Makki ki Roti (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Makki Ki Roti is a traditional Indian recipe prepared with corn meal or makki ka atta. It is a very popular bread in Punjab during winters and is best paired with Sarson Ka Saag. Here is how to make it.

Here are a few Indian breads, that you can make at home for your everyday meals other than Phulka – Khamiri Roti, Tandoori Roti, Multigrain Roti, Bajre Ki Roti and Masala Jowar Roti.

About This Recipe

Makki Ki Roti, a vegan and gluten free Indian bread that comes from the state of Punjab and is popularly eaten with sarson ka saag and jaggery with a dollop of desi ghee. It is popularly prepared during winters, due to its phenomenal nutritional benefits.

While makki ki roti and sarson ka saag is a bomb combination, this corn meal bread tastes great with almost all the Indian curries. Not only in Punjab, it is quite popular in Rajasthan too, where it is eaten with kadhi.

Crispy on the outside and soft from inside, I often prepare makki ki roti with my other everyday curries, as it is healthy and gives us a break from our regular phulkas. Basking in the winter sun and enjoying the morsels of this popular Punjabi roti with delicious curries and jaggery is a gastronomic extravaganza.

This Makki Ki Roti is,

• Vegan
• Gluten free
• Easy to make
• Perfect for winters

Ingredients

You just need 3 ingredients to make Makki Ki Roti – Makki Ka Atta, Salt and Vegetable Oil.

Makki Ka Atta is yellow in colour and can easily be available in the marts and grocery stores now-a-days. If you cannot find the same, you can also order from online portals such as Amazon etc.

Add salt to taste. Do not add too much salt too, just a little is enough.

Addition of vegetable oil makes the roti soft from inside. You can even use ghee instead of vegetable oil, but that would make it non vegan.

You can also add in some carom seeds or ajwain while kneading the dough, as it is great for digestion.

How to make Makki Ki Roti?

Mix makki ka atta, salt and vegetable oil in a bowl with your fingertips till everything is nicely combined.

Add warm water and knead a soft dough. This dough will behave different than your regular wheat flour dough as there is no gluten in maize flour. Cover and keep the dough aside for 10-15 minutes.

Heat a griddle. Take two sheets of parchment paper.  Divide the dough in 8-10 equal parts. Take one part of the dough and add a few more drops of water to it and knead once more for a few seconds. Keep the dough ball on one of the parchment paper and cover with another.

Gently roll the dough in to a 4-5 inch disc.

Remove the top parchment and flip the roti along with the bottom parchment on the hot griddle. Gently remove the parchment.

Cook the roti from both the sides till brown spots appear.

Hold the roti with a tong and cook it on direct flame from both the sides till nicely browned. Apply ghee on top. Serve hot with white butter, jaggery and sarson ka saag.

Frequently asked Questions:

Variations

With Methi – Add ½ cup chopped methi while making the dough. Then follow the same process as mentioned. You can also add chopped spinach instead of methi.

With Mooli – Add ½ cup grated mooli while making the dough. Then follow the same process as mentioned.

Health Benefits of Makki Ka Atta

“Maize contains phytochemicals like carotenoids, phenolic compounds and phytosterols – providing health benefits in humans and therefore the potential to reduce the risk of major chronic diseases.

Many studies have shown to have anti – HIV activity due to the presence of lectin.

Resistance starch (RS) content in maize is almost 39.4/100 g of RS, which produces short chain fatty acids in the large intestine reducing symptoms of diarrhoea, which altogether reduce the risk of cancer, atherosclerosis, and obesity-related complications.

They can also have a prebiotic effect” – The Health Site

Recipe Summary

Making Makki ki Roti is actually not that difficult as we think. A lot of people roll this roti between plastic sheet which makes it difficult to transfer on the griddle.

I use a parchment paper to roll the roti.

You can just flip the parchment with the roti over the griddle and pull off the parchment while the roti stays on the griddle.

This trick makes the step of rolling and lifting the roti on the griddle very easy.

Do try and let me know if you had any problem using this method. If you want the process of rolling even easier, you can add some wheat flour to make the roties.

It will help develop the gluten and the rolling process will be easier.

This roti is rolled slightly thicker and that is what gives it a great taste.

Rolling it thin like regular roti won’t be as tasty as the thick ones. 

Always cook the Makki ki roti on medium heat. If you cook it on high heat, it will not be cooked from the centre and you will feel the raw taste.

Also adding a little oil in the flour helps to make this roti little moist.

If you are a beginner, you can even add some whole wheat flour to your dough.

It will make the rolling process easier, although if you add wheat flour to it, the roti will be gluten-free anymore.

Make sure to knead the dough very well before you start to roll the roti.

Before rolling each roti, make the dough ball and knead that ball for 20-23 seconds. Add little water if the dough looks dry.

Always use warm water to knead the dough.

Traditionally makki ki roti were made on chulha or tandoor which gave a very nice smoky flavour to the roti. The practice is prevalent in villages even today.

You can add some ajwain (Carom Seeds) in the flour and make Ajwaini Makki di Roti as well.

Serving Suggestions

Makki Ki Roti and Sarson Ka Saag is a match made in heaven. Serve some jaggery, white butter and Mooli Ka Laccha on the side for a wholesome meal.

If you are planning a Rajasthani meal, serve it with some Rajasthani Kadhi or Gatte Ki Sabzi with some pickled onions and Lahsun Ki Chutney on the side.

This roti can however be served with any Indian style curries, dal or dry sabji. In Punjab, no meal is complete without a tall glass of lassi, so make sure you serve it along with this Makki ki Roti Sarson Ka Saag Thali.

Storage Suggestions

I prefer to make Makki Ki Roti fresh, as they taste the best that way. When stored, it tends to become a little dry. But if you have leftovers, cover it in foil paper and store in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat it in microwave for about 15 to 20 seconds, smear some ghee on top and serve.

The same goes with the dough too! i will recommend it to knead it fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an air tight container for about 2 days in the fridge. If you feel it has become a little dry, add in a little water and knead it again.

You might also like:

Chaulai ka Saag

Bajre ki Roti

Missi Roti

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