Baati Recipe

Whole-grain wheat bread, un-leavened, with minimum water, baked in a charcoal grill

This is a popular bread in Rajasthan. It is about 2" diameter, ¾" thick resembling a bun. The exterior is thick and crusty. Traditionally, the bread is cooked over the ambers of dried cow-dung. We will use charcoal grill to make this bread. The dough uses very little water and lots of Ghee. For normal Roti, one would add 6 Tablespoons of water to each cup of flour, for Baati, we are adding only 4 Tablespoons of water per cup of flour. The low moisture and high fat gives Baati an extended storage life at room temperature without becoming rancid.

Ingredients

1. Whole-grain wheat Flour (Atta): 2 Cups

2. Salt: 1/8 teaspoon

3. Melted Ghee: 1 Cup

4. Warm water (near 100ºF): ½ Cup

Melted Ghee for rolling.

Method

Dough

1. Mix salt and flour.

2. Cut-in Ghee to resemble crumbles.

3. Gather flour to make a mound with a well in it. Add warm water and start mixing dough and knead making a stiff dough

4. Gather dough in to a ball. Cover with damp kitchen towel or a plastic film. Let it rest for about one hour at room temperature.

Rolling dough

Rolling pin is NOT used. Pinch enough dough to make a ball of about 1½" diameter. Slightly flatten it. Brush the exterior with melted Ghee.

Cooking

1. Turn on Charcoal grill. Let the ambers get red hot. Turn down to low.

2. Bake bread till exterior is hard crusty brown about 25 minutes.

Yogi's Notes

The actual Atta used in making traditional Baati is coarser than available in Indian Grocery stores in United States.