A sold-out house at the Royal, comprising of large number of Caribbean-Canadians, was treated to a delicious exploration of this search. It was no surprise that the Trini rotis: dal puri and bussupshut (paratha roti) originated from the Indians who came to Trinidad-Tobego as indentured workers about 100 years ago. But the origin story of the dal puri roti wrap, that it was made for field hands, was likely false. Prior to roti shops, it was simply too time-consuming to make and would have been reserved for special occasions such as weddings and temple feasts. It was also industrialization, specifically the commercial pre-made spice mixes, that standardized a common palate for this "home-cooked" taste.
From the ship records and interviews with experts, Fung discovered that Indo-Caribbeans came mostly from the Eastern provinces of India such at Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It was there that he found dishes in common including dosti roti: two rotis made and cooked together, but separated when served to represent a shared friendship between the diners. In a small village outside of Patna, he finally found a family willing to make dal puri, as it remains a dish prepared at home.
Was it the same? Not quite. The atta flour, made from durum, gave it a different taste from the white flour used in Trinidad. Deep-fried and lacking baking powder, it was also less fluffy. So it might have had roots here, but the Trini roti was in fact a product of his native soil, using the local ingredients.
The film did not just trace the history of the roti, but also the history of South Asians in the Caribbean: how they came, and how they have evolved. As many of them wryly admitted: the food in India didn't taste like "their" food. After 100 years, they were Trinidadians; and so were the East Asians, Africans, and white folks in the documentary. But for all the historical background, it was the visits to all the expert roti vendors that kept you engaged (and hungry).
The roti itself was also evolving. There was now pepper roti back in Trinidad: potatoes, scotch pepper, and grated cheese stuffing, served in slices like pizza. On this trip, Fung found a "Caribbean roti shop" in Calcutta, whose Indo-Caribbean owner arrived via Surinam and the Netherlands. Here in Toronto, most would associated the thicker naan-like shells with roti instead of the thinner dal puri.
The documentary ended with an amusing segment where Fung decided to finally try his hands (and failing miserably) at making roti at home, the relatively simple sada roti meant for breakfast. Throughout the film, the audience drooled over all the tasty cooking and laughed knowingly at the slangs and patois. Most would later head over to the Monarch Tavern for special feast called Rum and Roti.
Since I didn't have a ticket for this after-party, I went to Pam's Kitchen for a goat dal puri roti. It was good but not great. The shell was soft and tasty, but there wasn't enough ground split peas to give it that distinct nutty taste.
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