An Observation on the Symmetry of Rotis

Majority of circa 2020 was spent in rest, boredom and in privileged enclosed spaces we call our homes due to the result of an ongoing pandemic. Not only did that vast amount of time spent with ourselves gave us time to introspect our life but also observe our daily surroundings and activities, at least for me.

Being a “foodie” these days has become as ubiquitous as the air we breathe and thus there were numerous “home bakers” and “gourmet chefs” that took birth last year (and are still being birthed as we speak). With contemporary and equally desi (local, Indian) dishes being cooked in a vigorous ritual for the social media platform (and also a way to deal with the boredom of their palate), the ‘everyday food items’ such as Dal (Indian pulses stew), Roti (Indian, Wheat Flatbread), or traditional vegetable dishes were not often in the spotlight because of their mundane personality.

Image 1: The renowned Indian, Wheat Flatbread a.k.a Roti. Source - Google Images

While the daily ritual of cooking the aforementioned flatbread for sustenance, the symmetry, texture and the sheer simple existence of the bread captured my attention. Roti is also known as Chapati, Parotta, Paratha etc. and the difference exists because of the preparation of the said bread. But the most basic one, that we are focusing on in this post, is made with unleavened dough that’s rolled in a ball, flattened with a rolling pin and cooked on a skillet. In Hindi the name roughly translates as “slap flat” which is how the dough is formed.

There's a whole another debate between calling the bread roti or chapati but there is a noticeable difference between the two that sets them apart according to certain ‘purists’. The main difference is that rotis can be as thick as a pita whereas chapatis are much thinner, use a small amount of oil when cooked on a skillet and are only flattened between the palms of your hand. As Indians have immigrated to Africa and the Carribean, derivations of these original recipes have sprung up as well.

Image 2: Variants of the Roti. Note that image 1 and 2 have their base prepared from rice flour. Source - Google Images.

The brief history aside, due to personal experience, I can say that Rotis have their popularity with foreigners and pets such as dogs. The simple two or three ingredient preparation of the final product and the requirement of a rolling pin, a skillet and fire makes it a staple and only diet for countless Indians. Observations such as the proportionality and aesthetics of the flatbread is something that only privileged people with no worry of how to obtain food for the next day will engage in - So let's get to it!

Achieving the softness and firmness of the flatbread is achieved through years of practice and an accurate amount of water/oil for preparing the dough. The quality of the wheat flour itself is another factor that determines the above factors and a delicious and flavorful roti. Another important aspect is cooking both the sides of the flatbread just the right amount, on the right amount of heat and then comes the showstopper - the one that decides how skilled one is in cooking the roti - the ‘swelling’ up of the bread on open fire so that the warm heat cooks the inside of the bread for optimum consumption! Due to this swelling up stage of the bread, in many parts of North India the bread is known as Phulka, meaning “swollen up”.

Image 3: And there she goes! Poof! Source - Google Images.

As Michel de Certeau et al.’s Practice of Everyday Life: living and cooking mentions about the activities of everyday life that offer a refuge from dominant forms of cultural production, the effortless, uncomplicated yet intriguing process of cooking the roti surely did provide a sense of ‘microfreedom’ in the often suffocating condition of being locked at home. A close observation of the mundane and everyday process of cooking the Indian flatbread gives a sense of belonging and what truly makes the bread characteristic of itself - simplistic yet nourishing.