Akki Roti / Karnataka Style Rice Flour Flat Breads

Akki Roti is a delicious rice flour flat bread unique to the Indian state of Karnataka. A staple food in Karnataka, Akki roti is typically served with chutney for breakfast but can also be served with some gravy for lunch. It is made with rice flour, mixed vegetables and spices. I have also added fresh grated coconut to the roti dough. This rice roti is not rolled out but patted with hands either on a plantain leaf or moist cotton napkin. Akki roti is vegan and gluten-free and can be made under 30 minutes from scratch.

The word Akki translates to rice and roti to flatbread in Kannada . To make a basic Akki roti, you just require fine rice flour, water, salt and cumin seeds. Vegetables like onion, carrots, green chilies, herbs like coriander or dill leaves, lentils like soaked Bengal gram and fresh coconut are added as variation to this traditional flat bread. I have used grated carrot, finely chopped onion, fresh coriander leaves, green chilies and fresh grated coconut apart from cumin , salt and rice flour in this recipe. The roti turned out crispy at the edges and soft from within and tasted great with Coconut Chutney.

 The recipe of Akki roti is very easy and simple to follow. Only thing you need to be careful is the quantity of water to the rice flour while making the dough. You will not be able to make a perfect akki roti if the dough is too watery or hard. To pat the roti you can use plantain leaf, greased zip lock bag, parchment paper or a moist cotton napkin. You can also pat the roti directly on a greased tava before heating it. I have patted the akki roti on a moist kitchen napkin which helped the roti to spread easily. The patter roti is then carefully lifted along with the cloth and transferred to a heated skillet along with the cloth. Once the akki roti sticks to the tava/ skillet, the moist cloth is carefully separated from above the roti. Akki roti is cooked from both sides until it is golden brown in color and crisp.

I made this akki roti for the first time and my family loved it to the core. Now i have one more great option for breakfast on those crazy mornings. So, what made me make this Karnataka style rice roti? Well, all thanks to Aruna , a fellow blogger and friend. Aruna who is a Kannadiga herself, suggested the theme for #209th #FoodieMondayBlogHop as #ThindiYenu. ThindiYenu in Kannada means "What is for Tiffin" Now Tiffin here refers to breakfast and not the tiffin box. Aruna is new to blogging world and recently she celebrated her first blog anniversary. She dedicates her blog Vasus Veg Kitchen to her Appa. Her blog is a home to traditional South Indian recipes and also recipes from around the globe. I love her dedication towards her work and the quest to learn something new each day. her recipes are easily doable and with step wise pictures. Do hop on to her space for some delicious vegetarian treats. When Aruna suggested the theme, the first thought was to make Mysore Masala Dosa but then since i was pressed for time this week, i decided to try out something quick and easy. A brief research on the Internet led me to this Karnataka special akki roti which could be cooked in a jiffy and with the ingredients that are always present in any Indian pantry.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoon fresh grated coconut
• 2 tablespoon grated carrot (about 1/2 small carrot)
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 green chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• Oil for roasting the akki roti

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl take rice flour. Add all the ingredients except oil to it (grated carrot, chopped onion, coriander, coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies and salt.) Give a good mix.

2. Now add little water at a time and knead into a soft dough. Keep the dough covered for 5-10 minutes.

3. Moisten a cotton kitchen towel and place it on a work surface or rolling board. Divide the dough into 4 portions. Heat a greased tawa / skillet on low flame. Take one dough portion and with wet hands spread it in round shape onto the moist kitchen towel.

4. Now slowly lift the kitchen towel along with the roti and transfer it to the heated skillet, by placing the side with roti on it facing the tawa. Wait for few seconds till the roti sticks to the tawa. Now slowly lift the kitchen towel. Make a small hole in the center of the roti with your fingers or with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle some oil on the edges of the roti and in the center hole. The steam passes through the hole and the akki roti gets cooked well from the center as well.

5. Once the edges are golden brown, flip the roti with a flat spatula and cook from the other side as well. Repeat the same procedure with rest of the dough balls.

6. Serve the akki roti immediately with Coconut Chutney or gravy of your choice. If you intent to serve it after some time, stack all the aki rotis and keep them covered to prevent them from drying out.

Recipe Notes:

• The recipe can be halved or doubled as per the requirement.
• You can add veggies of your choice. 
• Grated ginger, soaked Bengal gram or chopped dill leaves can be added in the recipe as variation. Dill leaves have a distinct strong flavor and aroma, so use it or skip it as per the family liking.
• Akki roti can be be made even without veggies with just salt, cumin and rice flour.
• Akki roti tastes best when served immediately as on cooling it becomes dry. If you intent to serve it after some time, stack all the rotis and keep them covered until serving time.
• Akki roti is typically served for breakfast with coconut chutney but can also be served with spicy gravy for lunch.
• If using plaintain to make the roti, wash and wipe the leaf. grease it with oil and then pat the dough ball on it and spread. Make hole on it and transfer the roti on a heated skillet gently by placing the side with roti on it facing the tawa. 
• To pat the roti directly on the tawa, make sure the tawa has cooled down as the dough ball will stick on the hot tawa and will break if we try to spread it.

If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section bellow. For more updates and new recipes, follow us on #Facebook, #Instagram, Twitter, #Pinterest and #Google+.

For more Indian flat bread recipe from this blog, check out the following

• Makki Ki Roti

                            

• Bhajaniche Thalipeeth

                            

• Sweet Corn Uttapam

                            

• Besan Dhirde

                             

• Amritsari Aloo Kulcha

                            

• Sindhi Dal Pakwan

                            

• Adai Dosa