Sssh, Kids who frown on veggies are going to like this…

When I gave chapati a fancy and colorful makeover, it became beetroot roti. Ever since we came to know about my hubby’s gluten intolerance, I literally stopped making chapati’s. After a long time, a few days ago I got the craving to eat chapati, so I decided to make chapati just for myself. Usually, I use warm water or milk to knead the dough. Well, this time I decided to make chapati in a fancy yet healthy way. I added beetroot puree instead of water. I was aware that some people add spinach puree and carrot puree to make green and orange roti’s respectively. I had beetroot in my refrigerator, hence beetroot was my pick to make the roti as I also admire the vibrant purple color of it.

I first cooked the beetroot in water and then pureed it to a smooth constituency. Added the puree to the wheat flour and kneaded it to a soft dough. Rest of the preparation method was same as that of making chapati. I was so eager to taste this beetroot roti. One bite and I asked myself “why don’t I taste the beetroot?” You can trick anyone who doesn’t like beetroot or kids who usually frown on veggies, they are not going to figure it out unless you say it loud. So, ssshhhh don’t reveal it!

Beetroot Roti

Ingredients

• Beetroot, chopped large- 1
• Wheat flour or Chapati flour- 1 cup and more for dusting
• Beetroot puree- 1/2 cup (you could even use spinach puree or carrot puree)
• Salt- little

Preparation

1. Cook the chopped beetroot in some water taken in a saucepan.
2. Once the beetroot has turned tender, remove from the water.
3. Puree the cooked beetroot in a blender after adding some water to it.
4. Puree it to a smooth constituency without any lumps.
5. For 1 cup of flour you only need about 1/2 cup of the beetroot puree.
6. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and knead it by adding about 1/2 cup beetroot puree.
7. Add the puree slowly and knead till you get a soft dough. Don’t ya already love the color of the dough?
8. If the dough is too soft, add more of the flour and knead.
9. Keep aside the dough for 5 minutes.
10. Make small balls out of it. Rest of the process is same as that of making chapati.
11. Place one ball on a chapati board or on a wooden cutting board.
12. Dust with wheat flour and roll it with a rolling pin to a round shape.
13. Keep dusting the flour to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface.
14. Place a non-stick pan or tawa over medium heat.
15. Spray non-stick cooking spray on the pan.
16. Place the rolled dough on the pan, let the bottom side just start to wilt, cook only for 15 seconds.
17. Don’t cook the bottom side for long as it gets hard and the roti won’t puff up.
18. Flip it over and cook for less than a minute.
19. Again flip it over and gently pat the sides of the roti with a flat spatula, the roti will puff up. Once it’s puffed up remove from the pan.
20. If you are cooking on a flame stove, at this point you could lower the flame and place the roti over the flame for a couple of seconds, it will puff up really good and flip it over, remove from the flame immediately.
21. Don’t place over coiled stove, roti will have burned marks on it.
22. Serve warm with your favorite curry.
23. If you are wondering what to do with the rest of the beetroot puree, you could make beetroot sauce with it.
24. I heated the beetroot puree in a saucepan and added a few tablespoons of store bought Spicy Thai chili sauce to it, combined well.
25. The sauce tasted pretty good, I even dipped the roti in this sauce.

Tips:

• To make chapati which puff up well: after you place the rolled dough on the pan, avoid over cooking the bottom side of the rolled dough, the bottom side should only get hot about 15 seconds.
• For Green colored roti, use spinach puree and for orange colored roti use carrot puree.

I believe this is my mom’s favorite flatbread as she makes this at least once or twice a week. I used to get mad at her for making this quite often, but now I wish my mom was near to me to make this for me. Anyway, once in a while I do get the craving to have this along with chicken or mutton curry. Yesterday, I made this for lunch and had it along with beef roast.

There are two main types of rice roti’s which are popular in Kerala: Orotti and Pathiri. The dough for both of them are made with rice flour and water. However, for making orotti, grated coconut is also added to the dough and the dough is usually rolled with your hands or in a tortilla maker. Making Pathiri closely resembles to that of chapati, only difference is that for rolling pathiri dough, rice flour is used instead of wheat flour. Pathiri is quite thin and has a soft texture while orotti is slightly thick. Both of them can be eaten with fish, chicken, mutton or beef curries or roasts. While having orortti, some people pour coconut milk over the orotti and then pour the spicy curry over it. Believe me, it tastes really good along with coconut milk and the spicy curry.

