Phulka

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Ingredients
2-1/2 cups wheat flour
salt
thin buttermilk or water.

METHOD

Knead soft dough with above ingredients. Break off to a table tennis - ball sized (even smaller) bit of dough.

Roll with help of dry flour to a thin round. Roll as thin as possible (about 2 mm thik).

Heat griddle (tawa) and place phulka it.

When dry on one side, turn. When brown spots appear on second side, turn again. Use a kitchen towel and lightly press and Phulka, rotating at same time. It will puff. Make as crisp as desired.

Apply ghee on crisp side and serve hot. Practice is required to make the Phulka puff fully, so don't lose heart. Serve hot with vegetable curries

Naan

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3 cups self-raising flour (maida)
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup curds fresh
salt to taste
1/2 tsp baking soda (soda - bicarb)
warm milk for kneading.
METHOD

Sieve together dry ingredients into a large rimmed plate. Add butter curds, oil and crumble with fingers. When does is like course crumbs, add milk a little at a time, till a soft pliable dough is formed. Cover with wet muslin cloth. Cover with another plate and keep aside for 5 - 6 hours.

Knead dough lightly. Break of piece, the size of a medium potato and roll into a thick triangle, using dry dough if required.

Place on a pre-warmed griddle (tawa). Apply water on the top part with hands Invert naan and stick to griddle. Invert griddle and roast over the gas flame direct (or nothing like toasting over bar-b-que coals). Serve hot with a blob of butter on it.

Crisp Jaadi (Fat) Roti

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2 cups wheat flour
1/4 cups fine semolina
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
hot or warm water to knead.
METHOD

Mix all ingredients and make very stiff dough. Take dough the size of a cricket ball.

Knead till smooth and round. Roll to a thick chappati. About 1-1 1/2 cm thick. Prick with a knife - point.

Place on a hot griddle on lowest heat. Let one side dry. Then let other side get crisp. Meanwhile pinch the roti on upper side in a circular motion till small mounds are formed on the whole roti. Use a mesh with stand over direct flame to roast the pinched side. Keep flame low to get crisp rotis.

Serve with ghee and with lots of dal and rice or with curds. It may be crumbled and dipped in dal too.

Tandoori Roti (without Tandoor)

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Ingredients
2 cups slightly coarse wheat flour
1/4 cups maida
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp curd
salt to taste.

Knead slightly stiff dough cover and keep for 2 hours.
Take naan sized dough and make a ball.
Roll to a thickish roti (4-5 mm thick).
Heat griddle (tawa) place on tawa and dry one side.
Wet upper side with water and invert.

Invert griddle and roast over gas flame (or if available a barb- que coalfire). It will fall off when done.

Serve hot with desired vegetables.

Palak (Spinach) Phulka

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Ingredients
3 cups wheat flour
1/2 cup curds fresh
1 bunch spinach, chopped, washed, drained
1 tsp. ghee or oil
salt to taste

METHOD


Blend spinach curds in mixie, till smooth.
Sieve together flour and salt.
Add spinach mixture, a little at a time.
Knead simultaneously, to make a soft pliable dough.
Keep covered for 10-15 minutes.
Brush ghee over dough.
Knead again, till smooth and elastic.
Take a pingpong ball sized lump, make round.
Roll into a thin chappaati using dry flour to dust.
Heat tawa (griddle), cook on one side, turn.
Allow brown spots to appear on the other side.
Turn again, puff up by pressing lightly with a wad of cloth.
If desired drizzle butter or ghee over it.
Serve hot with veggies, or dal.
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 13-15 rotis
Shelflife: Dough refrigerated 1 day Rotis, 2 days
Variation: Add a few sprigs of mint leaves to the spinach to give that exotic aroma of mint, to the roti.

Roghni Naan

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Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
2 tsp. dry yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. curds
1/2 cup warm milk
1 tbsp. milk extra
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tbsp. raisins
1/4 tsp. saffron strands

METHOD


Sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm milk.
Keep aside for 30 minutes of till very frothy.
Rub saffron into remaining 1 tbsp. milk. Keep aside.
Mix flour and salt in large plate. Form well in centre.
Pour curds and yeast solution in it and keep for 10 minutes.
Add curds and knead into soft elastic dough.
Put dough in a deep vessel and keep aside covered for 10 hours or overnight.
Divide dough into 5 parts. Make rounds, place on a greased baking try.
Keep aside for 15 minutes. Roll into thick oval or triangle.
Keep centre slightly thinner than edges. Preheat oven at 350C.
Sprinkle some saffron water, khuskhus, and raisins over naan.
Wet bottom and stick to baking tray. Make as many will fit in tray.
Bake for 4-5 minutes or till done.
Remove, drizzle some butter over it if desired.
Serve hot with curries or gravied vegetables.
Making time: 1 hour (excluding maturing)
Makes: 5 naans
Shelflife: dough

