Sonora Flour Roti Food

SONORAN-STYLE FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Place bowl onto mixer, and affix paddle attachment. Mix for 30 seconds at low speed, then slowly add lard in a thin stream. Allow fat to partly incorporate, then slowly pour water in a thin stream. Allow dough to come together, then increase speed to medium-low and knead for about 2 minutes. The dough will be somewhat wet, webby and shiny. Place dough in a plastic bag, and allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Divide dough into 12 pieces the size of a golf ball. Roll into smooth balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic, and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Working on a very lightly floured smooth surface, use a rolling pin to roll balls into 4-inch circles, and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Repeat with remaining dough, adding layers of parchment as needed to ensure tortillas do not touch or overlap. Cover last layer with parchment, and allow dough to rest 10 minutes.
• Heat a griddle or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• Working on a very lightly floured smooth surface, use a rolling pin to roll each tortilla into an 8-inch circle: Start with the pin in the center of the circle and roll out to the edge, rotating the tortilla after every roll. Roll until the dough is very, very thin and the edges begin to smear onto the work surface. Alternatively, stretch tortillas out by hand, rotating and pulling gently from the edges, until nearly transparent.
• When a few drops of water dripped onto the griddle or pan immediately sputter and evaporate, the cooking surface is sufficiently hot. Gently peel the tortilla off the work surface, and lay onto the griddle. It should immediately sizzle and puff lightly. Cook, rotating, for 20 to 30 seconds per side, until lightly golden in spots. Stack in a resealable plastic bag to allow to steam and soften. Continue with remaining tortillas.
• Serve warm or use to make tacos, quesadillas or burritos.

ROTI

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Add ghee and enough water until a nice soft dough forms; not too dry. Allow to rest for 10 minutes and cut dough into 8 or 10 parts and form balls. Again, let dough rest for 2 minutes.
• Make a well in the center of a ball, put 3 to 4 teaspoons of filling in the whole, and pinch, closing the well. Repeat with rest of the balls. Tuck extra dough under, put on floured board, and roll out into 8 to 10-inch disks. Brush top with melted ghee or vegetable oil.
• Heat a griddle to a medium heat and brush with ghee or vegetable oil. Cook dough on 1 side for about 2 minutes, brush top with ghee or vegetable oil and flip disk to cook the other side for about 1 minute. Serve warm.
• Put butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan and into a preheated 300 degree F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim foam from top and pour the liquid into a glass jar, leaving behind any milk solids on the bottom of the pot. This is good for 6 months kept in the refrigerator.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt ghee. Add garlic and saute 1 minute then add saffron, cumin and saute 1 minute more. Add chickpeas, water and a pinch of salt. Allow all to simmer until water has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cool and puree in food processor.

FLATBREAD: ROTI

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add oil and enough water until a dough forms, not too dry. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes, cut dough into 8 equal pieces, and form balls. Allow dough to rest for 2 minutes. Roll dough out on floured board until it measures 6 to 8-inch disks.
• Heat a griddle over medium heat, when hot brush the griddle with oil. Brush the roti disks with oil on both sides, place on cast-iron hot griddle, and cook until top starts to blister. Flip roti and cook for 1 minute more. Serve warm.

ALOO ROTI

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add enough salt so the water tastes as briny as sea water. Bring to boil and cook until completely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 40 to 50 minutes. (If you're in a hurry, you can quarter the potatoes and boil about 20 minutes.) Drain the potatoes.
• Once cool enough to handle, peel and mash the potatoes in a large steel or glass mixing bowl. I find it easier to get an even mash by coarsely grating the potatoes. Add the ghee, chiles, cilantro, 1 cup of the flour and 1 teaspoon salt and mix well to form a soft dough. Add more flour as needed to form a dough, but be careful and add a little at a time as you cannot add any water to this recipe. Divide the dough into about 15 balls.
• Heat a nonstick skillet or seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• Keep a bowl of flour nearby. Dab each dough ball in flour, flatten to look like a patty and then dip in flour again. Roll each patty into a thin round on a generously floured surface. The potato in the dough makes it extremely sticky and you will need to use the flour as you roll.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil to the skillet, then add a roti. Cook until light brown spots appear on each side, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining roti and additional oil.
• In India, we put the rotis in an insulated chapati box or insulated casserole dish to keep warm as we go. Alternatively, you could wrap them in a towel or kitchen cloth to keep warm.