Sel roti facts for kids
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| Type | Bread |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Nepal |
| Main ingredients | Rice flour, water, sugar, ghee |
| Ingredients generally used | Cardamom, clove |
| Variations | Singhal (Kumaon) |
Sel roti (Nepali: सेल रोटी) is a special ring-shaped sweet rice bread from Nepal. People mostly make it during Dashain and Tihar. These are big Hindu festivals in Nepal, and also in places like Sikkim, Kalimpong, and Darjeeling in India. This tasty bread is popular all over Nepal. It's also loved by Nepalese people living in other parts of the world. To make it, you mix rice flour, water, sugar, ghee, and spices. Then, you deep-fry this mixture in cooking oil.
Where Does Sel Roti Come From?
Experts believe Sel roti is very old. One professor thinks it might be more than 800 years old! An Indian food writer, Madhulika Dash, says that long ago, this dish was quite plain. It didn't have sugar or many spices. Over many years, as different groups of people in Nepal mixed, the dish changed. It became the flavorful Sel roti we know today.
Some people think Sel roti might be a new version of "Babari." Babari is a Nepalese rice pancake. Both are made from the same kind of batter. But Babari is cooked flat on a pan, like a pancake. Sel roti, however, is shaped like a ring and deep-fried in a karahi (a deep cooking pot).
The name "Sel roti" might come from "Sel," which is a type of rice. This rice grows in the hills of Nepal. "Roti" means bread in the Nepali language. Another idea is that the name comes from "Saal," which means "year" in Nepali. Since Sel roti was first made for the Nepalese New Year celebrations, it might have been called "Saal roti" at first. Later, it became "Sel roti."
How to Make Sel Roti
Sel roti is made mainly from rice flour with added flavors. First, you make a batter. You mix roughly ground rice flour with water, sugar, and ghee. You can also use cooking oil or butter instead of ghee. For extra taste, people often add spices like cardamom and clove to the batter.
After mixing, the ingredients need to rest for a few hours. This helps the batter get ready. Once it's ready, you deep-fry it in hot cooking oil or ghee. Some people use milk instead of water for the batter. But if you use milk, the bread won't stay fresh for as long.
You pour the dough by hand into the hot oil. You shape it like a ring as you pour. It cooks on medium heat until it turns light brown on both sides. People use two metal or wooden sticks to turn the bread while it cooks. These sticks are called jhir in Nepali. Each stick is about 30 centimeters (1 foot) long.
Sel roti can be made in large amounts. You can store it at room temperature for at least 20 days. People often send Sel roti as special gifts to family members who live far away. It's also used as prasada, which is a religious offering.
When Do People Eat Sel Roti?
Sel roti is a special treat. It's mostly made for the big Nepali festivals of Dashain and Tihar. This bread is unique to Nepal. It has become a symbol of Nepali culture and celebrations. People make and serve it all over the country during festivals. They also enjoy it at wedding parties and other special events.
It's also a traditional food for Nepali-speaking people. You can find it in Darjeeling, Sikkim, Siliguri, and Kalimpong in India. It's also eaten in southern Bhutan. Sel roti is a very important food at most Nepalese and Kumaoni cultural events. In some areas like Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong, Sel roti is sometimes made with a double ring shape instead of a single one.
There's a dish called Singhal from the Kumaon region in India. It's similar to Sel roti. But while Sel roti is made from rice flour, Singhal is made from semolina flour.
Gallery
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Sel roti, Nepalese food
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Stacks of cooked Sel roti
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Sel roti with various Nepalese curries and sweets