Moongdi

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Ingredients
1/2 cup math (tiny brown gram like green gram) dal
if not available use green moong dal
2 cups wheat flour
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds crushed coarsely
1 tsp. coriander seeds crushed coarsely
2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala (optional)
3-4 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
2 tbsp. ghee
oil to shallow fry

METHOD


Wash and soak dal for 4 hours, drain, skins intact.
Mix all ingredients, except oil.
Add very little water at a time, and knead into a pliable dough.
Take a small lump at a time, make round.
Using dry flour for dusting, roll into round as thin as possible.
Roast on griddle, cooking on both sides.
Drizzle a little oil on each side
Press with a small wooden presser till both sides are crisp.
Serve hot, or cool very well before storing in a tight container.
Serve with pickles, jam, chutney or curds.
Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 15-16 moongdis
Shelflife: 2 weeks or more

Kulcha

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Ingredients
3 cups plain flour
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. dry yeast
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup warm milk
2 tbsp. curds
salt to taste
more milk for kneading if required

METHOD


Sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water.
Keep aside for 5 minutes or till frothy.
Mix salt and flour, take in a large plate.
Make well in centre. Put curds in well.
Sprinkle baking powder over curds.
Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes.
Pour oil, yeast solution, in well and mix gradually.
Use milk as required, to make a soft stiff dough.
Brush dough will oil. Cover with inverted bowl.
Keep aside for 4 hours. Longer if weather is cold.
Grease palms well and punch dough till soft and elastic.
Cover again and keep aside for 10 minutes.
Break of a lump of dough.
Roll or pat to a thick round about 6" diam.
Roast on hot griddle, or tandoor, till golden spots appear.
Or shallow fry on griddle.
Serve hot with gravied vegetables, dals, etc.
Making time: 45 minutes (excluding keeping time)
Makes: 6-7 kulchas
Shelflife: best fresh, or refrigerate dough till used.

Note: Do make kulchas perfectly round, the charm is in rolling them oval or pulled from one end.

Kashmiri Roti

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Ingredients
3 cups wheat flour
1 tsp. black pepper freshly ground
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds coarsely crushed
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. ajwain seeds (omum)
4 -5 pinches asafoetida
1 tbsp. butter
salt to taste
ghee for shallow frying
warm milk to knead dough

METHOD


Sieve together flour and salt.
Add all other ingredients except ghee and milk.
Mix well. Knead into a soft pliable dough.
Divide dough into 10 parts.
Roll into a thick paratha.
Prick with a knife or fork all over.
Heat griddle, roast on both sides.
Drizzle a little ghee on both sides.
Shallow fry both sides till crisp and golden spots appear.
Serve hot, with dals or vegetables, as desired.
Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 10 rotis
Shelflife: Best fresh

Spicy Garlic Ginger Roti

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Ingredients
2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tbsp. ghee

Mix together:
4 tbsp. dry wheat flour
1 tbsp. rice flour
2 tsp. ginger grated
2 tsp. garlic grated
4 tbsp. coriander leaves chopped very fine
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Other ingredients:
salt to taste
1/2 cup ghee approx.

METHOD


Mix wheat, plain flour and salt.
Rub in the 2 tbsp. ghee.
Add warm water to form soft pliable dough.
Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.
The spicy mixture should be dry.
To proceed:


Divide dough into 9 portions.
Make ball and roll into a chappati of 7" diam.
Use dry flour for dusting while rolling.
Brush chappati with ghee.
Sprinkle some of the mixture over it.
Roll one more, place over the first.
Apply ghee, sprinkle mixture.
Follow with one more roti, ending with spicy mixture.
Gently press down, roll into a tight swiss roll.
Cut the roll into 3 parts.
Dust with dry flour, keep aside.
Repeat for other six rotis, making 2 more rolls.
Take one piece, twist and flatten gently.
Dust with flour and roll to a thick chappati.
Shallow fry on hot griddle, drizzling ghee on both sides.
Press lightly and fry to a golden brown.
Repeat with other pieces.
Serve hot with fresh curds, sauce, jam or chutney.
Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 9 rotis
Shelf life: 2 days

Note: Leftover cold roti makes an excellent snack with your afternoon tea or coffee.

Variations: Make a sweet filling of dry flours, flaked dessicated coconut and powdered sugar, if desired.