Pol Roti Sri Lankan (Roti cu Nuci de Cocos)

Place the flour, desiccated coconut, salt, onion, and chili in a large bowl. Mix to combine well.

Mix the water and coconut milk in another bowl or jug.

Add the liquid to the flour mixture, a little at a time, while stirring the flour with your fingertips (or with a fork).

After adding about ½ of the liquid, gently stir the mixture. You will have some clumps and dry spots of flour. Drizzle the liquid over the dry parts of the flour, while mixing, to form a dough.

Add 1 or 2 more tbsp of water ONLY if needed. The dough should come together, but still have dry spots on the surface. This is OK.

If you add too much water, sprinkle in a little extra flour and lightly knead it into the dough (don’t over-knead!). Shape the dough into a rough ball.

Cover the dough (or the bowl) with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours (room temperature is fine). If you want to store the dough for up to 24 hours, then refrigerate it.

The dough should become really soft after it has rested. If it’s very sticky, generously flour the dough and the work surface to prevent it from sticking to your counter.

Transfer the dough to your floured work surface. Cut the dough into 8 wedges. Lightly roll up each section into a rough ball. See pictures in the post.

Take each dough ball and sprinkle some flour on top and on the work surface. Flatten it to a disc, and then roll it out to a circle using a rolling pin. The roti should be about 0.4 - 0.5 cm thick, and about 12 -15 cm (5 - 6 inches) in diameter. Cover the rolled out roti with a cloth napkin or plastic wrap (so that it doesn't dry out), and repeat rolling out all of the dough portions.

Preheat a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium or medium high heat.

When the pan is heated, transfer a roti onto the skillet and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes, until the bottom starts to develop brown spots.

Flip the roti over and cook the other side for 2 - 3 minutes, until you get brown spots on that side too.

Place the cooked roti on a wire rack to cool down. Repeat with the rest of the roti.

Eat the roti warm or at room temperature.