Method
- In a large bowl, combine flour, grated coconut, red onion, green chilies, minced curry leaves and salt. The mixture should look like rough breadcrumbs.
- Add oil and warm water gradually, kneading by hand for 5 minutes until the dough is soft, slightly sticky and pliable. Adjust with a tablespoon more water or flour as needed.
- Cover and rest 15 minutes for the gluten to relax.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Flatten each into a disc, about 12cm across and 5mm thick — Sri Lankan pol roti is thicker than Indian roti.
- Heat a flat tawa or non-stick pan over medium heat. Place a roti on the dry pan; cook 90 seconds until the surface dries and the underside is pale gold.
- Flip; brush the top with a little oil. Cook another 90 seconds. Press gently with a spatula — the roti should puff slightly from the steam. Some Sri Lankan cooks finish over an open flame for charred spots. Stack under a cloth as you go to keep warm. Serve with sambol; eat with hands by tearing and dipping.
Common questions
Can Pol Roti be made ahead?
Pol Roti is best made and eaten the same day, but the components can be prepped earlier — chop and measure the ingredients up to a day ahead, refrigerated separately. Final cooking takes about 25 minutes.
Is Pol Roti spicy?
Pol Roti as written is mild to mildly warming — the heat comes from aromatics rather than chili. Add fresh sliced chili or chili oil at the end if you'd like to push it spicier.
Is Pol Roti vegetarian or gluten-free?
Pol Roti is suitable for vegetarian (and vegan if dairy is omitted) diets.
How hard is Pol Roti to make at home?
Pol Roti is approachable for a home cook with basic stove skills — total time about 45 minutes, no special technique required.
Can Pol Roti be scaled up or down?
This recipe is written for 6 servings. To scale, multiply each ingredient proportionally; the cooking times stay the same up to about double the volume. Beyond that, expect to cook in batches because of pan size and heat distribution.
Cultural Note
Pol roti is the Sri Lankan staff bread — tea-time snack, breakfast, or anytime quick meal. The fresh coconut in the dough is what distinguishes it from Indian or Pakistani roti; without coconut, it's just a thick flatbread. The dish has Tamil and Sinhala versions, slight variations in the coconut-to-flour ratio. Pol roti vendors at bus stations sell single rotis with a smear of katta sambol (chili-onion sambol) wrapped in newspaper; the combination is a perfect fast-and-cheap meal. The dough freezes excellently uncooked.
