Ragi rotti — two thick, dark brown finger-millet flatbreads flecked with onion, coriander and green chilli, a dollop of white butter, on a banana leaf with coconut chutney in a small clay bowl

Karnataka · Breakfast

Ragi Rotti

ರಾಗಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ · Finger Millet Flatbread · Ragi Roti

Ragi rotti is a Karnataka flatbread made by hand-patting finger millet flour dough with onion, coconut, herbs and spices. Mix the dough with warm water, pat it thin on a greased banana leaf or baking parchment, and transfer it to a hot tawa. Cook both sides with a little oil.

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4
Makes
8 small rottis, about 14 cm across; 2 per serving
  • vegetarian
  • vegan
  • gluten-free
Shop the ingredients 9 from Organic Mandya

By Organic Mandya Kitchen ·

Ragi rotti often appears at breakfast in Karnataka, though a freshly cooked rotti with chutney also suits an evening meal. Unlike rolled wheat chapatis, this onion-studded version is patted with damp fingertips, which makes room for chopped vegetables without tearing the dough. The same hand-patting technique is familiar from akki rotti. Some cooks shape it directly on a cool tawa; a banana leaf or baking parchment lets you prepare the next round while the first cooks. Coconut softens the bite, cumin adds aroma and green chilli supplies heat. Bring each rotti to the table as it leaves the pan, when its edges are crisp and the middle is still pliable.

Ingredients

  • 250 g (2 cups)Ragi flour Organic MandyaFine flour.
  • 100 g (approximately 2/3 cup finely chopped)OnionChop very finely to avoid tearing the dough.
  • 30 g (approximately 1/3 cup grated)Fresh coconutLoosely packed.
  • 8 g (1/4 cup loosely packed)Fresh coriander leavesFinely chopped.
  • 1 g (approximately 8 leaves; 1 tbsp loosely packed)Curry leavesFinely chopped.
  • 4 g (1 small chilli; approximately 1 tsp chopped)Green chilliAdjust to taste.
  • 2 g (1 tsp)Cumin seeds Organic MandyaFor the dough.
  • 5 g (1 tsp finely grated)Fresh gingerFor the dough.
  • 4.5 g (3/4 tsp)SaltFine salt.
  • 250 ml (1 cup)Warm waterStart with 200 ml; add the remaining 50 ml only as needed. Keep extra water separately for wetting fingers.
  • 20 ml (4 tsp)Cold-pressed groundnut oil Organic MandyaApproximately 18 g; reserve 5 ml to grease the leaf or parchment and use 15 ml for cooking.

Method

  1. Mix the dry ingredients

    Mix the ragi flour, onion, coconut, coriander, curry leaves, chilli, cumin, ginger and salt in a wide bowl for 1 minute.

    ⏱ 1 min

  2. Make a soft dough

    Work 200 ml comfortably warm water, about 45–50°C, into the mixture for 2 minutes, adding up to the remaining 50 ml until soft and moist rather than crumbly.

    ⏱ 2 min

  3. Rest the dough

    Rest the covered dough at room temperature for 5 minutes so the flour absorbs the moisture.

    ⏱ 5 min

  4. Divide the dough

    Divide the rested dough into eight equal portions immediately before patting.

  5. Grease the patting surface

    Smear a few drops from the reserved 5 ml oil over a clean banana leaf or a square of heat-safe baking parchment before each rotti.

  6. Pat a rotti

    Pat one portion into a roughly 14 cm circle, about 2–3 mm thick, with damp fingertips, gently closing any cracks at the edges.

  7. Heat the tawa

    Heat a seasoned tawa over medium heat for 2 minutes, until a drop of water sizzles on contact.

    ⏱ 2 min

  8. Transfer the rotti

    Invert the leaf or parchment onto the hot tawa with the dough facing down, using the paper or leaf edges to keep fingers away from the pan.

  9. Remove the backing

    Peel away the leaf or parchment gently after 10–15 seconds, once the dough begins to adhere to the tawa.

    ⏱ 15 sec

  10. Oil the edges

    Drizzle a few drops from the 15 ml cooking oil allowance around the edge of the rotti immediately after removing the backing.

  11. Cook the first side

    Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the underside has brown spots and the top loses its wet appearance.

    ⏱ 2 min

  12. Cook the second side

    Cook the turned rotti for about 1 minute, until brown spots appear and the centre is cooked; follow steps 5–12 for the remaining portions, allowing about 25 minutes for the batch.

    ⏱ 1 min

Shop the ingredients

Tips

  • Use a 250 ml cup, 15 ml tbsp and 5 ml tsp; follow the gram weights when cup measures differ.
  • Chop onion and herbs finely; large pieces interrupt the thin dough as you pat.
  • Use heat-safe baking parchment or a clean banana leaf; keep either away from the open flame.
  • If the edges crack, work 5 ml (1 tsp) warm water into the remaining dough before patting.
  • Keep uncooked portions covered so their surfaces do not dry out while the first rottis cook.

Serving

Serve each rotti hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney or badanekayi ennegayi. Add plain curd alongside if a dairy accompaniment suits the meal.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked rottis in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 24 hours. Reheat on a tawa with a light sprinkle of water until hot throughout.

Variations

  • Sabbasige rotti: add 15 g (approximately 1/2 cup loosely packed) finely chopped dill leaves to the dough.
  • Carrot rotti: add 50 g (1/2 cup finely grated) carrot and reduce the initial water by 25 ml (5 tsp).
  • Onion-free rotti: omit the onion and adjust the water gradually because the dough will contain less vegetable moisture.

Nutrition per serving

Energy291 kcal
Protein5.3 g
Carbohydrates49.1 g
Fat8.0 g
Fibre8.4 g

Approximate, calculated from raw ingredients including all 20 ml oil for greasing and cooking; omits trace curry-leaf contribution. One serving is two of eight rottis, without accompaniments.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between ragi rotti and ragi chapati?

This Karnataka ragi rotti is hand-patted from a soft dough with onion, coconut and herbs. Recipes called ragi chapati may use wheat flour for rolling, or a plain dough made with hot water. The names overlap, so check the ingredients and shaping method.

Why does my ragi rotti crack while patting?

The dough is usually too dry, or the onion pieces are too large. Work in warm water, 5 ml at a time, until the dough feels soft and moist. Pat with damp fingertips, close small edge cracks immediately and keep the remaining portions covered.

Can I make ragi rotti without a banana leaf?

Yes. Use heat-safe baking parchment to pat and transfer the rotti, keeping it away from any open flame. You can also pat dough directly on a greased, completely cool tawa. Let that tawa cool again before shaping the next rotti on it.

Can I make ragi rotti dough in advance?

For a short wait, keep the dough covered while you cook the batch. For longer storage, refrigerate promptly and use within 24 hours. Onion releases water as it stands, so check the texture before patting and work in a little ragi flour if necessary.

Can I use rice flour or wheat flour in ragi rotti?

You can replace 25 g of the ragi flour with 25 g (approximately 2 1/2 tbsp) rice flour for a different texture. Wheat flour also changes the dough but introduces gluten. This version uses only ragi flour and relies on moisture and hand-patting for shaping.

More recipes

Photo: Organic Mandya · © Organic Mandya