Easy Sri Lankan Coconut Roti
These Easy Sri Lankan Coconut Roti can be whipped up with three easy to find ingredients and can be enjoyed with a curry or soup or even jam!
My mom makes some of the best Sri Lankan Coconut Roti I’ve ever had! But, whenever I ask her to share her recipe with me, her instructions involve “a fistful of that” and “two shakes of this” and “enough till the dough looks good” …and am standing around wondering what if my fist is smaller… and my definition of a shake isn’t the same as my mom’s … and what exactly entails a “good looking” dough???
So, after a lot of experimenting with different quantities of flour, coconut, water and salt (I did manage to get the main ingredients for Sri Lankan roti from my mom), I managed to come up with the Sri Lankan Coconut Roti you see here.
My daughter gave these a thumbs up and said they tasted close enough to my moms but not exactly like hers. Oh bugger! But, I do love these and figured I’d share them with y’all today.
I added some chili flakes to the ones I made ‘cos I love it hot and spicy! Now, there are several other versions, like these by fellow Sri Lankan born, Ramona @ Curry And Comfort, that add in red onions and green chilis as well.
We have been on a strict budget around here and that means we have been making a bunch of roti instead of running out and buying store-bought naan and flatbreads to enjoy with soups and curries.
Which has helped me put a curb on my chocolate intake…
My love for chocolate is completely unconditional {it can call out to me anytime, anywhere – and I will be there} and totally unrequited! And, that’s ok.
Because, my fellow chocolate lovers, wouldn’t y’all agree a piece of chocolate on your tastebuds is like a bear hug and a long chat with a dear friend on a dastardly day?
However, with all that said, nope, I don’t have anything chocolate to share with you on here today. In fact, this year I have yet to buy a bar of chocolate!
I am, after all, trying to curb my intake of it. But, that might all change if some of those new Cadbury White Chocolate Creme Eggs happen to make their way across the pond!
Have y’all heard of this new creation by Cadbury?
Apparently, Cadbury, has launched a white chocolate version of the classic chocolate creme egg (in a limited quantity) in the UK. However, the packaging on the new Cadbury White Chocolate Creme Eggs is the same as that on the Cadbury Chocolate Creme Eggs.
If lady luck smiles on you and you find one of those 370 or so white chocolate creme eggs in your hand, not only will you be on the verge of tasting this rare wonder, but you could also win one of several cash prizes!
Y’all, am keeping my fingers crossed and my purse closed till a batch of those White Chocolate Creme Eggs makes it here!
But, I digress…
Getting back to these coconut roti….
What are the Ingredients needed to make these Easy Sri Lankan Coconut Roti?
You only need 5 ingredients + 1 optional one to make these coconut roti or coconut flatbread, and they are
- all-purpose flour, (can use wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend too)
- shredded unsweetened coconut
- salt
- water
- oil for greasing the pan with
And chili flakes for a spicy spin.
Once you gather the ingredients together, these roti are so easy to make!
My daughter loves to munch on one or two of these Easy Sri Lankan Coconut roti as I make them… which always has me doubling or tripling the recipe you see here (that makes 4) so we have enough for dinner and/or breakfast.
We have also started swapping in roti made with onions and herbs like these and roti made with turmeric and zaatar.
The other night, we enjoyed some of these roti with leftovers of that Roasted Sweet Potato Ginger Soup, then the next day, we warmed up the leftover roti and enjoyed them with sweet and savory, beet jam (recipe coming soon) and cheese.
Here’s hoping y’all have a wonderful weekend …aaaaand… here’s hoping y’all give these Easy Sri Lankan Coconut Roti a try soon!
Stay Warm, until next week, my friends…
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour (can use wheat flour or a gluten free flour blend too)
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons more water
- 2 tsps chili flakes optional
- oil for greasing pan
Instructions
- Add flour, shredded unsweetened coconut, salt, chili flakes and 1/2 cup water to a bowl and mix well using your hands or a spoon. If mixture is dry, add in the other 3 tablespoons of water and knead slightly into a ball.
- Separate ball into four smaller ones.
- Place a pan over a medium flame and grease with oil. Grease your hands with oil as well and stretch the balls out a bit and roll them out (using a rolling pin or your hands) so they are about the size of a saucer.
- Place roti on warm pan and let cook about 4-5 minutes over a low/medium flame. When they look to be a bit dry, flip them over. Cover pan and let cook another 3 minutes or so. Repeat with all the roti.
- Enjoy with any curry of your choice or soup or jam!
Wish I could taste one right now! Is coconut flakes you used here fresh or dry?
This recipe looks very much similar to the rice flour roti what we make here. Everybody in my family loves that roti. I am sure this coconut roti is also going to be a big hit in my family. Thanks for sharing. Pinned.. 🙂
I’ve never tried my hand at roti before, but these look quite tasty, Shashi! And I do appreciate you perfecting the recipe as I have no idea what a good looking roti dough is, either. Hilarious! But the funny thing is that some of the best recipes in the world are the ones that involve “a shake of this” and “a pinch of that.” But now you have a base recipe to go back to next time you’re craving roti! In other news, 370 white chocolate cream eggs, huh? That’s not very many at all! That sorta reminds me of my childhood when I’d buy boxes of baseball card packs and then sit at home opening them all looking for that one rare card. Wanna go in together for a box of white chocolate cream eggs?? 🙂
I haven’t made Roti in ages! And I love these Easy Sri Lankan Coconut Roti’s. I would never have thought that adding some shredded unsweetened coconut would make such a difference. Love it!
Have a fantastic weekend Sashi, I’m going to persuade Lynne to let me make these for her one Sunday with our Sunday curry instead of Naan breads it would made a nice change! Its just she so loves her Naan Breads……. 😉
This is so interesting. I’m absolutely going to give these a try. I think I’ll be doubling it too!
This looks absolutely delicious! I would love to dip those into soup
Oh, I’ve never made roti but I love playing with dough any day of the week…and I love coconut! This looks like a super easy and delicious recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
These sound fantastic! I especially like the idea of pairing them with your Sweet Potato Soup. Perfect meal!
I’ve never had roti before but this looks pretty simple to make. I’m glad you can use gluten free flour as well. Can’t wait to try these!
Yum! I’ve never tried any dish similar to this one and it seems truly finger-licking, Shashi! Can I use almond flour instead of all-purpose one for this recipe?
This Sri Lankan roti looks pretty similar to Indian rotis, Shashi!
I think it just shows how the recipes have traveled across the nations and continents.
@Harshad, the coconut makes the difference. You can substitute with deciccated coconut and reduce by 30 percent.
delicious
Just made these and they were so good they disappeared. Then I tried a batch with a gluten free flour blend. I prefer the regular flour but both were delicious. Thank you for taking the time to share this recipe.
And why wheat flour?