Akki roti recipe – akki meaning rice in kannada, rotti refers to a flat bread cooked on a griddle. So akki roti refers to flat breads made with rice flour. Akki roti or rice flour rotti is an everyday food from karnataka cuisine. They are served with a chutney either for breakfast or lunch. Even beginners can make these and it just takes 15 minutes. There are few different versions of these akki roti based on the regions of karnataka.
I am sharing a simple akki roti recipe here. It can be made on the pan directly or on a cotton cloth, foil or banana leaf and then cooked on tawa/ pan. Since i made this only for 2 of us – myself and my little son, I made it directly on the tawa.
If making for the entire family then it is a tedious task to make directly on the pan. So when i make for the entire family I make akki roti on a greased foil, which works wonderfully good. Traditionally it was made on a white cotton cloth or on a banana leaf.
Back home in India we use banana leaf as we have the banana plants in the backyard. If you are accessible to banana leaf you can use it. However banana leaf does not lend any flavor to the akki roti. It is just that you can use it & discard. It is also healthier than using a aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Rice roti can be made thin or thick to suit your taste. Getting them thin and uniform comes just out of practice. This recipe will help you to make soft akki roti.
Traditionally to make akki roti, ingredients like Chana dal, fresh coconut, chopped onions, coriander leaves, green chilli, jeera and rice flour were used.
However veggies like grated carrot, cucumber, bottle gourd, capsicum, sabasige soppu (dill leaves) are also used in some regions or to suit ones liking. In some parts of karnataka these are made only with rice flour, coconut, green chili and cumin.
Step-by-step photos
Preparation
1. Add rice flour, salt, coconut, cumin, green chili, coriander leaves, finely chopped onions to a large mixing bowl. If you prefer thin rotti, then make sure to chop onions finely.
Grated carrot, cucumber, bottle gourd, ginger and curry leaves can also be added. If using chana dal soak them for about 30 to 45 minutes in hot water and use.
2. Mix up all the ingredients well.
3. Add water little by little to bind the flour. Avoid pouring lot of water at one time. Keep adding more water as you need.
4. Make a moist ball of dough out of the flour. The color of the dough changed due to the carrots. The akki roti dough has to be sticky & moist as it helps to spread the dough easily.
5. Divide the dough to 4 equal balls.
Method – 1
Spreading dough on a cloth or foil
If making in large quantity, then you can rinse 2 white cotton cloths or use foil or banana leaf to spread the akki roti. Squeeze up the cloth, it must be just moist with no dripping water. Spread the cloth and place a ball over it. Gently spread the dough with your fingers.
If the dough doesn’t spread well, then keep dipping your fingers in water and continue to spread.
Heat a pan, just lift the roti with the cloth gently and place the roti on the tawa(roti side onto the tawa). Gently dab on the the pan. Slowly remove/lift up the cloth. Cook it on both the sides as shown below.
Since I made just 4 rotis, I used 2 pans and made the akki roti directly on the cool tawa. Note the tawa has to be cool before you spread the roti otherwise the dough will get stuck on the pan.
Method -2
How to make akki roti on tawa
6. Grease a cool pan & place it on the kitchen counter. Do not heat the pan now. Place a dough ball on the tawa, begin to flatten it evenly.
7. If there is enough moisture in the dough, it spreads easily and evenly. Keep a bowl half filled with water aside. If needed dip your fingers in the water and spread the dough. This also helps to keep the rotti soft. If making thick roti, make few wholes on the rotti every 2 inches apart for even cooking.
Once you are done making the akki roti, keep the tawa on the stove and cook it.
8. When you see the rotti is cooked on one side to light golden, flip it and cook on the other side as well until light brown spots appear. Add oil on the inner side and cook once more. Press with a spatula for uniform cooking.
9. To make the next roti, either we have to cool this pan completely and then use. Or make use of 2 pans, use alternately until the other one cools.
Serve akki rotti with chutney. These are good to serve hot. As they cool down they may turn hard & dry depending on the kind of flour used. If you plan to make these akki roti a few hours ahead then stack them and keep them covered in a clean cloth.
Tips to make good akki roti
- Always use fine smooth rice flour to make the rotti. If your flour is not fine then the akki roti will turn tough & hard. So if you feel the flour is not fine & smooth, then you can also sieve it.
- It is the quality of flour that makes a lot of difference. Making use of good rice flour will prevent the akki roti from breaking. It also helps to make very thin rotti like mine.
- The dough must be moist and sticky. This helps the akki roti to spread well while making. Dip your hands in water to moisten the dough to get soft rotis.
