• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Untold Recipes By Nosheen
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Meet Nosheen
  • Cooking Classes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Meet Nosheen
  • Cooking Classes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Meet Nosheen
    • Cooking Classes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Pakistani Recipes

    Makki Ki Roti (Cornmeal Flatbread)

    November 6, 2020 by untoldrecipesbynosheen Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Makki Ki Roti (Cornmeal Flatbread) literally translates to "Bread Of Maize". This flatbread made with cornmeal is considered a delicacy in Punjab and is usually paired with sarson-ka-saag-mustard-greens.

    The mild, slightly sweet taste of the Makki Ki Roti marries well with the sharp taste of the Mustard Greens. Once you fall in love with this pairing you can't imagine eating either one on it's own.

    Makki Ki Roti (Cornmeal Flatbread)

    Nutritious Breakfast

    Highly nutritious, with Vitamin A, C, K and B Complex, according to ndtv.com cornmeal is an excellent source of energy.

    Great for hair, skin, heart, brain and digestion Makki ki Roti is delicious, high in fibre and gluten free.

    Usually served with a pat of white freshly churned butter, it's the perfect breakfast on a cold winter morning.

    Easy Method

    I didn't attempt making Makki ki Roti for many years as I knew it was a tricky process. Due to the grainy texture of the cornmeal, the dough is difficult to handle.

    However, the method below, using two sheets of parchment paper and a sauce pan, makes it all so easy anyone can attempt it!

    Although traditionally Makki ki Roti doesn't have any flour in it I add a little bit to my dough. I find that a bit of Atta (Durum Wheat Flour) makes the consistency of the dough easier to handle.

    TIP: If you're just starting out, I would recommend adding ¼ cup extra atta to the dough. It will change the taste a bit but will make it easier to handle the dough. As you get more adept at making these you can revert to the ratios provided in the recipe below.

    The Tools You'll Need

    All that's really needed is a rolling pin, saucepan, Tawa and spatula to make the Makki ki Roti. The only thing you may not have is a Tawa, a flat griddle specifically used to make Pakistani and Indian flatbreads.

    Although, highly recommended and easily available at Asian supermarkets or at amazon there's no need to stress if you don't have one.

    A nonstick frying pan will also work, but you may need to adapt the cooking time a little bit.

    The Recipe

    Makki Ki Roti Ingredients

    I like to use Ghee for my roti as is traditional in Punjab. It's nutty, intense flavor is perfect for this recipe, but feel free to swap it out with regular cooking oil if you prefer.

    Gather all of your tools and shape the dough into 5 even balls making sure there are no cracks.

    To help with this you can keep a bowl of water nearby and dip your hand in it as it will help you shape smooth, evenly rounded balls.

    Do make sure not to get the dough too sticky though as it will make the next step difficult.

    Infact, I've learnt to chill the dough for 5 minutes in the fridge as it hardens the ghee and makes it it easier to roll the dough out.

    Before you start shaping your roti's set your tawa to preheat. It must be nice and hot when you start cooking the flatbread. High heat and rapid cooking is best and will yield the best texture for your Makki ki Roti.

    Due to the crumbly nature of the dough, it's difficult to shape the roti with a rolling pin alone. This is where the parchment paper and saucepan will help.

    Transfer the ball of dough to a sheet of parchment, cover with a second sheet and press down with the saucepan to make an even round.


    Use the rolling pin to gently flatten the disc shape you've made, trying to avoid cracking the roti.

    You will find that the edges are often a little uneven, which is typical of this roti due to the texture of the dough. There's no need to worry about this as even the best and most experienced cooks have trouble with that.


    Peel off the top sheet of parchment and transfer the roti using the remaining parchment sheet onto your preheated tawa. This is essential as the crumbly texture makes the transfer of the bread difficult without the sheet of paper.

    Peel the parchment off gently to avoid breaking the roti. This part is tricky as the heat from the tawa makes the dough sticky and very easy to break.

    In the event that your roti does break or crack keep a clean napkin handy and press down gently to seal the broken pieces together.

    All of this takes a little bit of patience and practice. You're likely to struggle a little with the first roti, but by the last one I guarantee you'll have the hang of the process.


    My Tawa is nonstick, which is preferred for this recipe. If yours is not, you may need to add some oil {probably 1-2 teaspoons} while cooking the roti's to prevent them from sticking to the pan.

