Tandoori Roti - 5, With Methi (Fenugreek) Leaves
Methi ki Tandoori Roti
Mamta Gupta
Methi or Fenugreek leaves are used extensively in Indian cooking, in curries, dals and in roties like in Missi Roties, Methi Paratha1 and Methi Paratha 2 and poories. They have a distinctive flavour, once tasted never forgotten! Here, I have cooked the roties entirely under a hot grill.
Makes 10-12
Edited October 2023
Ingredients
300 gm. whole wheat chapatti flour
200 gm. Bengal gram or chickpea flour (missa atta)
1 bunch/large cup fresh methi leaves
1 tsp. oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli flakes/powder (optional)
Approximately 300-310 ml water
A little flour for dusting.
320 ml. water approximately. Add a little more or a little less until you get a soft dough
Butter/ghee to serve (optional). Oil to pan-fry, if making parathas
Instructions
De-stalk, wash and chop methi leaves.
Heat oil in a wok or karahi. Add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add methi leaves, salt and chilli flakes. Stir fry until the leaves are completely collapsed and almost dry. Let them cool.
Making the dough:
Place flours and methi/fenugreek leaves in a bowl. Add enough water, a little at a time, to make a soft to firm...ish dough. If you are new to making roties, it is better to have slightly firm dough, which is easier to control while rolling out. Experienced Indian cooks prefer softer dough.
Knead for 1-2 minutes. Do not use food processor for making this dough or it will grind the leaves too finely and you will lose the texture.
Leave to stand for 10 minutes or so. Knead briefly again. This will make the dough smooth.
Rolling out and cooking the roties:
Switch the grill on and let it heat to maximum, leaving the grill tray under it. You need a hot tray for putting roties on it, so they cook from underneath as well.
Place dusting flour in an old dinner plate or similar.
Divide dough into 10-12 golf ball size portions and roll into balls. I make balls one by one, as I go along. Keep the balls covered with a moist cloth, if you make them all together. Roll as many as will fit on your tray, mine takes 5.
Place the rolled out roties on the hot tray and return the tray under the grill. The roties fluff up into balls and burn if they touch the heated grill. So, keep space between tray and the grill and keep a close eye to stop the roties from burning. Keep the door closed* to retain maximum heat, unless your grill doesn't allow you to do this.
Once the top looks cooked, lightly golden with a few dark brown-black spots and patches turn the roties over and cook the other side, just enough to make sure that the roties are cooked through.
If you are a beginner, you may need help to keep an eye on the grill while you are rolling the next batch out, roties burn very quickly.
Serve straight out of the oven/the grill, with any dal, vegetable, meat, chicken/fish curry. You can butter them lightly, if you wish. A piece of Gur or Jaggery always goes well with these.
*If your oven has a glass door, it is advisable that you prop it slightly open by sticking a wooden ladle between the door and the oven. Otherwise, the glass can shatter, if only the top section of it gets heated and lower section remains cool.
You can cook these on a griddle or a Tava too, just like Chapatties.
Notes
This dough can be used to make parathas too. Follow cooking instructions in plain paratha.
