Beetroot Rice Flour Rotis/Beetroot Flatbread

50 (includes cooling time of dough)

Serves 10 Rotis

Author: Rajni Ram

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Roti is a flat bread made with whole wheat flour or refined flour. The dough is unleavened. Rotis form the staple food of most Indians on the northern side. Rotis can be of different kinds like, Chapati, Phulka, Tandoori roti, Roomali roti, Missi roti and more. All the mentioned varieties differ in either the flour proportions or the method how they are cooked.

Beetroot Rice Rotis are the softest and are made with steamed rice flour, and Beetroot stock. This is an extension of my Rice Flour Rotis recipe. Usually when we cook Beetroot, we tend to throw away the stock(cooked water), unless using it in a soup. I used the stock, instead of plain water to staem the rice flour. Unlike the Akki Roti these rotis do not have chopped onions and other spices added to them. If made correctly, they also fluff up like a phulka. Since they are made with rice flour these Rotis are gluten free and perfect for people with gluten resistance.

The dough for these Rotis is like the one made for Modak/kozhakattai. Tt is important to make the dough well. I have cooked the Rotis with store bough rice flour, so some cracks towards the edge are seen. A smooth flour will ensure no cracks at all. The flour can also be made by pounding rice to a fine flour at home itself in a mixie. Another way to exclude the cracks on the edges(if they bother you), is to cut the edges with a cookie cutter.

Follow the directions as mentioned to get the best out of the recipe. While you are here also checkout other Roti/Paratha recipes on the blog like- Missi Roti, Garlic Naan, Sweet potato puran poli, Aloo Methi Paratha, Garlic Lachcha paratha, Beetroot Paratha, Chinese Paratha, and more…

Ingredients

Rice flour (fine) 2 cups
Beetroot Stock 3 cups
Green Chilli Paste 1 tsp (use freshly crushed )
Oil 1 tbsp (sesame or refined)
Salt 1/2 tsp
Finely chopped Coriander leaves 1 tbsp

Take the Beetroot stock in a Kadai or heavy bottomed vessel, add salt, oil, and Green Chilli paste and bring it to a roll boil. Add the chopped Coriander leaves, and lower the flame.
Now add the flour a little at a time, stirring continuously, just as you do for Upma. When the mixture appears crumbly, turn off the flame and cover the vessel.
Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. Now open the lid, and sprinkling water a little, bring the dough together. Knead well, to form a smooth dough. Apply little oil. There is no resting time for the dough, since it is gluten free. Keep covered until ready to use.
When ready to make the Rotis/flatbreads, divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Take a butter/parchment paper, and dust it with rice flour. Dust the dough ball also with a little flour, and roll it out to a thin Roti. If you find rolling cumbersome, you can also spread the dough using your fingers, applying gentle and equal pressure(wetting your fingers in water each time).
Heat a Tava/Pan and invert the Roti, along with the parchment paper(paper side facing up). Now gently peel away the paper. Cook the Roti on one side(dust away any flour on the Roti), flip and cook on the other(10 seconds on each side). Now using a tong pick the Roti, and put it over the flame directly. Flip the Roti over the flame and cook the other side.(refer notes)

Take the Beetroot stock in a Kadai or heavy bottomed vessel, add salt, oil, and Green Chilli paste and bring it to a roll boil. Add the chopped Coriander leaves, and lower the flame. Now add the flour a little at a time, stirring continuously, just as you do for Upma. When the mixture appears crumbly, turn off the flame and cover the vessel. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. Now open the lid, and sprinkling water a little, bring the dough together. Knead well, to form a smooth dough. Apply little oil. There is no resting time for the dough, since it is gluten free. Keep covered until ready to use. When ready to make the Rotis/flatbreads, divide the dough into 10 equal portions. Take a butter/parchment paper, and dust it with rice flour. Dust the dough ball also with a little flour, and roll it out to a thin Roti. If you find rolling cumbersome, you can also spread the dough using your fingers, applying gentle and equal pressure(wetting your fingers in water each time). Heat a Tava/Pan and invert the Roti, along with the parchment paper(paper side facing up). Now gently peel away the paper. Cook the Roti on one side(dust away any flour on the Roti), flip and cook on the other(10 seconds on each side). Now using a tong pick the Roti, and put it over the flame directly. Flip the Roti over the flame and cook the other side.(refer notes)

Notes:

If you don’t have Beetroot stock, you can make it by cooking a mall beetroot in 3 cups water and reserving the stock.
I have not used fresh Beets juice, as not everyone likes the earthy taste(my favorite). Cooking minimises the earthy flavour.
The thinner you roll the Roti, the more chances of it puffing up.
When you cook the Roti on a Tava, dust away any specks of remaining dusting flour. If there is a lot of flour on the roti, when you cook it over direct flame, the flour begins to burn, thereby charring the Roti.
Instead of Phulka style(cooking on Tava partially, finishing it over direct flame), the Rice flour rotis can be cooked completely over the Tava/pan too. Drizzling a little oil or ghee if you wish.