    Cook the roti for 2-3 minutes on each side maximum. The roti is done when the color changes to a deep yellow and some brown flecks appear on the surface.

    Overcooking it will make it hard and chewy which is why it's suggested to preheat your griddle and cook on high rapid heat.

    Place your cooked roti in a serving dish and place ½-1 teaspoon of butter on top and enjoy! Also please don't forget to rate and comment below if you make the roti's !

    Makki Ki Roti (Cornmeal Flatbread)

    Makki Ki Roti (Cornmeal Flatbread)

    Nosheen Babar
    Makki Ki Roti (Cornmeal Flatbread), topped with a dollop of unchurned butter and eaten with Sarson ka Saag is a winter favorite
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Breakfast, Main Course
    Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
    Servings 5 rotis
    Calories 259 kcal

    Equipment

    • Tawa or Non Stick Frying Pan
    • Rolling Pin
    • parchment paper
    • Small Saucepan

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ¼ cup cornmeal
    • ¼ cup atta {durum wheat flour}
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ½ tsp red chili powder
    • 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (methi)
    • 1 tbsp ajwain {carom or caraway seeds}
    • 2 tbsps ghee
    • 1 cup water
    • 5 tsps butter

    Instructions
     

    • Mix all of the ingredients except the butter and mix with your hands, kneading a little bit to get a smooth dough
    • Chill the dough for 5 minutes as this makes it easier to shape the balls of dough
    • Shape the dough into 5 even balls (SEE NOTES)
    • Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment
    • cover with a second sheet of parchment
    • press down gently with a saucepan to make a small disc
    • Use the rolling pin to gently flatten the disc shape you've made, trying to avoid cracking the roti
    • Roll the roti out to a circumference of 4 inches
    • Peel off the top sheet of parchment
    • Transfer the roti using the remaining parchment sheet onto your preheated tawa/frying pan and then peel the parchment off gently (SEE NOTES)
    • Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the roti is a deep yellow with some brown flecks on the surface
    • Place your cooked roti on a plate, place 1 teaspoon of butter on top and enjoy

    Notes

    Shaping The Dough Into Balls - Traditionally, these rotis are thick and large in circumference and this amount of dough would make 4 Makki rotis. But I find that slightly smaller ones are easier to handle so I prefer to make 5.  When shaping the balls of dough you need to avoid cracks. In order to help with this you can keep a bowl of water nearby and dip your hand in it as it will help you shape the dough and insure that you have a smooth consistency. Be careful not to make the dough too wet though, or else you will have trouble rolling it out.
    Transferring the Roti to the Tawa - Using the parchment to transfer the roti is essential as the crumbly texture of the cornmeal dough makes the transfer of the bread difficult without the sheet of paper. Similarly, if the parchment isn't peeled off gently the roti will break apart on the tawa, so this part can be tricky as well. I usually keep a clean napkin in the event that something breaks a little and gently press the cracked piece back into place.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1rotiCalories: 259kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 515mgPotassium: 133mgFiber: 5gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 184IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Makki Di Roti, punjabi recipes, Sarson da Saag
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Pakistani Recipes

    • Mutton or Lamb Karahi Gosht
    • Pakistani Chicken Steam Roast
    • Gobi Gosht (Meat & Cauliflower Curry)
    • Aloo Palak (Pakistani Spinach & Potato Curry)

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Nosheen headshot

    Hi, I'm Nosheen! Welcome to my world of Authentic South Asian recipes and much
    more.

    I’ve loved to cook from a very early age and my cooking style incorporates authentic recipes that hail from my mother's and grandmother's kitchens as well as many that I’ve developed and created along the way. 

    More about me!

    Popular Recipes

    • Tandoori Shrimp
    • Beef Pasanday Recipe
    • Best Mutton Biryani Recipe
    • Tawa Fry Beef Keema

    Quick & Easy

    • (Pakistani Style) Spicy Cranberry Chutney
    • Easy Moong Masoor Dal {Lentil Curry}
    • Easy Plum Jam Recipe {Without pectin}
    • Raisin & Pine Nut Pulao {Instant Pot}

    Footer

    back to top

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • Pinterest

    Copyright © 2021 Untold Recipes by Nosheen

    Disclaimer & Privacy Policy