EVENT: MEGA BLOGGING MARATHON#92
THEME: A-Z FLATBREADS AND MORE – INDIAN FLATBREADS
RECIPE: ROTLA/ BAJRA NA ROTLA
Rotla/ Bajra Na Rotla is a traditional and popular thick pearl millet roti which is largely consumed in the rural areas of Gujarat. The roti or rotlo is patted into shape by using the heels of the hands and roasted on a tawa. It is a common flatbread prepared in the evenings to go with a shaak or sabji.
What is Mega Blogging Marathon?
Well, it is a group of bloggers who have come together to post a dish for 26 days according to the chosen theme. This month the themes are:
- A-Z Indian Flatbreads that are not made using batter e.g. like rotis
-
A-Z Indian Flatbreads using batters e.g. dosa
-
A-Z International Flatbreads.
My Choice: A-Z Indian Flatbreads that are not made using batter.
India has such a huge variety of flatbreads to offer. They are prepared as follows:
- roasted on a Stove top
- in the oven
- under the grill
- in a tandoor
- deep fried
- shallow fried
A for Akki Roti
B for Bhakri
C for Chousela
D for Dalpuri
E for Ekadashi Thalipeeth
F for Fungawela Mag na Paratha/Sprouted Bean Parathas
G for Gulachi Poli
H for Hyderabadi Halwe ki puri
I for Indori Masala Roti
J for Juar Jo Dhodho
K for Kulcha
L for Luchi
M for Makki Roti
N for Nagori Puri
O for Onion and Carrot Ragi Roti
P for Padvari Rotli
Q for Qubani Naan
What is Rotla/ Bajra Na Rotla
Day 18 is a recipe beginning with the letter R. I decided to make rotla. Rotla is the Gujarati word for rotis made using pearl millet/bajra/bajri flour. One is rotlo and plural is rotla. Being a Gujarati and having recently mastered the art of rolling out rotla, it had to be R for Rotla.
Hot Rotlo with ghee smeared over it and lasan ni chutney or with jaggery pieces is super delicious.
Memories
I just love rotla and can have one everyday. When my mother in law was with us in Mombasa, she would make rotla whenever we made bhinda ni kadhi. When she left for India, I’d have to wait till I visited her and she would make rotla for me.
During my stay in Bangalore, if I craved for rotla, a trip to The Forum Mall is all that was required. Rajdhani in the Food Court sold a thali with bajra na rotla, lasun chutney, dahi, a curry and fried green chilli.
Growing up, have memories of sitting with my grandfather at the dining table. He would ask me to get ghee and gud for him. Patiently he would make small pieces from the rotlo. Give my siblings and me to rub each piece between our fingers to make them like bread crumbs. Then he would add ghee and gud… mash it with his fingers and then give us some… sooo delicious.
Whenever I visited my paternal and maternal villages. Umreth and Koyali, rotla was a must at night. Served with homemade white butter or ghee and garlic chutney. Hot rotlo off the chula…what a treat!
Try And Try Some More
Don’t get me wrong! I tried several times but failed. Patting it between my palms was just too difficult. Then my best friend suggested that I roll it out like a rotli gently. I did that, sometimes failing, sometimes the rotlo turning out okay.
Now I can make them pretty well… not an expert but they are soft and edible. Check out my recipe for rotla and enjoy this gluten free flatbread with any curry of your choice.
Ingredients Required For Rotla/ Bajra Na Rotla
- Pearl Millet Flour – also known as bajra or bajri ka atta. It must be fresh for best results. Extra flour for dusting and rolling with.
- Sorghum Flour – or jowar flour. If you don’t have that then replace it with besan (chickpea flour), wheat flour or oats flour. However, please note that if you add wheat flour then it is not a gluten free flatbread.
- Ghee – clarified butter. Ghee and rotla go hand in hand. However, if you want to make them vegan then replace the ghee with a vegan friendly option. You need some to add to the dough and some to smear on the roasted rotla.
- Salt – add according to your taste.
- Lukewarm Milk – A tip I learned from my best friend’s mothet in law. Makes the rotla soft. For vegan version use vegan friendly milk or lukewarm water.
ROTLA/BAJRI NA ROTLA
Ingredients
- 1½ cup pearl millet flour bajri
- ½ cup sorghum flour or wheat, chickpea, oat flour
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ -1 cup lukewarm milk
- Some ghee for smearing on top
- extra millet flour for dusting
Instructions
- Mix the flours and salt in a bowl.
- Add ghee and rub it into the flour.
- Add milk little at a time and make a soft dough. It should be as soft as a roti dough.
- Cover it with a lid and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Knead the dough till it appears smooth. I knead it for 5 minutes.
- If the dough sticks too much then you may need to add a little bit of flour. The dough is soft but not sticky.
- Heat a tawa or frying pan over medium heat.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal parts.
- Roll each dough into a ball.
- Roll the dough ball in the millet flour.
- Pat it flat on the rolling board.
- Using a rolling pin roll it into a circle of about 5-6 inches in diameter very gently.
- Flip the board with the rolled rotlo onto your palm with fingers spread out.
- Flip the rotlo onto the hot tawa.
- Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Flip and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Put the rotlo over the naked flame and let it puff up.
- If it doesn't, just flip it over and let it roast for a few seconds.
- Put the rotlo on a plate and smear it with ghee.
- Repeat the above steps with the remaining dough.
- Serve rotla with your favorite curry.
Notes
- To get the practice of flipping the rotlo onto my hand and into the pan, I initially was rolling them out smaller.
- Don't make the rotla too thick or too thin.
- Rotla taste good even the next day. Just crumble it up and add it to yogurt with some garlic chutney or red chili powder and enjoy it as breakfast.
- Please note that since I didn't use wheat flour and used sorghum (jowar) flour instead, my rotla recipe is gluten free.
- Keep dusting the rolling board with millet flour so that the rotlo does not get stuck to it.
- Kneading it for 5 minutes makes the rotla soft.
Pin For Later:
A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
Check out what other Blogging Marathoners have made:
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