Spinach Coriander Roti
Makes 8 large roti flatbreads
Spinach gives this savory Indian-style flatbread a deep green hue and subtle moistness. Great with any curry or soup but my favorite with anything red lentil, such as Red Lentil Dahl with Tomatoes.
1 lb frozen chopped spinach
1 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 cups chapatti flour (whole grain durham wheat flour), plus additional for rolling
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
¾-1 cup warm water
1. In large wire mesh strainer or colander rinse frozen spinach with warm water until thawed. Squeeze spinach with all your might to remove as much as possible: you’ll have a little over 1 cup of spinach when done.
2. In a small skillet lightly toast coriander and cumin seeds over medium heat, about 1 minute. Remove and crush in a mortar & pestal or spice grinder. In a large mixing bowl combine toasted spices, cayenne pepper, chapatti flour, salt, 1 tablespoon of oil and squeezed spinach. Work mixture with your fingers to evenly distribute the ingredients, breaking up any large chunks of spinach to form a crumbly mixture. Pour in ¾ cup warm water and using your hands mix to form a soft dough; if necessary work in additional water 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead dough for an additional 2 minutes, pour the remaining tablespoon of oil and roll dough in the bowl to evenly coat with oil. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls. Lightly flour a large, clean work surface, place a dough ball in the center and sprinkle with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll dough into a round circle as thin as possible, about 8-10 inches wide. For best results frequently rotate and flip over the circle, roll with one or two long strokes and rotate again; this will help shape the circle evenly.
4. Carefully spread an uncooked roti onto the ungreased hot skillet; cook for 4-5 minutes. The cooking roti will begin to puff up in places and look dry around the edges. Use a bend spatula to flip over the roti and cook on the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Dark brown spots on the roti are fine, even desirable.
5. Line a large bowl with a clean dish towel; flip the hot cooked roti into the towel and fold over the towel edges to keep the roti moist and warm. Continue to roll, cook and cover with towels hot roti. Wrap any uneaten roti tightly in plastic wrap and reheat on a grill or directly over a gas burner (hold the bread with long handled metal tongs).
