Meet Rotimatic–an automated robot that mixes flour, water, and oil, to fresh, hot roti.
Mashable reports that the Rotimatic was created by a startup company, Zimplistic. It can produce up to 20 fresh roti, that’s one roti per minute, with options for oil, thickness, and roast levels.
The compactly built roti robot measures 15.7 x 15.7 x 17.7 inches and weighs about 40 pounds. Built for home use, Rotimatic’s metal cooking section structure is encased in a heat-resistant plastic housing with integrated cooling fans. The robot is dishwasher-safe and offers a cleaning mode, so it can be cleaned using a damp cloth.
Rotimatic makes roti by creating individual dough balls using patented adaptive technology, and then presses the dough into a flat, roasting each until puffed. The inventors of Rotimatic told Mashable reporters that the robot is capable of “intelligent kneading”: that is, the duration of kneading the dough based on humidity and the dough’s protein component.
The device can hold ingredients for up to 20 roti flatbreads. The company advises that for steady flour flow, there is a minimum flour level. Rotimatic can make 13-16 roti, until it reaches the minimum level, at which the user is required to top-off the flour to continue production.
There is a separate container for the oil, so no mixing required. And, it doesn’t make just plain, old roti. You can flavor your roti by adding dry, finely ground spices to the flour–such as chili powder, turmeric, and salt–but no wet ingredients like cheese, grated vegetables, or full-sized spice leaves. Though the robot currently can only produce fresh roti, Rotimatic’s website reports that there are plans to add the ability to create different types of flatbreads, in addition to roti, in the future.
Zimplistic currently only sells Rotimatic in the U.S. and Singapore, and since its launch two years ago, 8,000 units have been sold. The company also offers pre-orders for $999.