Recipe For ‘Missi Roti’ – Indian Chickpea Flatbread Flavoured With Spices

Missi Roti is a popular dish from the North Indian state of Punjab. It is a delicious combination of whole wheat and gram flour dough spiced with freshly ground Masalas/spices and pan fried. It is a winter dish and traditionally cooked in a ‘Tandoor’ or Clay Oven. This is a simpler version of the recipe cooked on a griddle/pan, that brings the same taste as a Tandoor. It’s a flavour bomb when you taste the roasted flour with onions and fresh spices, along with a generous wallop of butter on the top.

(Makes 8 Rotis/Flatbreads)

Ingredients

For The Dough

• 1 cup Chickpea flour
• 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup All purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Corn Flour
• 1/4 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder (preferably freshly ground)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 2 tsp Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 tsp Carom seeds (Ajwain)
• 1/2 inch Ginger Grated
• 1 tsp Green chilli Finely chopped

For The Topping

• 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 tbsp Onion Finely Chopped
• 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander Finely Chopped
• Clarified Butter/Ghee for applying on top

Procedure:

Making The Dough

1. Add all the ingredients mentioned under the “Dough” section in a bowl. Mix well, preferably with your fingers which gives a finer touch.
2. Add enough water to the bowl to be able to knead the dough into a soft one.
3. Cover the dough with a warm clean cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes to let it rise.

Preparing The Topping

1. Roast coriander and cumin seeds dry in a pan till they are slightly browned.
2. Once browned, crush the seeds using a mortar and pestle to make a coarse powder. Avoid using a blender for this as we don’t require a fine powder.
3. Chop the onions and coriander leaves.
4. Mix them both with the coarse powder.

Finally Preparing the Roti/Flatbread

1. Heat a basic Griddle until it is very hot. Even a regular pan would do, if a griddle is not available.
2. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
3. Roll each part into a smooth ball.
4. Dip the dough ball into the topping mixture thoroughly.
5. Keep the side with the topping, down, and dust and flatten the ball into the shape of a 3 inch disc.
6. Sprinkle very little water on top of the roti.
7. Transfer the roti with the water side down on the griddle/pan.
8. Turn the pan upside down on the flame and put the roti on direct flame until brown spots appear. Keep moving the roti to roast it from all over.
9. Turn the griddle/pan and cook the roti for another minute.
10. Apply ghee/white butter on top and remove it from the griddle.
11. Repeat the same for the rest of the dough parts.
12. Serve hot with a rich tomato based curry for a flavour explosion in the mouth!