How to Make Makki di Roti

Makki di roti is a fall and winter staple in Punjabi households in India, and a year round favourite in ‘foreign’ countries. I can’t think of a dish that is more quintessentially Punjabi, or a dish that is more daunting! I often get asked by friends for tips on how to make makki di roti, so I figure it was time to do a blog post. 

Makki di roti isn’t exactly a complicated recipe, it’s just a technique you need to master with practice. I have managed to figure out a few tricks on how to make makki di roti that I’m sharing today. This is a very photo heavy post, but I really wanted you all to be able to see the steps, and the texture of the dough in each step. 

I do have to tell you, this roti does have a little bit of learning curve. You’ll probably have to make it three or four times before you figure out the texture of the atta (dough) that you like best, and what thickness of roti works for you. Don’t be disheartened, this is totally normal. In this case; practice really does perfect! 

HOW TO MAKE MAKKI DI ROTI

Ingredients:
2 cups of makki da atta (corn flour)
2-3 cups water heated to boiling point

Part One: Making the Atta {Dough}

Start by putting corn flour in a bowl and adding about one cup of hot water – be very careful, and use a wooden spoon to mix the flour together. Slowly add in more water and continue mixing the flour. I added about 1 1/2 cups of hot water into the bowl.

Keep mixing with the wooden spoon until all the flour comes together into little crumbles. You may need to add a little more water depending on your flour, and the climate where you live. The image below shows the texture you are looking for.

Once the flour is starting to come together, turn it out onto your counter or a cutting board. It is still quite hot at this point but must be kneaded with your hands. Let it cool down enough to touch, but not too much. I’ve tried kneading it in the bowl, but I really think having it on the flat surface makes a difference to the smoothness of the dough. 

Knead the dough with your hands until it comes together into a ball. Once it’s in a ball, stop kneading! If you over do it, it will become sticky and won’t make a good roti.

Part Two: Making the Roti

My first tip for making makki di roti is; start as soon as your dough is ready. This is not a dough that you can let sit. I find it much harder to work with when it’s not warm. Also, do not add dry flour to prevent sticking as you would with other rotis, and make sure your tava (griddle is nice and hot when you are cooking it)

Start by making a round ball about the size of a golf ball and flattening it slightly.

So here is how I roll my makki di roti. I don’t have the mad skills required to make it by hand, so I’ve figured out this hack.

Place the ‘ball’ you made between two sheets of parchment and roll it out as you would a regular roti. Don’t press super hard or you will tear the roti. Also, be careful that you aren’t over rolling the same sections or you will have an uneven roti.

Once you’ve rolled your roti out, remove it from the parchment and transfer it onto a hot tava (griddle). Cook it for about 2 minutes on the first side, and 1 -2 minutes on the second side. I like my roti a little soft, and mom always says I take it off too soon! I guess it depends on your preference.  

You can serve the finished roti with saag, or we really like with shalgam di subzi (turnip sabzi), and the kids love it with a little salt sprinkled on top and a generous helping of butter!

PS: My famous Masra di Dal recipe, Punjabi Bhindi Sabzi, and Cooking with Kids

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