Selroti is the traditional Nepali sweet rice bread prepared for all festivals and special occasions. It is usually ring-shaped and crispy from outside, but soft and fluffy inside. Now, here is an easy recipe to make Selroti at home:
Ingredients:
- Rice: 2 cups (soaked overnight)
- Sugar: 1 cup (adjust to taste)
- Ghee or Butter: 2 tablespoons (melted)
- Milk: 1/2 cup (optional, for richer flavor)
- Ripe Banana: 1 (Optional, for softness)
- Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp. (Optional, for flavor)
- Baking soda: 1/4 tsp. (Optional, for puffiness)
- Water: as required
- Oil or Ghee: for deep-frying
Instructions:
Soak the Rice:
- Soak rice in water overnight or for a minimum period of 6-8 hours.
Prepare the Batter:
- Drain the soaked rice and grind to a fine paste with a little water.
- If using, add the ripe banana, sugar, melted ghee or butter and cardamom powder to the rice paste. Grind again until smooth.
- Add milk and enough water to make a semi-thick batter. The consistency should be slightly thicker than pancake batter, but it should flow smoothly.
- Add a pinch of baking soda if you want a puffier texture.
- Mix well and let the batter rest for 2-3 hours.
Frying the Selroti:
- Heat some oil or ghee in a deep frying pan over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, take a small jug or piping bag with a nozzle, or use your hand, and fill the jug/piping bag with the batter. Pour the batter into the oil in a circular motion to form a ring shape.
- Fry the selroti until one side is golden brown, flip it over, and fry the other side as well.
- Now, drain the selroti in a paper towel to remove excess oil.
Serving:
- Serve the selroti warm or at room temperature. It may be served with only yogurt or achar or curries.
Tips:
- The next important factor is the consistency of the batter. It can't be too thick or the selroti will not form. If it's too thin, then they will absorb too much oil.
- The oil should be hot enough that, during frying, it does not make the selroti greasy.
- One may practice the pouring so that one gets the perfect round shape.
Enjoy your homemade Selroti!