Bajra Rotla
A thick, hand-patted flatbread of pearl millet flour cooked on a tawa and open flame, the daily winter bread of Saurashtra and North Gujarat villages.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 180 kcal
Equipment
- •Tawa
- •Cotton cloth for patting
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- fat
- 3 g
- carbs
- 33 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 5 g
- calories
- 180 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Put the bajra (pearl millet) flour into a wide bowl with a pinch of salt.
- 2
Gradually pour in warm water. Knead with the heel of your hand into a soft, slightly sticky dough and use immediately.
- 3
Divide the dough into balls. Pat each ball between wet palms or on a damp cloth into a thick disc about 15 cm wide.
- 4
Carefully place the rotla (flatbread) onto a hot tawa (flat griddle).
- 5
Cook on medium heat until the base has light brown spots. Flip it over.
- 6
Cook the other side. Place it directly over an open flame briefly so it puffs up and cooks through.
- 7
Spread ghee (clarified butter) or white butter over the top and serve hot.
Chef's tips
Bajra dough has no gluten, so gently pat it into shape instead of rolling. Cook it straight after kneading so it does not dry out.
Ingredient substitutions
- bajra flour → jowar (sorghum) flour
Storage
Best eaten fresh; day-old rotla toughens as bajra dries quickly.
Reheating
Reheat briefly on a hot tawa with a little water sprinkled on top.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Leaving the kneaded dough to rest too long, which makes it dry out and crack while shaping.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Bajra Rotla?
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