Make This Quick Thai Banana Roti Now
I crave a plate of Thai banana roti and yet my body, mind and spirit are reluctant to mix or stretch any roti. Instead, I made Thai Banana Fake Phylo Dough and it was a resounding success. If you’re even a little into bananas, you’ll love this quick four-ingredient meal.
Thai banana roti, also called โ่รตีกล้วย and pronounced “roti gluai”, is a common Thai snack that can be bought from street vendors and food courts. The roti dough is stretched until very thin and translucent and cooked in a hot, greased pan. The middle part is filled with banana pieces. The rest of the roti is eventually folded over the bananas into a neat little package, cut into squares, and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. Roti offers a blend of chewy, soft and crunchy texture, while the banana’s inherent sweetness is enhanced by heat. It all ends with malted condensed milk, and most vendors offer additional toppings, including scrambled eggs and other toppings like Ovaltine chocolate syrup.
Sliced bananas and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk are two things I can take care of. Knead the dough correctly, let it rest and stretch – well, you understand why it’s convenient to just go to the street counter, where the roti is already masterfully laid out. Unfortunately, these stalls have not yet arrived at my end of Brooklyn. I chose phyllo dough as a substitute for roti because it is a pre-made dough that is already as thin as I need. No need to stretch or twist. It also has a neutral flavor and browns well when fried in fat. All you have to do is slice one banana, put a teaspoon of oil in the pan and light the burner with your fingertips to roll it up.
The butter should melt and the banana should be sliced before removing the filo pastry from the package. Phyllo is flexible when taken out of its packaging, but it can dry out very quickly and become brittle, so wait until you’re ready for it. I cut banana slices no thicker than half an inch and no thinner than a quarter inch. This allows me to lightly sprinkle them, but keeps them from becoming soft when cooked.
Once the butter has mostly melted over medium heat, lay out one sheet of filo pastry. Arrange the banana slices in a rectangle in the center of the sheet. You can tile them to fit more bananas. Make sure there is a border of about two inches at the top and bottom of the dough. Fold the top and bottom edges over the bananas and then the left and right flaps to make a neat little bundle. Use a spatula or your hands to turn the bag over so that the folds are at the bottom and place it in the pan. Let it fry on this side for about two to three minutes. When you see the edges start to brown, use a spatula to look at the coloration on the bottom. It should fry well. Turn the banana fo-ti over to fry the other side. If you need to add more oil, you can do so now. Fry on this side for about a minute or two, until browned.
Sprinkle this crispy crust with a nice drizzle of sweetened condensed milk, a piece of nutella, sprinkle with ovaltine powder, or just eat. This quick version of the Thai banana roti impresses with its pleasant taste and texture, reminiscent of the “real”. Eat it for breakfast, enjoy it as a dessert or anytime as a warm snack. If you want to try your hand at making real tortillas, try this recipe .
Thai Banana Faux-ti
Ingredients:
- 1 sheet packaged filo pastry, thawed
- 1 ripe banana, chopped
- 1 teaspoon butter
- Decoration (condensed milk, nutella, chocolate syrup or powdered sugar)
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Lay out a sheet of phyllo dough and place the banana slices in the center to form a rectangle. Fold the top and bottom edges over the banana, and then fold the left and right edges over the center of the banana to make a rectangular package. Carefully flip the package over and place it in the melted butter, folded side down. Fry for 2-3 minutes until well browned on the bottom. Flip and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes until well browned. Serve on a plate, drizzle or sprinkle with your chosen finisher and enjoy immediately. This dish does not store well, so it is best to season immediately.