- If using banana leaf make sure your rinse it well to remove the dirt and use.
I use store bought rice flour to make akki roti. But traditional homes, wash the rice, then dry them in sun. Lastly mill the grains in flour mill. The taste of the akki roti made with such flour is much superior to the store bought one. The rotis turn out soft and not tough.
Serve with
coconut chutney
pudina chutney
peanut onion chutney
More recipes from karanataka cuisine
Ragi roti
Bisi bele bath
Vangi bath
Ragi mudde
Set dosa
Chakli
Potato sagu
Recipe
Karnataka style akki roti recipe
Akki roti
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Ingredients for akki roti
- 1 cup rice flour (akki hittu)
- 1 small onion chopped very finely
- 3 tablespoons coconut fresh grated (optional)
- ½ carrot grated (can substitute with bottle gourd, optional)
- 2 green chilli deseeded
- 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander leaves or 1 sprig curry leaves chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin or jeera
- 1/3 teaspoon Salt as needed
- ½ teaspoon ginger grated
- water as needed
- 1 tablespoon oil (or as needed)
optional
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sabsige soppu (dil leaves)
- 1 tablespoon chana dal soaked
Instructions
Preparation for akki roti
- Wash and chop very finely 1 small onions, 2 green chilies and handful of coriander leaves. Grate ½ carrot & ½ teaspoon ginger. If using sabsige, rinse well and chop finely.
- Add 1 cup flour to a large mixing bowl along with 1/3 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cumin, chopped onions, chilies, coriander leaves and carrots. Mix everything well. You can also add about 2 to 3 tablespoons grated coconut & 2 to 3 tablespoons dill leaves.
- Pour water little by little and make a soft dough. The dough must be smooth and moist. Divide the dough to 4 equal balls. Roll to smooth. Keep the bowl covered to prevent drying up.
- You can make akki roti on a greased banana leaf, moist handkerchief, foil or parchment paper.
How to make akki roti – method 1
- Place a ball on the moist cloth or foil or greased banana leaf.
- Begin to spread it lightly with your fingers to make a round roti. If the edges of akki roti crack, then dip your fingers in water and join the cracks. Then continue to spread it.
- It can be made thick or thin to suit your taste. If making thick, make 3 finger sized wholes with one and half inches apart.
Toasting akki roti
- Heat the greased tawa on a medium high flame. Lift the banana leaf or parchment paper and reverse it on the hot tawa. Gently peel off the leaf.
- When the base firms up & golden, flip it. Toast it on both the sides. After flipping it sprinkle some oil to prevent dryness. Press down with a spatula to cook evenly.
- When brown spots appear, akki roti is done. Do not over cook it may turn hard. While you toast the akki roti, make another one on the leaf or cloth. Transfer to the tawa after the first one is done.
How to make akki roti – method 2
- If you are making directly on the tawa then you will need 2 tawas to use them alternately. Or cool the tawa completely and then spread the next roti.
- Lightly grease a cool tawa & keep it on a kitchen counter. Place the ball on the tawa and spread it directly to a thin akki roti. Place the tawa now on the stove and cook until the base firms. Then flip & cook on the other side until done. Press down with a spatula to cook evenly.
- To make the next akki roti either use another cool tawa or wait until the first one cools completely. If you try to spread the dough on the hot tawa it will get stuck and not spread at all. Serve akki roti with chutney.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Anjali Singh says
What’s that orange chutney with the akki roti?
swasthi says
You can check it here – tomato chutney.
Zanna says
I first tried this recipe long ago, and always loved the flavours very much but found it very tricky to form the rotis nicely. I am not very good at that kind of thing. Finally after much practice following your tips I was able to make them, but my family did not care much for them, so for some time I did not make them. Then, after trying a recipe for rava dosa that involved grinding coconut and rava together, I had the idea of grinding the wet ingredients for akki roti, because I think my fussy family prefers things with smooth texture. I grind coconut, carrot, onion, ginger, green chilli, coriander leaves and cumin to a chutney consistency, mix with rice flour and salt, and I form small rotis by patting the dough between my hands. I always serve them with groundnut-tomato-onion chutney. This way everyone loves it. Not really akki roti I guess but it’s our family version 🙂
swasthi says
Hi Zanna
Wow! Really love your version. Will surely try out for my fussy boys. They too have the same problem with onions and leafy greens. Thanks much for sharing this.
🙂
Zanna says
Enjoy 🙂 oh and here are the 5 stars for your recipe!
swasthi says
Thank you!
