I never knew how to cook Roti until this lockdown happened. Roti was never my mother’s forte either. Our kitchen help would prepare Roti in the evening which we would eat the next morning for breakfast. They would come out crisp hard from micro-oven. That was anything but appetizing.

I took interest in cooking Roti during lockdown. We had a packet of all purpose flour left. Someday someone will come to our home and kindly make us some luchi, we thought. Noone came. No luchi was ever made. 

Instead, one fine morning, inspired by Svetlana’s FB updates about food memory, I cooked Alur Parota. This, my mother would prepare really well!

Anyway, if we have made Paratha, can Roti be far behind?

I will tell you about a few innovative takes on Rotis! A lot like Dhol Puri of Mauritius, my Roti pockets are often evolving and a product of kitchen experiments!

Roti Pocket Recipe 1

Ingredients:

1. Handmade Roti. But not Tawa cooked. The Roti that you have rolled out of a dough. Stop there.
2. Herbs Butter. More Butter. AT least 1 Tbsp for each Roti.
3. Cheese. Grated. 2 tbsp. I used Monterey Jack Cheese and it tasted amazing. You may use Gouda as well.
4. Black pepper (optional)

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Procedure pf cooking Roti Pocket

Heat butter of Tawa or non stick skillet.

Put Roti on hot Tawa/ Pan. Heat it. Cook on one side. Flip. 

Roti should puff slightly. You need to put little pressure on top and it will sleep again. 

Fill up cheese stuffing. Sprinkle freshly crushed black pepper. You may also add Barista or Green Chillies. Whatever you like really.

Roll the other side of the roti. Apply some pressure with your spoon at the edge and the two sides of the roti shall blend in. Flip over and cook from the other side. The whole process must not take more than 5 minutes!

I ate my Roti pockets with hummus. But it is really really optional.

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Roti pocket: Recipe 2

With the success of the first Roti recipe, I ventured for a more experimental one. This time, I chose to fill up Roti pockets with bacon. 

Ingredients

1. Handmade roti. But not tawa cooked. The Roti that you have rolled out of a dough. Stop there.
2. Herbed Butter. Less Butter this time. 
3. Bacon
4. Cheese (can use local cheese since Bacon is the overpowering ingredient here)
5. Garlic-Chilli spread (I used a ready-made one but you can easily make one at home)

Procedure

Cook Bacon first. It cooks on its own fat. Do not put any oil. Cook bacon for at least 8 minutes or until fried crispy golden. 

Clean the grease with a paper towel. Add little butter for aroma. 

Repeat the steps of the First roti pocket. Apply little Garlic-chilli spread. Add cheese chunks on top. Add Bacons at the end. You can use cheese sparingly compared to the first recipe. 

Flip the other side of the roti. Blend it in. Cook the other side. 

Cut it in quarter and serve hot.

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