Bajra Roti also known as Bajre ki Roti or Bajra Bhakri are gluten-free flatbreads made from pearl millet flour (a.k.a bajra flour). These healthy flatbreads pair deliciously with any Indian lentil or vegetable-based curry.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8 · 8 Bajra Roti
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 to 2.5 cups pearl millet flour ((bajra flour))
  • 1 teaspoon sunflower oil (or ghee (clarified butter))
  • 1 cup water (or add as required)
  • salt (as required)
  • bajra flour (or whole wheat flour for dusting, as needed)
  • sunflower oil (or ghee for applying on the roti, as needed)

Method

Kneading dough

  1. Heat or warm the water. Add salt and oil. Stir to mix.
  2. Add the bajra flour. Stir with a spoon first. When the heat is fine to handle, knead into a smooth and soft dough.
  3. If the dough becomes sticky, then add more flour.
  4. If the dough is crumbly or dry, then add some water.

Making bajra roti

  1. Meanwhile heat a tawa or a flat fry pan or skillet.
  2. Make small to medium sized balls from the dough. Take one dough ball and flatten it slightly with your palms.
  3. Dust lightly with flour on both sides. Use parchment sheets or ziplock bag for rolling.
  4. Place the dough ball between two parchment sheets or inside a ziplock bag.
  5. With a rolling pin, roll gently to a flat round shape.
  6. Remove gently from the ziplock bag and place the rolled roti on the hot tawa or skillet.
  7. Cook till both sides have brown spots and done on a medium-high to high heat.
  8. When one side is partly cooked, flip and cook the second side. Flip a few times for even roasting of the roti. You should see brown spots or blisters on both sides. Take care not to burn the roti.
  9. When roasted well enough, remove and spread a bit of oil or ghee on one side.
  10. Make bajre ki roti this way in batches and stack them up in a roti basket.
  11. You can also opt to pan fry the bajra roti like paratha with oil or ghee directly in the tawa/frying pan.
  12. Serve Bajre ki Roti hot or warm with a vegetable side dish or curry.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.