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Gur wali roti
Jaggery flatbread
گڑ والی روٹی (gur wali roti): a sweet Punjabi jaggery roti with fennel, cooked crisp in ghee
In the cane-growing districts of Punjab, from Jhang to Mandi Bahauddin, the season when fresh gur comes out of the village kolhu is also the season for this roti, its dough kneaded with jaggery water instead of plain water so it turns a deep caramel brown on the tawa. It is crisp-edged and chewy in the middle with a toffee-like sweetness and the anise note of fennel, and mothers wrap it in a cloth for children to take to school or to the fields with a flask of tea. Some families add sesame, others a little ghee in the dough; both are good. The usual mistake is cooking it on a high flame, which burns the sugar in the jaggery black before the inside has cooked. Chef's tip: dissolve the gur in warm water and let it cool before kneading, otherwise the dough turns sticky and impossible to roll.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 3 ⅛ oz jaggery (gur)grated or chopped
- ½ cup warm water
- 9 oz wholewheat flour (chapati atta)plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp fennel seedslightly crushed
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds (optional)
For cooking
- 2 tbsp ghee
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Stir 3 ⅛ oz jaggery (gur) into ½ cup warm water until dissolved, then leave to cool to lukewarm.
Step 2: Mix 9 oz wholewheat flour (chapati atta), 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 pinch salt and 1 tbsp white sesame seeds in a bowl and rub in 1 tbsp ghee.
Step 3: Pour in the jaggery water gradually and knead for 4 minutes into a firm, smooth dough; cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Divide into four balls and roll each into a 15 cm round about 5 mm thick, dusting with atta.
Step 5: Cook on a tawa over a medium-low heat for about 1 1/2 minutes until the underside darkens in spots, then flip.
3 minStep 6: Brush with 2 tbsp ghee, flip again and cook for 1–2 minutes more on each side, pressing gently, until both faces are deep brown and the edges feel crisp; lower the heat if it darkens too fast.
3 minStep 7: Cool for a minute on a rack so it crisps, then serve warm with tea.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gur wali roti take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of jaggery (gur)?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
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