Dhal Puri Guyanese
“Guyana's stuffed flatbread — a soft roti dough filled with seasoned ground split peas (with cumin, garlic, and pepper), rolled thin and griddled on a tawa until flecked and tender. The Indo-Guyanese bread wrapped around curry or eaten on its own.”
Where it comes from
Dhalpuri is the Indo-Caribbean roti stuffed with seasoned ground split peas, rolled thin and griddled — a staple of Guyana and Trinidad. It came with the indentured labourers from India and became the bread for scooping curry.
On the plate
Tear a piece of dhal puri and it is soft, thin, and pliable, flecked golden, with a fine layer of savory, cumin-scented split-pea crumble sealed inside. Bite: tender and lightly flaky, the earthy spiced dhal contrasting the plain bread, perfect for scooping up a rich curry. The festive roti of the Indo-Guyanese table.
How it works
The split peas must be boiled just-tender then dried and finely ground so the filling stays dry and powdery — wet filling tears the dough when rolled. Sealing it inside a soft roti and rolling gently distributes a thin even layer; the hot tawa and clapping give the flaky, tender finish.
Variations
With curry (chicken, duck, goat). With pepper sauce. Plainer (paratha). Spicier dhal. With mango sour. As a wrap.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓45 min active · 45 min waiting
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓- 148 min
Make a soft dough of flour, water, a little oil, baking powder, and salt; rest 45 min.
- 212 min
Boil split peas until just tender but not mushy; drain well and dry.
- 36 min
Grind the split peas with cumin, garlic, and pepper into a fine, dry crumble.
- 48 min
Divide the dough; stuff each ball with the split-pea filling and seal.
- 56 min
Gently roll each filled ball out thin without bursting it.
- 68 min
Cook on a hot tawa, brushing with oil, until flecked golden on both sides.
- 72 min
Clap the cooked roti to make it flaky.
- 82 min
Serve warm with curry.
