Gluten Free Roti Recipe

Learn how to make roti that is gluten free. It's soft, flaky, delicious, fool proof and tastes just like traditional sada roti using only a handful of ingredients.

Course Appetiser

Cuisine Caribbean

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings People

Calories 215kcal

Author Charla

Ingredients

1 cup cassava flour (120g)
¼ cup tapioca starch (30g)
⅓ cup brown rice flour (52g) sorghum and amaranth works too.
1 teaspoon psyllium husk (5g) (powdered or whole works or xanthan gum)
2 teaspoon baking powder (8g)
½ teaspoon pink salt (3g)
1 tablespoon olive oil (15ml)
2½ cups hot water (590ml)
melted vegan butter and extra cassava flour for dusting

Instructions

Preparing the dough

Place all of the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl - cassava flour, tapioca starch, brown rice flour, psyllium husk, baking powder and pink salt.
Use a whisk or large spoon to evenly combine all of the dry ingredients.
Drizzle in the olive oil then start to pour in the hot water, a little at a time, so in other words, do so in increments using a spatula/spoon to form a big pliable doughball (you won't need all of the hot water).
The dough should be soft, firm but not too sticky.
Slice the dough into 4 quarters then roll each piece into a small ball then cover the bowl with a damp cloth.
Lay some parchment paper on a clean surface and place one of the doughballs on the paper while keeping the rest of the dough covered.
Lightly dust a rolling pin with cassava flour then proceed to roll the dough as thin as possible to make a disc. Use a pizza cutter or knife to trim around the edges or to form a small-medium sized circle if you are finding this difficult.
Repeat the above step placing each disc on some parchment paper until 4-6 discs (depending on size) are made. Shake off any excess dust if needed.

Cooking the roti

Heat up the tava/crepe pan or skillet on high heat, you want the pan to be piping hot before starting. Hover your hand over the pan to determine it's readiness.
Place the dough on the hot pan then reduce the heat so it is slightly below high heat (not medium but not high so the roti burns, just in between).
Leave the dough to cook for about one minute, until small bubbles, start to form and the side directly exposed to the tava starts to brown a little (use an egg spatula or tongs to check this)
Once the first side is ready, flip it over until the other side is slightly brown.
Flip the roti again, reduce the heat to low and then push your tawa/pan slightly to one side so only half of it is on the burner/stovetop and push the roti so it is hanging slightly off the edge of the tawa.
Use a damp cloth to apply gentle pressure while moving the roti in a counter clockwise motion while it starts to puff up (the amount of swelling will vary, some will completely while others only a few bubbles, this is normal especially being gluten free).
As soon as it puffs put the tawa/pan directly back on the heat.
Leave the roti for about 30 seconds before removing.
Coat both sides of the roti, lightly with some melted vegan butter then place each roti skin on a plate lined with a damp cloth and cover.

Cooking the roti (electric stove/induction hob)(easier version)

Heat up the tava/crepe pan or skillet on high heat, you want the pan to be piping hot before starting. Hover your hand over the pan to determine its readiness.
Place the dough on the hot pan then reduce the heat so it is slightly below high heat (not medium but not high so the roti burns just in between).
Leave the dough to cook for about one minute, until small bubbles, start to form.
Flip the roti, then place the flipped over side on the roti grill/metal grill/trivet.
Place the roti grill directly above your hob then wait until the roti starts to inflate.
As the roti swells, flip it over a few times.
Repeat these steps, coat the roti skins with vegan butter then place on plate with a damp cloth and cover.

Video

Notes

Make sure you're using hot (boiling) water NOT warm, it must be hot in order to make this roti.
To make roti making easier I do recommend investing in a Roti Grill especially with an induction hob or electric burners.
This recipe makes about 4-6 roti skins, depending on the size.
Roll out the dough of your roti as thin as possible, if it tears, it's too thin, you want it to be very thin and the texture very soft as this increases the likelihood of swelling.
Don't substitute any ingredients unless they are listed. If I haven't listed an alternative that means either I haven't tried it or I do not recommend it.
Use good quality ingredients i.e Bob Red Mills Cassava flour and Tiana (for the UK based) Cassava flour.
Cassava is NOT the same as TAPIOCA STARCH. They are NOT interchangeable, they have been listed separately because they play different roles (see my post, for details).
For best results, serve the roti while it is still warm.
If you need to re-heat the roti then wrap it in aluminium foil and warm in the oven for a few minutes.
If you want to double the recipe then do so SEPARATELY, make 2 individual batches. I haven't tested this with any other way.
If you are a beginner then make your roti skins small, small roti is much easier to work with. I like mine quite large but to keep this beginner friendly I purposely made them small (as pictured).

Nutrition