Sel Roti Recipe

This is my first time writing a recipe so please do let me know how I can improve. This sel roti or circle bread literally, although it can take quite some time preparing, is worth it once you finish cooking. It can be eaten as a snack by itself, or together with some side dishes if you like, such as aloo dum(potato curry basically). It is usually made during festivals in Nepal.

I used to have a really tough time making this dish because it never turned out the way I hoped. When I first got married, I decided to give it a try as my dad liked to eat it from time to time. But the first few times that I did try, although the shape was there, it was either just too thin or a little too hard to chew. hehe But as said, practise makes perfect. And that was the case with me. So below, I have written down the recipe and steps as simple as I can make it. Hope you enjoy it. This makes for about 25-30 sel rotis. (It depends on how thick or thin, and how big the roti is.) I've given this amount as I'm used to making this much. You can try using 5 cups.

INGREDIENTS

8 cups of rice soaked in water for around 2 hours.

plain flour

sugar

ghee

oil

METHOD

1. First, make sure that you soak your rice in normal tap water for around 2 hours. This makes it really easy to blend and at the same time, makes the bread soft.

2. Once the rice has been soaked, drain the water, although not completely as you will need it when you blend the rice in the blender.

3. Then, start blending the rice little by little in your blender. Don't make it too thick or too watery. After all the rice has been blended, touch it a little. It will feel a little thick and coarse, because of the rice of course.

4. Put in plain flour, roughly about a third of the blended rice. Not too much. The flour makes your bread soft, and not putting in too much allows your bread to be a little crispy too, although it takes practise for this. Add in ghee at the same time.

5. Add in sugar to taste. I usually like mine sweet, but you can add it accordingly although a little sweet is how most prefer it. You can use your little finger to touch it a little and taste it.

6. Once everything is added, then you start mixing it. You can add in a little water if you find it too thick or a little flour if you find it too watery. Keep mixing until the mixture, when you scoop it and pour it, it seems like it will make a good circle.

7. You can leave it for another hour. This allows the mixture to settle down when you cook it later, it'll become better. Or if you actually soaked the rice for longer than 2 hours, maybe 3 or 4, then you can start cooking it immediately.

8. Set your wok or deep frying pan on the stove and pour in your oil, maybe to half of the pan and let the oil heat. Set the fire to medium heat or a little more as that helps the bread to 'fill' out nicely. Some find it hard to scoop the mixture in their hands and make a circle while letting it pour out as their hands might be a little small as in my case. Thus, I actually use a bottle, or rather, I cut up a 500ml mineral bottle and use the part that gives a funnel shape; the part where we drink.

9. Once the oil has heated, pour your mixture into your 'funnel', with your fingers covering the hole to prevent it from dropping, then bring it to the oil and make a circle, taking away your fingers and letting the mixture pour out.

10. Let it cook one side for a few minutes, then turn to the other side. You can use a stick, fork or chopsticks to lift them. Drain the oil a little, and there you have your bread. It's ready once it turns brown, not that dark of course. And you repeat steps 9 and 10 until your mixture is finished.

Just reading this might be confusing, so I've posted a simple video or rather pictures, to help you out. You might be able to find more videos in youtube, too. Hope you enjoy this recipe.