At first glance, the new Homemade Kitchen Roti Shop looks like any other Latin deli in the bustling Valley Stream neighborhood. A steady stream of school kids arrives for an afternoon snack. There's no sign on the counter, but the kids know what to ask for: tennis rolls, egg balls, china cake.
It's a common food in Guyanese neighborhoods like Richmond Hill, Queens, which is home to dozens of West Indian bakeries, roti shops and clothing stores. Home Made Kitchen Roti Shop feels like a slice of Little Guyana in Nassau County. It's run by Valley Stream residents Seerita Karim and her husband Shazam, who are originally from Guyana and decided to open their own business when their children were old enough to go to school.
“It's always been my dream to own a restaurant. I love to cook,” Serita said. “I think the population is becoming more diverse, so I thought it would be nice to have something closer to home without having to go all the way to Queens.”
She employs three employees to help her make roti from scratch every day. They use paddles to pound the flour dough into crispy discs. The large flatbreads are a symbol of Guyana's multicultural background, which includes people of Indian, African and Chinese descent, as well as indigenous peoples. Once considered part of the Caribbean, the South American country was colonized by the Dutch and later the British, who brought slaves and indentured servants to work on sugar plantations. Guyana gained independence in 1966, and today it boasts one of the most culinary diverse countries in South America.
Roti originated in India and is eaten in parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa. But this Caribbean roti is much larger than what you'll find on the appetizer menu at your local Thai restaurant. Most customers fold it up to take home with Homemade Kitchen Roti Shop's flavorful meat and vegetable curries, but if you're willing to sit on one of the few bar stools at the small front counter, ask for a “roti wrap” to accompany your curry, which can be made with goat, beef, shrimp or, in this case, chicken on the bone. The server spreads the large flatbread over a takeaway box, places the saucy curry in the middle and folds the top of the bread over like a present.
Eat it immediately, because the moist curry will soak into the bottom of the roti. But that's actually the best part: soak up every last drop of aromatic, spicy chicken broth into these flaky wheat tortillas. Another snack is the fried egg balls ($2.50), made from mashed cassava dough and served with two fiery sauces: mango sour and tamarind sour. Even a little dipping is so hot that a drink is essential. Luckily, the fridge is stocked with dozens of interesting bottles, including sweet golden apple juice. It tastes like strong apple juice, but the main ingredient is listed as “cherry.” (Golden apple is actually a tropical fruit from Guyana with a fibrous seed.)
Also, don't miss the pastry case at the front, which is lined with Guyanese pastries such as butter rolls and china cakes filled with sweet black-eyed peas. The shop also serves the Trinidadian double and a popular street fish sandwich called Fish and Bread.
Homemade Kitchen Roti Shop, 204 N. Central Ave., Valley Stream, 516-636-5656, facebook.com/p/Homemade-kitchen-61558527087473/. Hours are 11am to 9pm Monday through Thursday, 9am to 9pm Friday and Saturday, and 9am to 7pm Sunday.
