Handkerchief Bread
Simplicity is a wonderful teacher, and this is probably the most simple bread you can make.
This is my approach to the Indian/Pakistani roomali roti.
When I make it, I never measure my amounts, but here I provide a reference for you with the measurements below to get started.
I love having this in my back pocket. It can transform even the most humble ingredients (a few leftover roasted carrots, a handful of chickpeas, a dollop of yogurt) into a satisfying and delicious meal. You can go from flour and water to delicious flatbread in 10-15 minutes.
The trick is to roll the dough as thin as possible, and cook it on a nice hot pan so that you end up with beautifully charred but soft and pliable flatbread.
If you have any fear of bread or flour, this is a great exercise to practice building confidence. You will inevitably need to tinker with the amount of flour or water, and over time you’ll build a real felt sense of what the correct amount is. Primitive, elemental, and so simple–I love this kind of cooking.
P.S. We’ll be making these at my upcoming Essentials Cooking Class on January 31. A cooking class is a wonderful, hands-on way to get a feel for these!
1 cup/ 5 oz flour* plus more for rolling the dough out
1/2 teaspoon salt
⅔ cup just-boiled water
Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly add the just boiled water, stirring with a large spoon as you go. Your dough is going to come together in a clumpy mess.
Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon flour on a clean kitchen counter and dump your dough onto the counter. Start to knead your dough, adding more flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking (the dough may be very sticky at this point and you may need to add a healthy amount of flour). Knead for 2 or 3 minutes, until you have a smooth little dough ball. Cover in plastic wrap or a plastic bag and let it hang out for about 5 minutes
Preheat a large skillet (I like to use cast iron) over medium high heat. Give the skillet plenty of time to heat up evenly.
Cut your dough ball into 5 pieces. On a generously floured countertop, roll each piece into a thin circle around 10 inches across. You will likely need to use several sprinklings of flour to prevent your dough from sticking. Keep it moving so it doesn’t stick.
Transfer to the hot skillet and cook for about 45 seconds per side, until you have beautiful charring. You might need to play around with the heat of the burner when you first start making these–you want it hot enough to cook quickly and color before the dough starts drying out or getting cracker-y, but not so hot that it instantly burns.
Repeat with the remaining dough. As each flatbread comes off the heat, stack it on a plate and cover with a clean dish towel so it can continue to steam. This creates a softer, chewier texture.
*White or wheat flour, or some combination all works great! This recipe is written for white flour (you’ll likely need a bit more water for wheat flour).
My nephew Moss made a plate of these last weekend. He did a great job!