In my hometown, orotti is usually cooked on a cast iron skillet and that’s what makes it taste delicious. Try making it in both non-stick pan and cast iron pan, you’ll feel the difference in taste and also orotti will have a nice aroma when made in cast iron skillet. So, make sure to cook this in cast iron skillet.

Orotti or Rice Roti

Makes: 12 no’s

Ingredients:

• Rice flour- 2 cups
• Water- 1 1/2 cups
• Grated coconut- 1/2 cup
• Salt- to taste
• Oil- for greasing

Preparation:

• Boil the water in a saucepan, when the water starts to boil add grated coconut and salt to it.
• Lower the heat and slowly add the flour and combine it with a wooden spoon.
• Remove from the heat and let cool down a bit.
• You need to knead the dough when it is still warm.
• Knead the dough thoroughly till it has incorporated well and has become smooth.
• If the dough is too dry, sprinkle little warm water to make it smooth.
• You could roll the dough into round shape in a tortilla maker or using your hands.
• Make medium sized balls out of the dough.
• Cut a large ziploc bag into two halves or use plastic sheets.
• Place the ziploc bag on a cutting board, grease the bag with some oil.
• Place the dough on it and using your palm of your hand gently press the dough and make it into a round shape.
• It should be a thick round, don’t have to make it too thin.
• If you have a tortilla maker, use that to press the dough into round shape.
• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
• Grease the skillet with oil.
• Place the orotti dough over it, when the bottom side starts to cook flip it over.
• Let small golden brown spots form on the bottom side, flip it over.
• Gently press on the sides using the spatula, let small golden brown spots form on the bottom side.
• Remove from the skillet. 
• Make sure to grease the skillet before making each orotti, otherwise there are chances that it might stick to the skillet.
• Also, grease the ziploc bag or plastic sheet before rolling the dough to avoid sticking to it.
• Serve along with your favorite curry, preferably fish, chicken or mutton curry.

A fried, puffed up yogurt flatbread treat…

This was one of the flatbreads my mom used to make as a special treat when I was young. Also, when I had visited my cousin last year this was served along with the Spicy Chicken curry and thus caught my special attention. Since then making this was on my “must to do in my kitchen” list. I added fresh and thick yogurt to knead the dough. The fried bhatura came out puffed up and tasted really rich and delish. It was easy to prepare and the dough can be made ahead of time. The warm homemade bhaturas will become the center of attraction of all foodies at any party.

Bhatura or Fried Yogurt Flatbread

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour or Maida- 2 1/4 cups
• Thick yogurt- 1 cup
• Egg- 1
• Baking soda- a pinch
• Salt- to taste
• Sesame seeds, black or white (optional)- 1 tbsp
• Vegetable oil- enough for frying

Preparation:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt
• Break an egg to this and mix well.

• Now, add thick yogurt little by little and knead the flour for few minutes until soft.

• The dough is supposed to be sticky, so avoid adding more flour while kneading to make it a hard tough dough.
• Cover the dough with a wet paper towel and keep aside for 2-3 hrs.
• After 2-3 hrs, add sesame seeds to the dough and combine well.
• Make medium sized balls out of the dough.
• The dough will be sticky, while rolling the dough we will add flour to make it easy to roll.
• Sprinkle flour on a wooden board or on a clean counter top for rolling the dough, place a dough ball on it.
• Sprinkle little flour on the dough and roll the dough using a rolling pin.

• This dough cannot be rolled thin just like chapatis, so roll to an inch thick small round shape or oval shape.

• Roll all the dough balls and keep aside for frying them.

• Heat a deep fryer or a skillet over medium heat, add oil.
• When the oil has turned hot, place the rolled dough into the oil and fry both sides until golden brown and puffed up.

• Transfer the fried bhatura to a platter lined with paper towel.
• Fry all the bhaturas and serve hot with chicken curry or lamb curry or vegetable korma.

Tips:

• Bhatura should be served hot, cold bhaturas will turn hard and tough.
• You could knead the dough ahead of time, but fry the bhaturas just before serving them.