Bonus Recipe: Janta Ruti 31.01.22
Sourdough isn't the only way to take control of gluten after all !
Sending out this issue a day late than intended because I got pulled into understanding the science of this fascinating Indian bread.
Pronunciation: Janta (John-ta) Ruti (Roo-ti)
It was a coincidence that when I discovered Janta Ruti, I have already been so curious to understand the process of adding partially cooked flour (like Tangzhong & Yudane) in some Asian breads. I was so intrigued to learn about Janta Ruti, an Indian flatbread from the state of Odisha, that is made entirely with pre-cooked flour. Some Scandinavian breads use similar techniques too.
Since then, I’ve come across many more breads (with & without gluten) that use a similar cooking technique. Our ancestors did know what they were doing after all, right? And now there are scientific studies to help us understand these methods too. I did some digging to understand the science behind and I’m sharing some highlights from my learnings so far (it is a vast topic in itself).
What happens when flour is pre-cooked:
Starch gelatinization happens when starches and water are subjected to heat causing starch granules to swell up. As a result, the starch granules are able to absorb more water. With further rise in temperatures, they eventually burst releasing the molecules within and result in a slurry, gel like texture.
The formation of gluten is also limited as the protein denaturation happens because of boiling water. This results in a softer, less chewy bread.
The bread’s shelf life also increases significantly.
Since Janta Ruti is cooked twice (once while making the dough and then cooking it), it becomes much easier for the stomach to digest. It is also much easier to chew and is often preferred in meals for children, the elderly or when unwell.
It has an almost melt-in-the-mouth quality to it and I’m a big fan of its texture now.
RECIPE FOR JANTA RUTI
This recipe yields 9-10 rotis.
PROCESS:
In a pan/wok, boil water on high flame. Once it starts to boil, add everything except flour. Stir to allow everything to dissolve/ mix evenly.
To the boiling water, slowly add in the flour while mixing continuously with a spatula. Turn off the flame and continue mixing for a couple minutes until the flour is fully hydrated.
Transfer the dough to a flat surface and allow it to cool for a couple of minutes.
While it is still warm, knead it into a semi-soft, smooth & pliable dough. Dust your work surface with some dry flour if the dough feels too wet.
Note: I prefer a slightly wet dough texture as it rolls out very smoothly in a tortilla press. Pre-cooking the flour also results in a non-sticky dough.
Heat up a cast iron pan/ tawa on medium-high heat.
Note: This dough doesn’t keep well in the refrigerator and needs to be rolled out & cooked immediately for best results.
Divide the dough into equal sized portions (~10) and shape them into round balls. Flatten it with your hands, dust with dry flour and start rolling them into thin circles with a rolling pin.
Note: Skip coating with dry flour if using a tortilla press. You could lightly oil both the surfaces of the press instead. I prefer using the press as it makes this step super quick & easy.
Place the roti on the hot pan and roast it on both sides. First cook on one side until you start seeing small bubbles on the surface. Flip it over, lightly press on the edges with a cloth or a spatula to allow it to puff up. Cook for about a minute.
Repeat the same steps for all rotis. Brush ghee on cooked rotis. This is optional as they remain soft for a longer time even without ghee.
Enjoy it with your favorite curry or simply with Daal for a comforting meal.
My Oriya fam says that the best pairing for Janta Ruti is with Chenna (a tomato-based curry with fried loose cottage cheese balls and potato cubes) and aloo phulgobi (potato-cauliflower) curry.
Additional notes:
I’ve used Whole grain wheat flour (unsifted) that yields even more flavourful rotis.
Depending on the flour you choose, ,you might have to tweak the water quantity a bit. Every flour has different water absorption capacities.
Some recipes cook the flour in a mix of water & milk that adds more softness.
P.S. This issue is my small attempt to put Odisha, a wonderful (often forgotten) state in India on a global map. I’m grateful to now have a family there who continue to help me learn more about its beauty. It is rightly called “India’s best kept secret”.
Hope you’ll enjoy making these delicious rotis. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
-Ekta
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