Janta Roti | Soft Roti from Odhisa

Janta Roti is a flatbread from the state of Odhisa. It is made with precooked flour which results in a soft melt in the mouth roti.

It was some seven years back when I posted the Orrisa Thali and served Janta Roti in it, but never got around posting the recipe for it. Now that I decided on A to Z Thali Recipes, I found Janta Roti to fit in the J slot!

Since the dough for Janta Roti’s is precooked, these rotis are easy to digest and make an excellent choice for kids and elderly people. Juhi loved these and asked why can’t be made every day.

Janta Roti is made with wheat flour with the age-old method where water and milk are boiled and gradually flour is added to make a lump-free dough. The dough is kept to rest and then kneaded. One should be careful not to make a very soft dough, as it is difficult to roll the chapatis then. While rolling these rotis you shall see that they do not have neat edges and they keep tearing, but rolling with light pressure really helps. Also, I recommend rolling the rotis on a silicone mat. It makes it easier. I like my rotis to be perfect rounds so I decided to use a lid and cut them into perfect circles.

Coming to the cooking part of these rotis, make sure not to overheat the griddle. After placing the roti, reduce the flame to medium heat and let the first side cook. Gently flip it with a metal spatula. You may increase the flame now, after a few seconds flip back and reduce the flame. You shall observe that the roti starts to puff up. Remove from griddle and smear it with ghee. Enjoy these hot rotis with your favourite curry or serve them with a lavish meal. If you want to check step by step pics of this recipe then hop on to Valli’s space, she has them for all recipes.

Janta Roti

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour
1 1/2 cup milk /water / 1:1 ratio of milk and water
3 tsp sugar ( optional )
3 tsp ghee
Salt to taste

Method

Using a nonstick pot boil milk or water, adding ghee.
Simmer the flame, and gradually add the flour spoon by spoon.
Stir continuously using a whisk.
Cook for 4-5 minutes till the flour gets mixed well and forms a lump.
Switch off the flame and let cool.
The flour will be a sticky mass at this stage
When the dough is completely cooled down, transfer to a working surface or a wide bowl.
Dust the surface and add little ghee to the dough. Knead the dough till it becomes soft.
Pinch out lemon sized balls from the dough.
Dust with flour and roll out into discs of 4 to 5 inches diameter.
Heat the griddle and place the roti over it.
Cook on medium flame till you can see small brown spots coming up on the surface of the roti.
Flip it over and cook on the other side too.
The roti will puff up.
Remove from tawa after 1 minute.
Repeat for the remaining balls.
Serve hot smeared with ghee.

Here are the recipes under the A – Z series of Thali Recipes –

A – Almond Stuffed Dates

B – Bhavnagri Mirch ke Bhajiye

C – Chakundar ka Bharta

D – Dal Bhindi

E – Elaichi Kesar China Grass

F – Fruit Payasam

G – Gatta Capsicum

H – Harabharyachi Usal

I – Imli ki Khatti Meethi Chutney

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Janta Roti

Janta Roti is a flatbread from the state of Odhisa. It is made with precooked flour which results in a soft melt in the mouth roti.

Cuisine Indian Cuisine

Ingredients

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cup milk /water / 1:1 ratio of milk and water
• 3 tsp sugar optional
• 3 tsp ghee
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Using a nonstick pot boil milk or water, adding ghee.
• Simmer the flame, and gradually add the flour spoon by spoon.
• Stir continuously using a whisk.
• Cook for 4-5 minutes till the flour gets mixed well and forms a lump.
• Switch off the flame and let cool.
• The flour will be a sticky mass at this stage
• When the dough is completely cooled down, transfer to a working surface or a wide bowl.
• Dust the surface and add little ghee to the dough. Knead the dough till it becomes soft.
• Pinch out lemon sized balls from the dough.
• Dust with flour and roll out into discs of 4 to 5 inches diameter.
• Heat the griddle and place the roti over it.
• Cook on medium flame till you can see small brown spots coming up on the surface of the roti.
• Flip it over and cook on the other side too.
• The roti will puff up.
• Remove from tawa after 1 minute.
• Repeat for the remaining balls.
• Serve hot smeared with ghee.

Notes