti, Chapati, Puri, Naan, and Paratha.
Inside, we have two roti recipes, as well as recipes for Chapati, Naan and Paratha.
Plain Roti
500 g (2 cups) plain flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. baking powder
1 1/2 cups water
Vegetable oil
Flour for dusting
METHOD
1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder thoroughly.
2. Add water gradually, working the dough to a soft, silky texture and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
3. Divide dough into 6 even pieces and shape into round balls (loyahs).
4. Flatten loyahs into 3-inch discs between fingers.
5. Brush discs on one side with oil and flour lightly.
6. Place tahwa (or flat, thick-based frying pan) on medium heat.
7. Place 2 discs together (oil sides facing) and flatten to 4 inch double discs. Place on floured surface. Rest for at least 10 minutes.
8. Dust rolling pin and rolling surface lightly with flour, and roll out into 8-inch discs, flipping the dough and dusting with more flour to ensure easy rolling.
9. Dust off excess flour and transfer to tahwa. Bake until the first sign of small bubbles appear. Flip with spatula and brush lightly with oil. Flip to other side and brush lightly with oil. Bake 1 minute.
10. Pull apart (caution, hot steam!) and store between towels to keep warm.
NOTE: Beginners can make the single roti by using the same dough, but without making the double discs. Roll loyahs to 1/8-inch thickness, bake and keep warm as for dosti roti. The dosti roti comes out thinner.
Saiko Roti
This roti is made without oil and is popular at breakfast time. It is traditionally known as "fireside roti" because it is baked on/beside hot coals. It can be eaten with any vegetable or meat dish and is excellent with ackee and saltfish and liver.
Ingredients are the same as for the plain roti
Method
1. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and shape into balls (loyahs) and let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Bake on tahwa (high heat), 1 1/2 minutes per side.
3. Transfer to a hot grill, a low flame burner, or toaster oven (set on high).
4. If a grill or burner is used, turn constantly and bake on both sides until roti is swollen. No turning is necessary if baked in a toaster oven.
5. Remove from heat and store between towels to keep warm.
Parantha
This bread is flaky and somewhat more elaborate than chapattis or rotis. The dough is rolled out and brushed with ghee or oil folded and brushed with ghee or oil again and folded again to form a layered slice.
This is then rolled out again and then put on a hot griddle and brushed with oil. The heat makes the layers of dough swell and puff, resulting flaky, pastry like flat breads. They may also be used as snacks or lunch-box favourites. Allow 1 or 2 per person.
2 1/2 cups chapati flour (see Success Tips)
1 cup water at room temperature
1 cup chapati flour in a large plate for dusting the dough while rolling it out
Ghee for brushing the bread (See Success Tips)
Method
1. To roll out the dough, prepare basic dough and allow to rest for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. To make triangular-shaped paranthas, divide the dough into fist-sized balls. With a rolling pin, roll out 1 ball to a circle 5 inches in diameter.
2. Brush the circle of dough with ghee, and fold in half to from a crescent then brush again with ghee and fold into a triangle.
3. Seal the edges well. Dust the parantha with finely sieved whole wheat flour and roll into a large, flat triangle or round parantha. Try to make the edges slightly thinner to ensure uniform cooking. Rather than shaping all the paranthas at one time, cook each one as the next one is rolled out.
Method to cook the parantha
1. Preheat a cast-iron tawa over medium heat. Place the rolled dough on the palm of one hand and flip it over on to the tahwa.
2. When the colour changes on the top and bubbles appear, brush ghee over the surface of the parantha and turn it over. Repeat the process of brushing the parantha on the other side. Keep flipping it over till both sides are browned and spots appear on the parantha. With experience the parantha will puff on the tahwa.
To keep the paranthas warm place them in a towel-lined bowl and fold over the sides of the towel.
Serve hot.
Naan Bread
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp fresh yeast
2/3 cup warm water
7 oz. all -purpose flour
1 tbs. ghee
1 tsp. salt
6 tbs. unsalted butter
1 tsp. poppy seeds
Method
1. Put the sugar and yeast in a small bowl or jug with the warm water and mix well until the yeast has dissolved. Set aside for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is frothy.
2. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the ghee and salt and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix well to form dough, using your hands and adding more water if required.
3. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth.
4. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 11/2 hours or until double in size.
5. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and knead for a further 2 minutes. Break off small balls with your hand and pat then into about 5 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.
6. Place the dough rounds on to a greased sheet or foil and grill (boil) under a very hot preheated grill (broiler) for 7-10 minutes, turning twice and brushing with the butter and sprinkling with the poppy seeds.
7. Serve warm immediately, or keep wrapped in foil until required.
Makes 6-8.
Chapati
1cups wholemeal flour (or chapati flour)
tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
Method
1. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and mix well to combine.
2. Make a well in the middle of the flour and gradually pour in the water, mixing well with your fingers to form a supple dough.
3. Knead the dough for about 7-10 minutes. Ideally, set the dough aside and leave to rise for about 15-20 minutes, but if time is short roll out the dough straightaway. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal portions. Roll out each piece of dough to form a round on a well-flavoured surface.
4. Place a heavy-based frying-pan (skillet) on a high heat. When steam starts to rise from the frying pan (skillet), lower the heat to medium.
5. Place a chapatti in the frying pan (skillet) and when the chapati starts to bubble turn it over. Carefully press down on the chapatti with a clean tea towel (dishcloth) or a flat spoon and turn the chapatti over once a gain. Remove the chapatti from the pan, set aside and keep warm while you make the others.
6. Repeat the process until all of the chapattis are cooked.
Makes 10-12.
SUCCESS TIPS:
Chapati flour is a blend of wheat and malted barley flours. Look for it in the Indian section of your market. To substitutes, sift together equal parts whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour.
Ideally, chapatis should be eaten as they come out of the frying pan (skillet), but if that is not practical keep them warm after cooking by wrapping them up in foil. In India, chapatis are sometimes cooked on a naked flame, which makes them puff up. Allow about 2 per person.
To make ghee, heat butter on low flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
