The dish’s name is believed to come from "Sel," a type of rice native to Nepal's foothills, while "Roti" translates to bread in Nepali. Dinesh Raj Panta, a professor at Nepal Sanskrit University, estimates that sel roti dates back over 800 years. Indian food columnist Madhulika Dash notes that it was once made bland, without sugar or spices. Over time, as Nepal's diverse ethnicities influenced its evolution, sel roti transformed into its modern, flavorful form. Dash suggests it may have originated from Babari, a Nepalese rice pancake cooked on a griddle, with sel roti’s unique ring shape emerging from its deep-fried preparation in a karahi.
We bet you’re hungry just listening about it, so here’s how it’s made. Firstly, rice flour is mixed with water, sugar, and ghee to form a batter. Ghee can be replaced with cooking oil or butter, and spices like cardamom or clove may be added for extra flavor. After resting for a few hours, the batter is deep-fried in ghee or oil. The batter is poured by hand into hot oil in a ring shape and cooked on medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Two wooden or metallic sticks, known as jhir in Nepali, are traditionally used to flip and handle the rings while frying. Nepali people become artists when it comes to pouring the batter because they make near-perfect circles. Selroti is then served to the family members as a gesture of love but it is also used as an offering.
It is one of the most popular dishes of Nepal. It is so popular that it would be easy to find a needle in a haystack but not a Nepali who hasn’t eaten selroti in their life. Sel roti is what makes Dashain and Tihar, Dashain and Tihar!
Photo Credit-Thomas Heaten/The Kathmandu Post,foodsofnepal.com,Mohan Khadka,khaddoroshik.