Soft, flexible, and aromatic roti but with veggies and tons of protein hidden in it. These rotis are also easy to make, only require three main ingredients and you won't need any special equipment or an open flame stove!
Roti to me is the heart and soul of every saucy Indian dish, be it a creamy curry, or buttery makhani, or anything with gravy really, the meal wouldn't be complete without dipping a warm, steamy piece of roti into the sauce and scooping up all the yumminess... I love it so much that I made this pink version as a love letter to roti and all flatbread alike ;)
Making roti at home seemed daunting to me at first, I do not have a tawa - the thick, flat, cast iron pan that rotis are traditionally cooked on; or an open flame stove. So instead I just made mine with a thick, good quality nonstick pan on my electric glass stovetop, and I can assure you it works perfectly fine!
However, I did make the effort to find authentic atta flour, which is essentially whole wheat flour but with a few differences, the wheat grown in India for atta flour is a slightly different species and is softer, also atta flour is stone-ground to a very fine powder, much more refined than regular whole wheat flour in my opinions.
I also used a beetroot and tofu paste instead of water to make the dough and that gives the rotis a splash of vibrant pink color, a lot more vitamin, fiber, and protein, and a subtle sweetness that's such a lovely surprise. And of course, the paste provides enough moisture to the dough, which is really crucial to achieving soft rotis instead of a hard, rubbery, unpleasant texture.
Watch the video below to see how to knead the dough and roll out the roti. And if you have any additional questions, you can find me on Instagram and Tiktok.INGREDIENTS:
1 medium beetroot, about 1 1/2 cup cubed
6 oz silken tofu
2 cup atta flour, or whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup warm water
More flour for dusting
More vegetable oil for cooking
TO MAKE:
- Trim the root off the beetroot, wrap in foil, and bake at 400°F for 55 - 60 minutes, until a fork can easily pierce the beet, or you can also boil it;
- Peel and cut the beet into cubes, transfer into a food processor or blend with the silken tofu, blend till it's a smooth paste. Work quickly here, be careful not to burn yourself but the paste should be warm from the baked beets and not cooled down;
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt, mix well;
- Pour in the beet tofu mixture, should be about 1 cup, and start to mix and bring the dough together;
- Add a little bit of warm water at a time as needed, knead with your knuckles till the dough is soft and smooth;
- Cover with a cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes;
- When the dough is rested, add in the vegetable oil, and knead to mix it in, the dough should be soft but not sticky, nor cracking;
- Divide the dough into 8 portions for big rotis, or 16 for small rotis, roll each portion into a ball between your hands;
- Dust your work surface with some flour, flatten the dough ball, use a rolling pin to roll in one direction then rotate to create the round shape, it should be 1 1/2 to 2 mm thick, thin but not breaking when you pick it up;
- Heat up your thick pan on high heat, place the rolled out dough onto it and wait till the bubbles appear, about 50 - 60 seconds;
- Flip, and let it bubble up from the other side, for another 30-40 seconds;
- Brush on a very thin layer of oil on both side and cook for another 10 seconds on each side;
- Remove to a place and cover with a lid immediately, this is to trap the steam and moisture in so the roti does not harden;
- Repeat to finish the rest of the dough, roll out and cook as you go;
- Serve hot immediately, with some curry or any saucy dish, enjoy!
