History

Roti came to Amsterdam with the Surinamese-Hindustani community after 1975. The Amsterdam format derives from Indo-Caribbean roti as it evolved in Suriname: a thinner, more pliable wrap than its Trinidadian cousin, served deconstructed so you assemble each bite at the table. Spang Makandra in De Pijp has been the city's reference room since 1978, the warung where most Amsterdammers first encounter the dish.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 50 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • For roti (4 rounds): 400g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 250ml warm water
  • 40g ghee plus more for brushing
  • 1 tbsp yellow split peas, soaked overnight and ground to a coarse paste with 1 garlic clove and 1 tsp cumin (the dhal layer for traditional dhalpuri roti)
  • 800g boneless chicken thigh, cut into 4cm pieces
  • 3 tbsp Surinamese massala (or 2 tbsp Madras curry powder plus 1 tsp ground cumin)
  • 1 large onion finely diced, 4 garlic cloves crushed, 3cm ginger grated
  • 3 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
  • 300g kouseband or long beans, cut into 4cm lengths (substitute green beans)
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
  • 2 tomatoes chopped, 1 Scotch bonnet whole, 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • Sambal oelek and lime wedges to serve

Method

  1. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and warm water into a soft dough; knead 5 minutes, oil lightly, rest 30 minutes covered.
  2. Divide the dough into 4 balls; flatten one, smear with a quarter of the split-pea paste, fold the edges over to seal, rest 15 minutes.
  3. For the curry, heat 3 tbsp oil, fry the onion, garlic and ginger 5 minutes; add massala and toast 90 seconds, then add the tomato paste and chopped tomato.
  4. Add the chicken, potatoes, whole Scotch bonnet, 400ml water and a generous pinch of salt; simmer covered 35 minutes.
  5. Add the kouseband and cook uncovered 10 more minutes until the sauce clings.
  6. Roll out each roti to a 25cm round, cook on a hot ungreased tava or heavy skillet for 60 seconds per side, brushing with ghee, until pale gold with brown spots.
  7. Slap the cooked roti between your hands or in a clean cloth to break the layers (the Surinamese ruffling technique).
  8. Plate each roti with a mound of curry, half a hard-boiled egg and a spoon of sambal; tear pieces of roti and scoop.

Tip from the editors. The chicken should be soft enough to break with the side of a fork; if you have bones, use bone-in thigh and simmer 50 minutes. Surinamese massala is sold in Amsterdam toko shops; mail-order if not local.

Where to eat roti kip

Roti Kip in Amsterdam

Warung Spang Makandra ★ 4.4

€ SurinameseDe Pijp

Warung Spang Makandra has been the De Pijp Surinamese reference since 1978: roti you assemble yourself, saoto soup, almost nothing on the menu over 15 euros.

OrderRoti kip with the dahl and a side of the bean stew.

TipWalk-in only. Order at the counter, sit upstairs. A second Spang Makandra branch in Nieuw West takes the overflow.

Directions

Warung Mini ★ 4.3

€€ Surinamese

Warung Mini is small ceintuurbaan counter most guidebooks skip for the more famous spang makandra; this is where locals come for the city's best saoto soep.

Why locals goSmall Ceintuurbaan counter most guidebooks skip for the more famous Spang Makandra; this is where locals come for the city's best saoto soep.

TipClosed Mondays; arrive before 13:00 for the proper lunch service.

Directions

Roopram Roti ★ 4.5

€ SurinameseOost

Roopram Roti on Eerste van Swindenstraat in Amsterdam Oost has wrapped roti since 2004, the Surinamese counter the Indo-Caribbean diaspora sends.

OrderRoti kip with bara on the side.

TipTakeaway-first counter, small dine-in area. Closed Mondays Walk-ins usually OK.

Directions

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