As the weather cools, kitchens in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and rural Maharashtra switch from wheat to bajra. A bajra roti is thicker and coarser than a wheat phulka, earthy and slightly sweet, and it is eaten hot with white butter or ghee and a lump of gur. In many homes it is the most anticipated meal of winter. It is simple to make once you accept that bajra dough behaves nothing like wheat.

Ingredients

2 cups bajra flour (fresh, as bajra flour turns bitter quickly)
¼ tsp salt
About ¾ cup warm water
Ghee for serving, 1 to 2 tsp per roti
Jaggery (gur), in small pieces

Method

Knead in small batches. Bajra has no gluten, so the dough cracks and dries quickly. Mix enough flour for two rotis at a time with a little salt and warm water.
Knead with the heel of your hand. Press and knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes on a plate or parat until it is smooth and pliable. The warmth and pressure of your hand are what make it cohesive.
Shape by hand. Take a ball of dough and flatten it between your palms, turning and patting it into a round about 5 to 6 inches across and a quarter inch thick. If you prefer, pat it out on a sheet of plastic or banana leaf with wet fingers. Rolling pins rarely work for bajra.
Cook on a hot tawa. Place on a medium-hot tawa. Sprinkle a little water over the top and spread it with your fingers to prevent cracks. Cook for a minute until the base is set.
Flip and cook. Flip and cook the second side for a minute.
Puff on flame (optional). Hold the roti over a direct flame with tongs for a few seconds on each side. It may puff partially. Many cooks cook it fully on the tawa, pressing with a cloth.
Serve with ghee. Place on a plate, make a few small holes or cracks on the surface and pour ghee over it so it soaks in. Serve with jaggery.

Why bajra and ghee go together

Bajra rotis are coarse and dry on their own. Ghee softens them, carries their nutty flavour, and makes them easier to eat. It is also why the traditional pairing includes jaggery: the sweetness balances the earthy millet, and the ghee brings them together.

Tips

Fresh flour matters. Bajra flour contains more oil than wheat and goes rancid quickly. Buy it in small quantities, and smell it: stale bajra flour is noticeably bitter.

Warm water, fresh dough. Do not make the whole batch of dough in advance. It dries and cracks.

Mend cracks. Small edge cracks are normal. Press them together with wet fingers.

What to serve alongside

Lehsun ki chutney, a fiery Rajasthani garlic chutney.
Kadhi.
Baingan bharta or sev tamatar.
White butter or ghee, jaggery and a glass of chaas.

Bajra khichdi and churma

Leftover bajra rotis can be crumbled and mixed with ghee and jaggery to make a simple bajra churma, a winter sweet in many rural homes.

For winter bajra rotis we reach for Desi Cow A2 Ghee, since you need a generous spoon for every roti.