Buss up shut paratha roti. Trinidad and Tobago version Paratha style roti It’s super tender, delightfully delicious, and insanely tasty – pair it with your favorite curry for one-bite bliss.
First, a little linguistics lesson: “Bas up shut” means a tattered, torn shirt. If you think about it, you can almost hear it. 
It’s a layered, soft, buttery flatbread that’s broken or pounded into pieces on a hot griddle, so the name is fitting. The dish has Indian origins, but is not like the traditional Indian roti, and is an essential part of Trinidad’s culinary tradition.
This bread is soft, buttery and super flaky. What’s more, we’ve simplified this Bathup Shut Paratha Roti recipe to make it easy to make at home. Even beginners can master this delicious bread.
How to do a bus up shut down
So how do you close it? There are a few ways. Guyanese smack it using their hands (kurap roti) or an airtight container. In Trinidad, they smack it with two spatulas while it’s still hot, and just before removing it from the container. Tower (A round, flat iron plate used in Indian cooking).
However you finish it, the aim is for it to be slightly crisp on the outside and lightly browned in the little bits – a great finishing touch to this paratha roti recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- Dry ingredients – All-purpose flour is perfect for this delicious Trinidad bread. A teaspoon of sugar adds a touch of sweetness, baking powder is the leavening agent, and salt is the most well-known flavor enhancer.
- Ghee – The ingredient traditionally used to create the crispy layers of this bread is clarified butter, but regular butter works just as well.
- Cooking oil – While you are cooking the bass close up, you will need butter, shortening, or oil to grease the frying pan.
How to make Bath Up Shut (Paratha Roti)
Make the dough
- make material – Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Make a well and add the softened ghee or oil followed by the warm water. (Photos 1-2)
- Knead Mix for 30-60 seconds to form a soft, sticky ball of dough.
- Divide Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 15-30 minutes. (Photo 3)
- roll – Next, place each dough ball onto a generously floured board and roll into a circle (it doesn’t have to be perfect). (Photos 4-5)
- Grease – Using your fingers or a knife, spread about 1 tablespoon of butter (or shortening) over the surface of the dough and sprinkle lightly with flour.
- slit – Next, use a knife to make a single incision from the center of the pastry to one edge. (Photo 6)
- shape – Next, roll the dough clockwise into a cone shape. Fold the edges of the dough into the base of the cone and tuck the tip of the cone inwards. Place the dough in a greased pan and cover with a damp cloth. (Photos 7-8)
- repeat Repeat with the remaining 5 dough pieces, oiling each piece to prevent them from drying out.
- rest – Cover with plastic wrap and leave for at least 2 hours. (Photo 9)
Close the bus
- Heat the griddlecrepe pan, or Tower When you’re ready to cook, place on medium heat.
- make it flat Gently roll each cone from the center outwards.
- rotate Roll the cone around to create a 10 inch diameter circle. Make sure the edges are tapered. (Photo 10)
- Cook – Carefully place the batter on the griddle and oil the other side generously, oiling the edges as well. Cook the roti until small bubbles appear on the surface and then flip it over. (Photos 11-12)
- Shut out on the bus – There are several options for creation Torn Shirt1. While the parathas are still on the griddle, smash them with two spatulas. 2. Place the parathas in a large bowl with a lid and shake vigorously. 3. Cover with a clean cloth and shake.
- serve Enjoy warm.
Recipe Variations
- spicesYou can also add some warm spices like garam masala or cinnamon if you like.
- HarveyAdd crushed dried herbs if you like.
- dessertIt’s usually eaten with curry (it makes a great dip), but can also be sprinkled with powdered sugar to make a crepe-like roti dessert.
- Leave it as it is Pack it like a burrito without overfilling it.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t skip the first resting step. Resting the dough relaxes the gluten, making it easier to work with and resulting in softer parathas.
- Don’t skip the second rest either. Allow your Bath Up Shut to rest for at least 2 hours (maximum 4 hours) the second time. This will allow the layers to become more defined and the dough to become softer. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!
- I used a crepe pan to make the parathas, but you don’t need any special equipment; a cast iron skillet will do just fine.
Preliminary steps
Cooked roti is best eaten fresh, but can also be made the day before, stored in the refrigerator and reheated by gently steaming for a few minutes.
If you want to freeze a large batch, make it up to step 9. Then layer the uncooked rotis between pieces of parchment paper – that way you can just take out as many as you want on the day and cook them fresh. (Thanks, Anne 
)
How to serve and store
Serve bathe warm with your favorite sauce. If you have any leftovers (likely), store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can also reheat them by gently steaming them for a few minutes, as above.
What goes with bust up shut paratha roti
Paratha roti goes well with any meal, but is often eaten with curries and stews. Curry Chana and Aloo or African Stew First off, this tastes great Lamb curry or Chickpea curry.
Try other Trinidadian delicacies
- Trinidad Corn Pie
- Chicken Roti
- Double (curried chickpeas and spicy flatbread)
- Chicken Pelaw
- Trinidad Macaroni Pie
This blog post was originally published in July 2015 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful photos.
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