A rolling pin, called a belan in Urdu and Hindi, is one of the most essential utensils you'll need to make roti. Quite frankly, there's no roti without a rolling pin for 99% of us.
There's a huge variety of rolling pins out there, so if you're new to the business of making roti, you may be wondering which is the best pick for you. And you'd be wise to wonder, because a good rolling pin can make rolling out your rotis much more comfortable and easier for you, as well as make your rotis better too!
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The two main types of rolling pins
Type #1: rotating rolling pins
In these rolling pins, the cylindrical centre piece will revolve (i.e., spin) as you roll it. What this does is it helps to rotate the roti as you're rolling out on the surface. This means:
- You don't have to turn your roti as you're rolling it out, as the rolling pin is turning it for you
- Your roti will be rounder with less effort from you, because the rolling pin is turning it around for you, which helps facilitate the round shape naturally
These rolling pins will always have some sort of a handle, which also makes an easier job of rolling out rotis.
And the alternative to this is...
Type #2: rod rolling pins
These rolling pins are fixed, stationary pins and do not revolve or rotate as you roll them.
These pins are great when you don't want to roll out something round - like for triangle/square shaped parathas, pastry dough or cookies. However for rotis they can be cumbersome, as you will need to pick up and turn your roti every few rolls to ensure it's turning out round.
These pins may or may not have an easy to grip handle. See below for how these rolling pins can look like.
My preference is wholeheartedly the revolving rolling pins for making roti.
You can see in the video below how effortlessly my rotis roll out using a revolving rolling pin:
Best size for rolling pins
Length:
You definitely want to steer clear of rolling pins that looks short and stubby. You want the centre part of your rolling pin to be at least as long as the width your roti will be - so we're looking at a minimum of about 30cm (12 inches) long.
Height and width
Generally speaking, the right height and width that works for you will be a matter of preference. Whatever kind of rolling pin you're more comfortable with will be the best one for you.
My personal preference and recommendation here would be to go for either a small or medium-sized rolling pin. Larger rolling pins can get a bit uncomfortable rolling out, as they can dig into your wrist as you're rolling.
Best material to choose
We live in some pretty crazy, awesome times as far as cookware variety goes. Before, the only option for rolling pin material would be wood, but now there's a lot more out there to choose from. Here are some of the options out there:
The classic wood:
Pros: may feel more 'familiar', durable and long lasting
Cons: not so great to clean and disinfect, making this a hygiene issue. This will mean wooden rolling pins will need a lot more maintenance than other materials.
Non-stick/silicone
Pros: super easy to clean up and disinfect, can make rolling out roti easier if you struggle with dough sticking to your rolling pin
Cons: not really much!
Marble:
Pros: aesthetically pleasing, easy to clean
Cons: can be too heavy for the job, need maintenance to keep looking good.
Other pointers to keep in mind when purchasing a rolling pin
- Having an easy to grip, sturdy handle is important too. Ideally, go for a handle that will fit entirely into your hand. This will help you get a good grip on the rolling pin as you're rolling.
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