Bajra na Rotla (Kathiyawadi gluten free pearl millet flour bread)

This wholesome delicious flatbread is a specialty of the kathiyawad/ kutch region of Gujarat in India. It is made from millet flour, mixed with water to form the dough.
Give round shape is made by patting the dough in the hands (not rolling it out). Millet is staple food of saurastra / kutch (Gujarat). in saurastra my hometown we eaten this rotla  mostly at dinner time with sabzi, khichdi – kadhi and a big glass of milk,butter milk and other goodies. Traditionally rotla is cooked on clay pan but regular pan works well.  My son love to eat them applying white butter and began bharth he called them Kathiyawadi Pizza J    

Ingredients:

1.      1 cup bajri flour (Pearl Millet flour)

2.      Water as needed

3.      Salt to taste

Method:

1.      Heat a clay pan or a non stick pan.

2.      Mix water and salt in large bowl.

3.      Now add Pearl Millet (bajra flour) and kneed into firm dough.

4.      Add water as needed.(The dough should be soft enough to be pressed into a roti with your hand but firm enough to hold its shape).

5.      Wet your palms with slightly with water, place a medium size ball of dough in between your palms.

6.      Gently press and flatten the ball.

7.      After placing the slightly flattened ball in hand, you go on  patting it , just like slowly clapping the palms with dough in between. 

8.      You will have to wet your palms from time to time in order not to let dough stick to your palms. Keep on expanding rotla this way until you get it of your desired size.

9.      Once the rotla is completely round and unbroken ,Place it  slowly on hot clay tawa(also called Tavdi).

10.  Take care that there should not be any air between , clay tawa (tavdi) and rotla.

11.  When half cooked on one side, turn it to another side and cook it.

12.  Then fully cooked on another side, turn it to the first side again and let it cook fully.

13.  Take it out from clay tawa (tavdi) and spread Ghee on it. Serve Hot.

14.  This goes well with baigan bhartha (Rigna-no-oro), akha adad (whole-Black-Gram Curry) Lasan chutney (Garlic chutney), makhan (Butter),when accompanied by Jaggery too.
Video Link:

Note:

* The patting method for flattening the rotla sounds a little difficult or if the rolta starts breaking then try the following method.

* On the rolling pan, place a plastic sheet.

 * Spread some Bajri flour on the sheet and then place the dough ball and press lightly to slightly flatten it.

 * Spread some Bajra flour on the flattend ball and place another plastic sheet on the flattened ball.

 * Lightly roll the rolling pan over the sheet until the desired thickness is achieved, cook same way.

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