BANGALORE
FOOD
Akki-Rotti
Roti (flat bread) made out of rice flour, is perhaps the unique
specialty of Karnataka. It is in many ways similar to the Thali-peet of Maharashtra,
but the ingredients are rice flour based. Consequently, it happens to be the popular
breakfast item in many homes of Karnataka. Replace rice flour with Ragi flour
and it becomes Ragi Roti, another great favourite in Karnataka. For people living
overseas, Please note that most of the ingredients are available only in Indian
Grocery stores.
Ingredients
Akki
hittu or Rice flour (ground rice - the coarse variety can also be used, but will
have to be kept a little longer after the dough is made using water)
Freshly
grated coconut (the dry variety available in stores may be powdered in a dry grinder
and used)
Green chilies
Fresh kothumbari soppu (dhaniya leaves)
Jeerige
(jeera, cumin seeds)
Hing (asafetida)
Salt to taste.
Optional
Ingredients
finely
chopped onions
finely grated carrots
finely grated cabbage
BataaNi
kaaLu (green peas, even the frozen variety is OK)
red chili powder instead
of fresh green chilies.
Method
Take
500 gms of rice flour and add 3-4 finely chopped green chilies, chopped kothambari
soppu, 1 teaspoon of jeerige, a pinch of hing.
Add a handful of freshly grated
coconut or powdered coconut.
Add water little by little as you mix them.
Stop adding water when it can be rolled into one lump (similar to wheat dough).
The difference though is that this rice dough does not have the elastic nature
of wheat and therefore cannot be rolled out like a chapatti. So, this dough has
to be beaten into the pan.
In
order to do this, take a large flat pan or a Bandale' (Wok or kadayi), pour 2-3
teaspoons of oil at the centre. Keep a separate bowl of water.
Take out a
small handful of rice dough (large lemon sized) and put it on top of the oil in
the middle of the pan. Wet your hand in water, start gently pressing the dough
from the centre outwards in circular fashion. Keep repeating this by wetting the
hand each time the dough starts sticking to your hand.
Continue beating outwards,
till the dough spreads uniformly making a large circle.
Make sure the edges
are not thick, by pressing them farther towards the outer circumference.
The oil should be just about enough to seep a little at the edges. finally.
The roti will be no thicker than a thin biscuit.
Now, make one hole in the
centre using the forefinger, make four more holes about 2 inches away from the
centre in the four quarters of the circle.
Pour in a few drops of oil into
each of these holes, a few drops of oil over the surface in general. These holes
allow the steam to escape and thereby keep the roti close to the pan.
Close
the pan with a lid, keep it on medium flame.
When the steam builds up and
makes a sizzling noise (about 3-5 minutes), take out the lid, use a flat shaped
skillet to ease the roti out.
Make sure that it is well baked but not blackened.
If you want it crisper, add a few drops of oil, continue to bake on low flame
for another 2-4 minutes.
Take out and serve hot with a spoon of butter to
go with.
After taking the roti out, it is necessary to cool the pan. This
can be done either by simply allowing it to cool down (takes longer) or turn the
pan around, put the back of the pan under cold running tap (quenching).
The
pan will be ready for the next round within seconds.
Generally, it is better
to have two pans and alternate between them.
Usually the first roti needs
more oil, subsequent ones need a spoon less.
The use of onion and grated vegetables
gives an added taste to the roti.
All these are mixed before adding water
and turned around well by hand.
It is very common to do it with just onions,
not so common to do with vegetables or just plain roti.
But adding chili powder
instead of chopped green chilies has adifference. It makes the roti reddish instead
of white,
it also makes the khara (eravu, teekha) uniform. Particularly children
may prefer green chilies since it can be taken off after cooking, thereby keeping
the roti mild.
DURING THE AVARE' KAAYI (fresh Lilva- a kind of beans) SEASON
of Jan-March it is common to add AVARE' KaaLu to this roti (ooh, it tastes so
good). Flat beans (Lima beans) can be used elsewhere, though the taste will not
be in any way comparable toAvare' KaaLu (fresh Lilva) over which the people of
Karnataka go gah gah ENJOY THIS NICE ONE ON A WEEK-END. IT WILL MAKE YOU YEARN
FOR MORE.
(Courtesy:
K. Raghunandana)
