Roti is the Trinidadian flatbread commonly served with curried meat or vegetables.
In Trinidad and Tobago, roti usually refers both to the bread and to a wrapped meal made with curry fillings. The flatbread is associated with the island’s Indo-Caribbean community, whose ancestors arrived from the Indian subcontinent as indentured laborers during the nineteenth century. Common styles include sada roti, dhalpuri, and paratha, each differing in ingredients or preparation.
A roti meal may contain curried chickpeas, potatoes, chicken, goat, shrimp, or vegetables. The bread is typically torn and used to scoop up the filling. It is often confused with the specific dish called a roti wrap, but “roti” itself can mean the bread, the filled package, or the wider meal depending on context.
Trinidadian roti reflects the lasting influence of Indian culinary traditions on Caribbean foodways.