🙂
Nithya says
As always both the recipe and instructions were great. I made it with read rice flour. And it came out well. Of medium thickness and poori size. Because it was red rice flour, I added some ground flax seeds to the dough while mixing to give it the pliability. Otherwise followed your instructions.
swasthi says
Thanks for sharing your version Nithya
Sounds so good
🙂
Lisa says
I would love to try your recipe but I can not seem to be able to print it or copy and paste it so that I can then print it out and take it to my kitchen and follow your recipe to make this 🙁
swasthi says
Hi Lisa,
If you have an ad-blocker enabled, the print option will not be visible. Please disable it and then refresh the page. You will be able to find the print option. Hope this helps
Jonathan says
I made them exactly as described in the recipe and they were delicious and a big hit with the family. I will definitely make them again and perhaps next time I will try substituting curry plant leaves for coriander leaves.
swasthi says
Thank you! Glad they came out good.
Yes do try.
Anjali says
Your recipes are excellent
swasthi says
Thanks Anjali
Ravichandran says
Thanks, in Kerala with rice flour they something named pattri roti.
swasthi says
You are welcome.
Dr. Benazeer Khan says
nice recipe..
Only one question..
240 calories in one akki roti ?.. right!
swasthi says
Hello Dr.Benazeer,
Thank you. I rechecked the recipe with 1 tbsp oil. It comes to 218 per roti.
Preethy Mohan says
Hi Swati. Could you please tell if the rice powder should be coarse or nicely powdered? Would definitely try this.
swasthi says
Hi Preety,
The rice flour has to be very fine. If you have coarse flour, then sieve it and then use. If the flour is coarse then the akki roti will break and then turn hard.I have mentioned more details in the tips.
Deepthi says
I followed your recipe to dot.. They were very yummy.. We loved them.. All your suggestions are very helpful..Especially the one where you mention that we need to wait for the pan to cool completely if using a non stick..
swasthi says
Hi Deepthi
Thank you so much for trying. Glad to know the recipe was useful.
🙂
Geetha Murthy says
Very nice to see recipe thanks for sharing I’d like to try all the recipe,
swasthi says
Welcome Geetha murthy
Thank you. Yes do try them.
🙂
Madhu says
I made the akki roti with your tomato chutney. we all loved very much.
swasthi says
Thanks for trying Madhu
Sanjeevani says
Today I followed your recipe and prepared Akki roti. It was very tasty and everyone enjoyed it. Thanks a lot.
swasthi says
Welcome Sanjeevani
Thanks for trying. Glad all of you liked it.
🙂
Padma says
Hi Swasthi
I made akki roti with your coconut chutney. thank you so much.
swasthi says
Welcome Padma
usha says
Amazsing recipes. Will try the akki Roti first..
thank you Looks awesome and yummy 🙂
swasthi says
Welcome Usha
Thanks a lot. Yes do try it.
🙂
Aruna says
Super Akki roti!! Made them today for breakfast.
Kiran says
Came out delicious 😋! Thank you for sharing!
swasthi says
You are welcome
Neha Upadhyay says
Heya was going through your Akki Roti recipe for this weekend i love the idea coz its simple and looks tempting :* cant wait to cook something lik this for my lovely hubby. Thank you so soo much , will definetly update my comment after cooking it. Love ya See ya take 🙂
swasthi says
Welcome Neha
Thank you
Dhanush Rao says
Hi…? thanks for showing it clearly with step by step photos …
I’ve tried many north indian veg Chinese recipes. But this time, being a South Indian i will try this ?? & I’ve heard that ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರೊಟ್ಟಿ is Good for health i will try this now itself
Thank you?✌✌
sanju says
Thanks for this quick ealthy recipe.
sivani says
Hi swasthi,
Cann’t thank you enough for all the recipes. Your blog is my favorite and i visit regularly to tey something new. I make these akki roti 2 to 3 times a week. Can I feed this to my 10 months old baby? If yes how much should i give. I was thinking of soaking it in dal and feeding. Do you think using ready made flour for baby is okay? Thank you. Pls reply
swasthi says
welcome sivani,
Thanks for trying the recipes. I do not suggest feeding akki roti to a baby. Your baby needs soft and well mashed foods like purees. Please allow your baby to turn at least 15 months to introduce such foods
shubha says
What is the combo for the akki roti??Please give that too..
swasthi says
Hi Shubha,
I have mentioned in the beginning of the post, it is served with a chutney.
You can try this coconut chutney , you can also skip coriander in the chutney recipe and replace chana dal with fried gram.
Other chutney varieties that go well are
tomato onion chutney
carrot chutney