Akki Rotti

Akki Rotti (Karnataka Rice Flatbread)

A traditional Karnataka breakfast flatbread made from freshly ground rice flour, often enriched with grated vegetables, dill, and curry leaves, then cooked on a griddle until crisp outside and tender within.

Prep

25 min

Cook

20 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (2½ cups) raw rice (sona masuri or any short/medium-grain white rice), traditionally freshly ground to a fine flour; store-bought rice flour works but gives a less flavourful roti
• •150 ml (⅔ cup) hot water, just off the boil, to partially cook the flour
• •100 g (1 medium) onion, finely chopped
• •60 g (1 cup loosely packed) fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• •40 g (1 cup loosely packed) fresh dill leaves (sabbasige soppu), traditional; can substitute with extra coriander if unavailable
• •30 g (¼ cup) grated carrot, optional but common
• •30 g (¼ cup) grated coconut, fresh or frozen, thawed
• •2 g (1 tsp) ginger, finely grated
• •1 g (1 small piece) green chilli, finely chopped; adjust to taste
• •8 g (1 tbsp) curry leaves, finely chopped
• •5 g (1 tsp) cumin seeds (jeera)
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, or to taste
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) oil or ghee, for cooking the rottis, plus extra for greasing hands
• •120 ml (½ cup) cold water, approximate, for binding the dough

Steps

1. 1 If grinding fresh flour: wash the rice 2–3 times, drain, spread on a clean cloth and sun-dry for 1–2 hours until just damp-dry, then grind to a fine flour in a domestic mill or powerful blender. Skip to step 2 if using store-bought rice flour.
2. 2 Place the rice flour in a large mixing bowl. Pour the 150 ml of just-boiled water over the flour in a thin stream while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula; this partially cooks the starch and keeps the roti from cracking. Let it cool for 3–4 minutes until comfortable to handle.
3. 3 Add the chopped onion, coriander, dill, carrot, coconut, ginger, green chilli, curry leaves, cumin seeds and salt. Mix well with your fingertips until evenly combined.
4. 4 Slowly add the cold water, a tablespoon at a time, and knead gently into a soft, pliable dough. The dough should hold together when pressed without sticking to the palm; add water sparingly and do not make it sticky. Grease your hands with a drop of oil if the dough sticks.
5. 5 Cover the dough with a damp cloth and rest for 10 minutes so the flour fully hydrates.
6. 6 Heat a cast-iron tava or heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes; it should be hot but not smoking.
7. 7 Wet a square of muslin or a clean plastic sheet (traditionally a banana leaf is used) with water and place it on the counter. Grease it lightly with a few drops of oil.
8. 8 Take a lemon-sized ball of dough (about 60 g), place it on the wet cloth, and pat it out with oiled fingertips into a thin round about 12–15 cm across and 3–4 mm thick. Traditional akki rotti is rustic and slightly uneven at the edges.
9. 9 Make 3–4 small holes in the surface with your fingertip and drizzle a few drops of oil into each hole.
10. 10 Carefully invert the cloth over the hot tava so the roti lands on it, then peel the cloth away. Drizzle ½ tsp oil around the edges.
11. 11 Cook on medium heat for 2–3 minutes until the underside develops golden-brown spots. Flip and cook the second side for 1–2 minutes, pressing gently with a spatula so it cooks evenly. Total cooking time is roughly 3–4 minutes per roti.
12. 12 Repeat with the remaining dough, kneading briefly between batches to keep the dough soft. Stack cooked rottis on a plate and keep covered with a clean kitchen towel.
13. 13 Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or a thin dal (sambar). Akki rotti is best eaten fresh off the tawa, as it stiffens as it cools.