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Salomie

Salomie: flaky Cape Malay roti rolled around a dry mutton and potato curry

Lunch-hour queues outside takeaways in Woodstock, Salt River and Wynberg are often for salomies: a buttery, layered roti, still blistered from the pan, folded around a thick mutton-and-potato curry so you can eat it on the move. The roti is soft with crisp, flaky edges, and the curry is fragrant with fennel, cinnamon and curry leaves rather than fierce. The curry has to be cooked down until it is almost dry, because a wet one leaks straight through the bread, and that is the mistake to avoid. Chicken thigh works just as well; cook it only until it reaches 74 °C in the thickest piece. Chef's tip: roll each roti from the buttered dough coil just before it hits the pan, so the layers stay separate and puff.
Total time
90 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the roti

  • 14 oz plain flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 cup warm wateryou may need a little less or more
  • 2 ⅞ oz buttervery soft, plus extra for the pan

For the curry

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Method

0/11 done
  1. Step 1: Mix 14 oz plain flour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl, add 2 tbsp sunflower oil and most of 1 cup warm water, and knead to a soft, smooth dough, adding the rest of the water if it feels dry.

    8 min
  2. Step 2: Roll the dough into one large thin sheet, spread it with 2 ⅛ oz butter, roll it up tightly like a Swiss roll and cut into 6 pieces. Coil each piece like a snail, cover and leave to rest while the curry cooks.

    10 min
  3. Step 3: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat and add 1 cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamom pods, 1 tsp fennel seeds and 12 curry leaves; let them crackle for 30 seconds.

  4. Step 4: Add 1 onion and cook until golden.

    8 min
  5. Step 5: Stir in 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tbsp Cape Malay or medium curry masala, ½ tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp ground coriander with a splash of water and fry for 1 minute until the oil turns red and fragrant.

    1 min
  6. Step 6: Add 1 ⅔ lb boneless mutton or lamb shoulder and 1 ¼ tsp salt and turn it in the spices over a medium-high heat until it is well coated and no longer pink on the outside.

    5 min
  7. Step 7: Add 2 tomatoes and 1 ¾ cups water, cover and simmer over a low heat until the mutton is nearly tender.

    35 min
  8. Step 8: Add 14 oz potatoes and cook uncovered, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are soft and the sauce has reduced to a thick masala that clings to the meat with almost no liquid left.

    20 min
  9. Step 9: Flatten each dough coil and roll it into a thin round about 22 cm across.

  10. Step 10: Cook each roti in a dry heavy pan over a medium-high heat for about 1 minute a side, brushing with the rest of ⅔ oz butter, until it puffs and has golden-brown spots. Scrunch it gently between your hands to open the layers, and keep warm under a cloth.

    12 min
  11. Step 11: Spoon a sixth of the curry down the middle of each roti, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander, fold in the sides and roll it up into a fat parcel. Eat warm.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
640 kcal
Protein
32 g
Carbs
62 g
Fat
29 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does salomie take?
About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
What can I use instead of plain flour?
Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
What can I use instead of butter?
The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).

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