Four contestants pitted against one another at the Diwali Festival
ARMED with their roti rolling pins, and backed with the wisdom of generations of roti-making in their respective families, contestants who competed in the Roti Rolling Challenge, at the Durban Diwali Festival on Saturday, brought their A-game to the hot plate. The competition started at about 1pm, at the
promotional stand.
The four contestants – Devina Moodley, Pranitha Ramith, Sheila Sewnath and Sangeetha Ramkissoon – entered the competition after the social media call, encouraging readers to rise up and sign up for the competition, to make the perfect rotis in the shortest time!
Sewnath, of Chatsworth, walked off with the title of best and fastest roti roller in Durban.
“I knew I’d make it,” she smiled. “I’ve been making roti for 65 years. I was taught from the age of 10 by my aunt. My mother was sickly, so I had to take over the chores, including cooking,” she said.
Finishing off with a total of 91 points, Sewnath and the other contestants were judged on quickest time to make six rotis, the appearance, roundness and thickness of their rotis – among other criteria.
As the winner, Sewnath won a R1 000 grocery voucher and weekend getaway to the Wildcoast Sun.
The runner-up, Ramith, walked off with a R500 grocery voucher and a twonight stay at Sibaya Lodge.
Call it the phulka, chapati, rotli or roti – the popular Indian flatbread has come a long way over time. Traditionally roti is a round, light flatbread, made from whole wheat flour and water, that is combined into a dough. Other ingredients – like whether you use salt or sugar (Thai style), whether you use ghee or oil; how many portions you part it into, how you roll it, toss it or turn it, whether you cook it on a tawa or mod style, in a pan – all depend on which cultural cuisine you are following in your recipe.
Ramkissoon said she made rotis to order and heard about the competition via WhatsApp.
“When I heard about the competition, I thought I could stand a good chance at it.”