Kashi Delights: Akki Rotti (Rice-flour bread)

No. of servings: 4	Soak Time: 10 mins
Preparation Time: 10 mins	Cook Time: 25 mins

This typical Karnataka style delicacy will be a hot favorite for anyone that tries it! Gluten-free and made with varieties of vegetables, it is well roasted, yet soft. Tastes delicious with ghee, chutney, chutney powder, yogurt or pickle. Be sure to check out exclusive tips and videos for making it!

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 3 cups
Shredded vegetable - 2 cups (Coconut or Onions or Cabbage or Carrots or Radish or Bell Peppers or Squash or Dill leaves or Methi leaves or Alpha alpha sprouts, as per choice)
Green chili paste - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ajwain - 1 tsp
Sugar - 0.25 tsp
Salt

Gadgets required:

Two thin pans that are seasoned well
A strong and straight spatula without any angles
Silicone or rubber grip to handle the hot pans

NOTE: If this kind of pans are not available, it can be made on a heat-seasoned banana leaf (gently warming the leaf from the bottom, holding it flat, but away from the flame)
OR can use the waxy side of a freezer paper to make these rottis!

Method:

Shred or grate the vegetables chosen (shouldn't be too chunky). Can use in combination or just one vegetable
Add all the ingredients to the dry rice flour, along with the vegetables and mix in
Leave this aside for 10 minutes
Crumble with soft hands, now that the vegetables would have released some water into the flour upon coming in contact with salt
Add warm water, little by little (don't add too much) and mix the dough with a gentle hand
The dough should be slightly softer than chapati dough, yet firm enough to make balls in the hand
Smear oil on a cold pan, take a ball of the prepared dough and pat it onto it, spreading towards the edges
When patted evenly, make a small hole in the middle, cover it with a lid, place it on the stove and roast
Remove the lid when the dough doesn't look raw anymore
Allow it to roast to the desired level on one side only (no flipping over)
Remove it into a plate with the spatula
Serve it hot with any prefered chutney or ghee or butter or yogurt (optional)
See the below tips for some points to keep in mind

Tips and Tricks:

Amount of water needed for the dough depends on the vegetable chosen. Some release more water, some don't
Sitting the veggies in dry flour for a few minutes will ensure that there won't be excess water leaching out later
Water oozing out of the vegetable is more flavorful
The little sugar added will help in caramelizing and crisping the bottom to a nice golden brown
A straight spatula will ensure ease of removing the cooked rotti from the pan, without breaking
The hole in the middle will ensure even roasting, without trapping air in the centre
Pat the next one on the 2nd pan and be ready while the first one is cooking
To cool the pan quickly and continue with making more: hold the pan with the grip and take it to the sink. Reverse it, taking the support of the spatula. Run it under cold water as shown in the video to cool it off and be ready to make the next one immediately. DO NOT put water on a hot pan on the top side! This will strip the seasoned layer and the food will stick to it the next time.
Be careful handling the pan when it is hot. It just takes a little practice, but not too difficult
After cooling in this method, the pan is ready to make the next one right away without any waiting time
To 'season' new pans, apply oil generously and leave the pans in the sun for the whole day. Repeat for 4-5 days. Then, wash without over scrubbing the layer of oil that is 'baked into the pan' in the sun