Sri Lankan Coconut Flatbread (Pol Roti)

Coconut Flatbread, locally known as Pol Roti or Roti, is traditional flatbread in Sri Lanka. Here are recipes for making the traditional version with freshly grated coconut and not-so-traditional version with desiccated coconut and coconut milk.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Resting Time10

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Light Meal, Snack

Cuisine: Sri Lankan

Keyword: Sri Lankan Coconut Roti, Sri Lankan Pol Roti

Servings: 4 to 8

Author: kanthi

Ingredients

For Freshly Grated Coconut Version

200 g freshly grated coconut
200 g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
100 ml water adjust as needed
Flour for dusting

For Desiccated Coconut Version

100 g desiccated coconut
100 ml warm water
50 ml thick coconut milk
200 g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Flour for dusting

Instructions

How to Make the Roti Dough with Fresh Coconut

Place the grated coconut in a large bowl.
Add the flour and salt. Mix well with your fingers.
Add the water a little at a time just enough water to bring it together.
And then knead to form a dough for about 5 minutes.
The dough should be soft and pliable, not sticking to your hands.

How to Make the Roti Dough with Desiccated Coconut

Place the desiccated coconut in a large bowl.
Add warm water and mix with a fork, so it’s well incorporated. Let it rest for about 5 minutes.Now, add the coconut milk. Mix again with the fork until well incorporated.
Add flour and salt.
Use your fingers to give it a good mix until the dough starts to come together.Keep mixing until the dough forms a ball.
Add a little more water if the dough is dry while add little more flour if it's sticky.
Knead directly in the bowl until smooth, about 5 minutes until you have a smooth and pliable dough.

Rolling & Shaping

You can start cooking roti straight away, but they will be even better if you cover the dough and leave it to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Cover the bowl loosely with a tea towel and rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 to 8 equal sized balls depending on the size of the roti you want. Place them all back in the bowl and cover the bowl with a tea towel.
On a lightly floured surface, flatten out a ball, first, with the palm of your hand, then use a rolling pin to roll out it into desired thickness, forming a flat circle.

Cooking

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or frying pan (preferably heavy-based) over medium-high. Put the roti in the hot pan. You can cook them one by one or a few at a time.
Cook for about 2 minutes, until the roti turns light brown on the underside. (if it’s not mottled with a few dark spots the pan is not hot enough)
Flip to brown the other side, cooking for about 2 minutes more. Flip once more and finish for 1 minute or so until you reach desired crispness. Repeat with the remaining dough.