How I Learned The Art of GOL ROTI
As the first wave of Covid-19 ended everything went back to normal. We (me and my friends) came back to our rental apartment from our homes. But this time we knew we had to get things done by ourselves, for example, cooking in the kitchen. We called it our food lab and we deemed ourselves as little scientists doing experiments and taking an oath to learn how to cook for the sake of science and hunger.
One thing that is really fascinating is the art of making Gol (circular) roti. For me, it is just like how a rider rides a bicycle while balancing on two wheels. A mysterious secret that I really wanted to know at that time and a mandatory kitchen skill.
From that day till date there have been many life lessons I have learned during the process and I came to this realization that learning any new skill undergoes a process that is universal, whether it be professionally or personally.
- The First Step: Taking the first step is always tough, especially when you are inexperienced like me. You need the setup and equipment, in this case buying flour, chakla (rolling board), belan(rolling pin), and of course a tawa.
Learning: Buying takeouts is totally different from cooking by yourself. Once you have all the basic utilities in one place we are good to start.
- Start Small: Scholars said every baby step leads to the peak of a mountain which seems impossible to climb. At the end of the very first day, I ended up with so much mess that took a while to clean. So after that, I restarted the whole thing with only one cup of flour and a proportional amount of water.
Learning: Always start small and keep progressing.
- It’s OK to get distracted: A call can distract you and your gol roti turns into a disaster. How? because I forgot to turn off the gas while I was on call. Obviously, some calls are important, but you can postpone or drop a message till the time you are finished with what you have started.
Learning: Focus is the ultimate key to success in every field. Distraction is always there so setting priority is the aim.
- The shape doesn’t matter: What a waste of time, when friends are hungry and you took half an hour to make a gol roti, chasing perfection while forgetting the big picture, satiating hunger. Their tummy doesn’t know and doesn't care what shape it is as long as it is cooked properly.
Learning: Perfection is good only after the basic requirements are met.
- Believe in the process: One fine day, I tried to take a shortcut and put all the water collectively in the flour in the hope that it would shorten my kneading time. I was completely wrong and I ended up with a mess by adding way more flour than was required.
Learning: Just like you can’t have 6 pack abs without exercise, same in this case you will never have gol roti until you finish all the basic processes in the right correct manner.
- Make it creative: I observed we always have round-shaped dough all the time and a kid asked me while I was cooking and that struck my mind’s curiosity. An effective question to me, so for him I made a heart and a half-moon-shaped dough every time he visited. Now he is happy and I have some photos to share.
Learning: No one likes recurring processes but by making it creative it is also our duty to explore another hidden talent of oneself.
- Critics: Over time, with constant feedback like “Why are you doing this ?” to “Hmm! Good good” to “You remembered me, my grandparent's roti shape ”. I face it off. As you learn and grow you will teach yourself what our best practices are. Instead of watching videos online, I can say constructive critics teach you more than any tutorial
Learning: Constructive critics are the best way to improve, Critics are like a mirror where you can see yourself and improve over time.
Once you go through all of these phases there are some successful moments too. Like when you surprise your mom on mothers day by saying “I’ll make roti today” and she is observing you astonishingly to see how you learned all of this and standing silently with a little smile on her face.