Bajrey Ki Roti (Millet Pan Fried Flat Bread)

Bajrey ki Roti goes well with almost any gravy type vegetarian or non-vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups millet flour (Bajre ka Atta)
• Warm water to make dough
• 1 tsp Salt to taste
• Butter/ghee to apply on Roti

Method:

• Put the millet flour and salt in a large deep mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the center. Pour a very small amount of water into this well and start to blend the millet flour with it. Keep mixing by adding very little water at a time, till the flour and water start to come together and result in non sticky dough. Once the dough is formed, start to knead and continue till you have smooth, pliable, medium-firm dough.
• Cover the dough with moist kitchen towel and keep aside for 15 minutes.
• Now heat a tawa or griddle on a medium flame.
• While the griddle is heating, divide the dough into equal-sized 8 portions. Roll each portion between the palms, into smooth balls.
• Lightly flour a rolling surface. Take one ball and press it flat. Now with the help of rolling pin roll this ball out into a circular shape roti.
• Place this roti on hot griddle; flip the roti with a spatula, when tiny bubbles rise on the surface of the Roti.
• Flip again in few seconds when other side is also cooked.
• Pick with tongs now and cook directly on low flame, turning around until both sides are pink.
• Repeat the process with each ball of dough till all are used up.
• Top with butter or ghee.
• This roti tastes best with Masala Dal or Palak Dal, but it can be served with any vegetable of your choice.

Do You Know?

Millet is gluten free and the natural alkalinity of millet flour makes it easily digestible. It is very beneficial for people with ulcers and digestive problems. It is also believed to be one of the least allergenic varieties of flour.

Makki Ki Roti (Corn Indian Flat bread)

Makki ki Roti (pan fried corn bread) is a very popular dish in northern parts of India, especially Punjab. The roti is served hot with fresh homemade butter.

Makki ki roti is often accompanied by sarson da saag.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups maize flour
• Warm water to make dough
• Salt to taste
• Butter

Method:

• Mix the maize flour and salt to taste in a large plate.
• Make a well in the centre and add a little hot water at a time to knead the flour into dough.

• The resultant dough must be soft, smooth and pliable but not sticky. Warm water helps obtain softer dough that doesn’t fray at the edges when rolled. Knead dough just before preparing rotis.

• Divide the dough into equal-sized balls. Flatten the balls with palms using dry flour.
• There are different methods by which you can roll out the Makki Ki Roti.
• Using rolling pin: For this lightly flour a rolling surface and roll each ball into a circle approximately 4-5" in diameter.

• Using plastic sheets: Take a polythene bag and tear it into 2 halves. Grease them both on one side. Keep one piece on the rolling platform, greased side up. Take one ball of dough and put on the polythene. Cover with other piece of polythene, greased side towards the ball. Roll out a roti light handedly between the two greased polythene pieces.

• Making by hands: Rub some water on your palms. Press with fingers to enlarge this dough ball, now press with your palms to make a round circle of 4-5” in diameter.

• Heat a tawa (griddle) on a medium fire. Place this roti on hot griddle, turn when one side is done.

• When other side is also cooked, pick with tongs and cook directly on low flame, turning around until both sides are pink.

• Top with butter or ghee.
• This roti tastes best with Sarson ka Saag, but you can serve with any vegetable you like.

Do You Know?

When ground into flour, Maize yields more flour, with much less bran, than wheat does. However, it lacks the protein gluten of wheat and, therefore, makes baked goods with poor rising capability.

A genetic variant that accumulates more sugar and less starch in the ear is consumed as a vegetable and is called sweet corn.

Namkeen Roti

It is an excellent way to use up leftover pulp from soup of vegetables like tomatoes, beans, carrots, spinach etc. Instead of throwing strained pulp in the trash, I knead it in wheat flour to make Namkeen Paratha.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup besan (optional)
• 1 cup pulp of strained vegetables
• ½ tsp carom seeds
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
• Salt to taste
• Desi ghee

Method:

• Put whole-wheat flour in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients except ghee. Add very little water to knead the flour. Knead softly until you get smooth, medium-soft dough. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky or too soft.
• Add 2 tbsp of ghee now and continue to knead. Once the dough is done, put it in a closed container and keep it in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into equal sized portions and roll each portion into a ball between your palms. Use dry flour or oil to make smooth balls.
• Lightly flour a rolling board and roll out each ball into a 6-7” circle.
• Place the roti on heated griddle or tawa.
• When toasted on one side, turn it over and let the other side cook for few seconds, until tiny brown spots appear on the side facing the griddle.
• Turn it over once again and press it with a muslin cloth all around the chapati. Flip the chapati and press gently around the other side too. When it is light brown on both sides, remove from heat.
• Apply butter on the upper surface of the roti.
• Serve with Dal (lentil) and Sabji (curry) of your choice.

