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Khoba roti
Thick pinched wholewheat flatbread
Rajasthan's thick, pinched wholewheat roti that holds pools of ghee
IndianPinched by hand into rows of tiny craters, khoba roti is the festive everyday bread of Rajasthan's Marwar and Mewar homes, made when guests come or for a Sunday thali. It is thick, almost a centimetre, with a crisp, toasty crust and a soft, chewy middle, and every hollow on top becomes a little cup for melted ghee. Serve it with panchmel dal, ker sangri, gatte ki sabzi or a fiery garlic chutney. The commonest mistake is a hot tawa: the outside chars while the thick centre stays doughy, so keep the flame low and be patient. Chef's tip: dip your thumb and finger in water between pinches; damp fingertips lift the dough into crisp ridges without tearing it.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz wholewheat flour (atta)plus extra for dusting
- 2 tbsp fine semolina
- ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain)crushed between your palms
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp gheemelted
- ¾ cup warm waterroughly
To finish
- 2 ⅛ oz gheemelted
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz wholewheat flour (atta), 2 tbsp fine semolina, ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain) and ¾ tsp salt. Rub in 2 tbsp ghee until the flour feels like damp sand.
Step 2: Add ¾ cup warm water a little at a time and knead into a firm but smooth dough, stiffer than chapati dough. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 3: Divide into 4 balls. Pat and roll each into a 13–14 cm round about 8 mm–1 cm thick, dusting with a little flour; keep the edges as thick as the middle.
Step 4: Heat a tawa or heavy frying pan over medium-low heat. Lay a roti on it and cook for about 1 minute, just until the underside sets.
1 minStep 5: Flip it. Working quickly with damp fingertips, pinch the cooked top into small raised ridges in circles from the edge to the centre, leaving no flat patches.
Step 6: Turn the heat to low and cook for 3–4 minutes on the plain side, pressing the edges down with a cloth, until it is firm and dotted with brown spots.
4 minStep 7: Flip again and roast the pinched side for 2–3 minutes, until the ridges are golden and crisp. If you have a gas flame, hold it over the flame with tongs for a few seconds to toast the peaks.
3 minStep 8: Tap the base: it should sound hollow and the roti should feel light for its size. Spoon 2 ⅛ oz ghee into the hollows while hot, keep wrapped in a cloth and cook the rest.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 54 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khoba roti take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 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 ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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