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1
Boil the Split Peas Until Tender
25 Mins
Rolling boil, about 100°C (212°F)
Rinse 200 g yellow split peas in cold water, then put them in a pot with plenty of water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook for about 25 minutes until the peas are completely tender and break apart when pressed between your fingers. Drain in a colander and leave for 5 minutes so every drop of water runs off — a wet filling makes the roti tear.
Do not add salt to the boiling water: it can keep the peas firm. Salt goes in with the seasonings after grinding.
Done when: Peas are soft all the way through and crumble easily; the colander is dry underneath.
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2
Grind the Seasoned Dhal Filling
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Grind the drained peas in a food processor, a mill or with a mortar until they form a dry, crumbly powder — it should feel like damp sand, not a paste. Mix in the crushed garlic, 2 tsp ground cumin (geera), 1 tsp turmeric, 3 g salt, the finely chopped Scotch bonnet and the chopped coriander. Taste and add a little more salt or pepper if you like. Divide the filling into 4 equal balls.
If the filling clumps into a paste, the peas were too wet. Spread it on a tray for 10 minutes to dry out before stuffing.
Done when: The filling is dry, crumbly and evenly speckled with green and gold; it holds together when squeezed but breaks apart easily.
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3
Mix and Rest the Dough
10 Mins + 20 Mins Rest
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Combine 400 g flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 3 g salt in a bowl. Rub in 20 ml oil, then add 220 ml warm water a little at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead on a clean surface for 5 minutes until smooth, cover with a damp cloth and rest for 20 minutes.
The dough should feel soft like an earlobe, not stiff. Add water a spoonful at a time if it feels dry.
Done when: Dough is smooth, soft and no longer sticky.
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4
Stuff and Seal Each Roti
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Divide the rested dough into 4 balls. Flatten one ball into a cup shape in your palm, place one ball of dhal filling in the centre, then pull the dough up and around the filling and pinch it firmly shut, like closing a dumpling. Press the sealed ball flat with your palm, then set it seam-side down. Repeat with the other three. This sealed pocket of split-pea filling is what makes a dhalpuri different from a plain paratha, which has no filling at all.
Pinch the seam really well and keep the filling in the middle: any filling that escapes will burn on the griddle and tear the roti.
Done when: Each ball is sealed shut with no filling showing and no cracks in the dough.
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5
Roll Thin and Griddle-Cook
20 Mins
Hot dry tawa or frying pan, about 200°C (400°F)
On a lightly floured surface, roll each stuffed ball gently into a round about 25 cm across, turning it often and using light, even pressure so the filling spreads in a thin layer without breaking through. Cook one at a time in a hot dry pan for 1-2 minutes per side, pressing gently with a folded cloth, until golden spots appear and the roti puffs slightly. Brush lightly with the remaining oil and stack under a cloth to stay soft.
Roll from the centre outwards and do not press hard in one spot — that is how the filling bursts through. If a little filling shows, that roti is still good to eat; cook it first.
Done when: Golden-brown spots on both sides, soft and pliable, with a faint yellow tint from the dhal inside.
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6
Serve Wrapped Around Curry
5 Mins
Serve hot; curry above 60°C (140°F)
Lay a warm dhalpuri flat, spoon curry channa and aloo or pumpkin talkari down the middle, fold the roti over the filling like a wrap and eat it straight away. Or serve the roti flat on the plate with the curry on the side and tear off pieces to scoop it up.
Wrap it while the roti is still warm and soft — a cold dhalpuri cracks instead of folding.
Done when: Roti is warm, soft and folds without cracking; the curry is steaming.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve at once while the rotis are warm and soft, with pepper sauce on the side for those who want extra heat. Any leftover dhalpuri reheats well in a dry pan and is even better the next day, once the geera has settled into the filling.
Trinidad and Tobago
1h 35m