Do You Know?

Dietary fiber or roughage is the indigestible portion of plant foods that pushes food through the digestive system, absorbing water and easing defecation.

Chemically, dietary fiber consists of non-starch polysaccharides such as cellulose and many other plant components such as dextrin, inuline etc.

Fiber-rich plants can be eaten directly or through supplements and fiber-rich processed foods.

Benefits of eating fiber are many: The consumption of soluble fiber has been shown to protect you from developing heart disease by reducing your cholesterol levels. The consumption of insoluble fiber reduces your risk of developing constipation, colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids.

Roti / Chapati / Phulka (Whole Wheat Flat Breads)

Roti, Chapati or Phulka are same except for the size. Phulka is smaller and lighter than Roti or Chapati. Some people prefer to eat buttered Roti/Chapati/Phulka.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Warm water

Method:

• Mix the whole-wheat flour, salt and oil. Knead with enough water to make smooth dough. Cover and keep aside for 1 hour.
• After about 30 minutes (or right before rolling out), punch the dough and knead again without any more water.
• Divide the dough into lemon-sized balls. Dip each one into dry whole-wheat flour, and roll out into thin, 6" circles.
• Place a flat, griddle on the stove at medium-high heat. When hot, place a rolled-out chapati "right side" down on the griddle. (The "right side" is the one facing you when you roll it.)

• When bubbles are visible, turn over and cook until tiny brown spots appear on the side facing the griddle.

• If you have a gas stove, hold the chapati with a pair of tongs, and place it directly over the burner flame for a few seconds, until the chapati puffs up.

• Turn and repeat on the other side.

• If you have an electric stove, keep the chapati on the griddle. With a muslin cloth, press gently all around the chapati. Flip the chapati and press gently around the other side. This procedure should make the chapati puff up.
• Some of the foods that are usually served with rotis / chapatis are Dals, Chicken andMutton curries, Green and Non Green Vegetable dishes.
  

Missi Roti (Wheat–Gram Flour Flat Breads)

It is very nutritious; rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fiber; especially good for diabetic people.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup black gram flour
• 2 tbsp wheat bran
• 1 tsp salt
• Warm water to knead flour

Method:

• Mix wheat flour, gram flour, wheat bran and salt. Knead into soft and smooth dough by adding warm water. Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for at least 1 hour. Right before rolling out, punch the dough and knead again without any more water.
• Divide the dough into equal size small balls. Dip each one into dry wheat flour, and roll out into thin, 6" circles.
• Place a flat, griddle on the stove at medium-high heat. When hot, place a rolled-out chapati ‘right side’ down on the griddle. The ‘right side’ is the one facing you when you roll it. When bubbles are visible, turn over and cook until tiny brown spots appear on the side facing the griddle.
• If you have a gas stove, hold the chapati with a pair of tongs, and place it directly over the burner flame for a few seconds, with ‘right side’ facing down, until the chapati puffs up. Turn and repeat on the other side.
• If you have an electric stove, keep the chapati on the griddle. With a towel press gently all around the chapati. Flip the chapati and press gently around the other side. This procedure should make the chapati puff up.
• Remove the chapati from the heat, and butter with ghee on the ‘right side’.
  Serve hot with curry and dal of your choice.

Do You Know?

Bran is often produced as a byproduct of milling in the production of refined grains.

It is the hard outer layer of grain and consists of combined aleurone (the term is used for the outermost cell layer of the seed coat which is rich in protein ) and pericarp(outer fruit layer).

When bran is removed from grains(rice, wheat etc), they lose a portion of their nutritional value. Bran is particularly rich in dietary fiber and omegas and contains significant quantitities of starch, protein, vitamins and dietary minerals.