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Kalai ruti
Urad dal and rice flour bread
কালাই রুটি (kalai ruti): Chapai Nawabganj's thick urad-dal and rice-flour bread with chilli-onion bhorta
In Chapai Nawabganj and Rajshahi, kalai ruti stalls fire up as the weather turns cold, and the bread has become such a regional symbol that people from Dhaka make the trip just to eat it. Flour ground from mashkalai, or urad dal, is mixed with rice flour and hot water, then patted by hand between wet palms into thick rounds and baked on a clay tawa until speckled and toasty. The texture is dense, soft and slightly chewy, with an earthy, nutty taste. It is always eaten with something sharp: a raw bhorta of onion, green chilli and mustard oil, a smoky begun bhorta, or duck or beef curry in winter. Over-wet dough is what defeats most first attempts; it should be soft but hold its shape when patted. Chef's tip: keep a bowl of water beside you and wet your palms before shaping each ruti, which stops sticking and gives the characteristic smooth surface.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the ruti
- 3 ½ oz rice flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup waterhand-hot, roughly
For the chilli-onion bhorta
- 2 onionsvery finely chopped
- 4 green chilliesvery finely chopped
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 /2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 7 oz gluten-free urad dal flour (mashkalai flour), 3 ½ oz rice flour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl, pour in most of 1 cup water and stir, then knead with your hand into a soft, sticky-smooth dough, adding the rest only if needed. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
3 minStep 2: For the bhorta, mix 2 onions, 4 green chillies, 2 tbsp mustard oil, 1 /2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp fresh coriander, squeezing with your fingers so the onion softens a little.
3 minStep 3: Heat a heavy cast-iron tawa, griddle or clay pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Divide the dough into 4. With wet hands, pat one portion between your palms, turning it, into a round about 15 cm wide and 1 cm thick.
Step 5: Lay it on the dry tawa and cook for 4–5 minutes until the underside has brown spots and the ruti lifts easily.
5 minStep 6: Turn and cook the other side for 4 minutes, pressing the edges, until it sounds hollow when tapped. Keep warm under a cloth.
4 minStep 7: Shape and cook the rest, then serve hot with the bhorta.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kalai ruti take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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