Recipe: Makki Di Roti
Makki Di Roti is a traditional gluten free flatbread from the state of Punjab. It is made from simple ingredients namely, cornmeal, salt, water and oil. Some make the flatbread plain, others add carom seeds, fresh fenugreek leaves or grated radish. Cornmeal is not cornstarch. Cornmeal is also known as maize flour or makki ka atta in India. The most common one is the yellow corn flour.
Memories
The first time I tried making makki di roti or makki ki roti was around September 2018. It was actually for the Mega Blogging Marathon Event where I had participated. I had chosen the theme A-Z Flatbreads from India. Makki Di Roti was the perfect choice for the letter M.
Expert Punjabis are able to pat the dough into a thin circular shape using the heels of their palm, much like how Gujaratis make rotla. However, I just cannot do that as the flatbread breaks .. its all about the gentle pressure between the palms. I think I have a heavy hand ! Instead of getting frustrated trying to perfect that art, I simply pat it on a wet cloth or parchment paper and it works absolutely fine.
Sharing An Updated Makki Di Roti Recipe With Sunday Funday
For this weekend, Sue who blogs at Palatable Pastimes suggested we use Ground Corn. It can be grits, cornmeal, polenta, masa, makki ka atta, etc. I tried looking for grits but didn’t find any in my local supermarket. Having tasted grits for the first time in June when hubby and I went to South Carolina for his niece’s wedding, I was pleasantly surprised how delicious it was. The 2 days that we stayed in South Carolina, grits was my breakfast. I guess I will have to look for it on Amazon.
When it comes to maize meal or cornmeal, two things immediately come to my mind, Ugali, Kenyan staple food made using white cornmeal and the Gujarati fried snack Dhebra or Vada.
Check Out What Members Of Sunday Funday Have Made With Ground Corn
- Chicken with Cornmeal Dumplings from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Copycat Jiffy Cornbread Muffins from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
- Fried Cornmeal Mush from Palatable Pastime
- Masala Shrimps With Cheesy Grits from Sneha’s Recipe
- Makki Di Roti from Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Small-Batch Eggnog Crumbly Cornbread Muffins from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Winter Food
As it is winter month, had a craving for makki ki roti (cornmeal flatbread) and saag. Traditionally in India, Saag is made from fresh tender mustard leaves, bathua (pigweed), spinach and fenugreek leaves. Now in a place like Magog where am I going to find these leaves. Instead, I made the saag (pureed leafy greens) with kale, spinach, arugula and frozen fenugreek. Must say it turned out so good. Now, with saag it is common to have makki ki roti. I added frozen fenugreek and hence the greenish colour of the flatbread as opposed to the common yellow one.
A generous amount of white butter is served with both the saag and makki ki roti. As I didn’t have white butter, I used the yellow one. The cornmeal I got from the supermarket was slightly coarse. I should have ground it to a finer flour. But as I had allowed the dough to rest for over 1 hour, the rotis turned out good.
As I have an induction stove, I certainly cannot cook them on the naked flame as we do in the tandoor, gas stove. There definitely is a slight difference in the texture, but hey, beggars cannot be choosers.
Ingredients Required For Makki Di Roti
Makki Ka Atta
Cornmeal, the yellow fine variety. If you don’t get the yellow cornmeal, white too works. Just make sure the flour is fine. If it is not, grind it in the food processor.
Water
Remember, different cornmeal or maize flour soak up varying about of water, it all depends on the quality of corn used. The dough should not be hard. If it becomes too soft, you can always add a bit more flour. The dough should be pliable. The water should be hot and not cold.
Oil
Add oil or ghee as it makes the roti soft. If you don’t add it, the roti can become chewy.
Carom Seeds
Ajwain, ajmo, bishop’s weed. It is believed that adding ajwain makes the roti more digestible.
Vegetable/Greens
Usually fresh fenugreek is added. However you can add a bit of grated radish, finely chopped radish greens or fresh coriander. Nowadays people add pumpkin, beetroot or zucchini (grated or puree) too.
Ghee or Butter
To smear on top of the cooked roti.
MAKKI DI ROTI
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal fine
- 1¼ -1½ cup hot water
- 2 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp carom seeds
- 2-3 tbsp fresh fenugreek finely chopped
- extra oil for greasing
- some butter or ghee to smear on top
Instructions
- Mix flour with salt and carom seeds.
- Add oil and rub into the flour.
- Add chopped fenugreek mix well.
- Add water and mix with a spoon as the water is hot.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. This also will cool it down.
- Knead the dough with the heel of your palm for about 5 minutes. This will help to make the roti softer.
- Divide the dough into 8 parts.
- Take a parchment paper. Oil it on the side up.
- Using water to wet your fingers, pat one part of the dough into a circle about 4-5 inches in diameter.
- The roti should not be too thick or too thin.
- Heat a tawa or griddle pan over medium heat.
- Pick up the parchment paper with the patted dough at the 2 corners.
- Flip it over onto the hot tawa or frying pan. Peel off the paper.
- Allow the roti to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Brush water on top using a pastry brush.
- Flip it over and allow it to cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Brown spots should appear on both sides of the roti.
- Transfer the roti to the open flame and roast till it tries to puff up.
- Alternately, press the roti gently with a kitchen towel.
- Smear the roti with some butter or ghee.
- Serve hot makki di roti with sarson da saag or your favorite curry.
Notes
- The dough should not be too hard otherwise the rotis will turn out chewy.
- Pat the rotis to the size that you're comfortable with.
- Can make plain makki di roti i.e. just add salt and ajwain with oil.
- If you replace the fenugreek with coriander, use the same quantity.
- If you are going to add grated or pureed pumpkin, zucchini or beetroot, use about ¼ cup. You may require less water to bind the dough.
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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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