We Gujaratis are well known for our love of “Dhoklas”, but now our “Theplas” are in the limelight. It has been reported that no less than 70,000 theplas have been sent on to Kathmandu in Nepal for the starving people who have been hit by a massive earthquake. A Theplun is a kind of roti which is made by Gujaratis all over the world and is very useful during long travel because of its long shelf life. People eat them either with a potato curry or yogurt and chutney made from garlic and red chillies.
Many organisations in the UK and other countries have responded to the appeal for help from various charities and sent assistance in cash or kind to people of Nepal but some Gujarati women in Mumbai came up with the ingenous idea to identify the usefulness of theplas in this crisis.
A home-made theplun would not lose its quality or taste for long periods and is also consumed at picnics. Theplas are made by combining wheat flour, oil, curd, turmeric powder and chili powder in a bowl and kneading into a semi-soft dough using enough water. This should then be divided into small portions and rolling each portion into 5 inch circular shape. This is then cooked on a tava or flat pan till it turns golden brown in colour on both sides. They can be made either savory or sweet by the addition of salt or gor (jaggery).
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
