Ragi roti recipe – Learn to make ragi rotti with step by step pictures.
Ragi is a gluten free grain that belongs to the class of millets. This wonder grain is known as finger millet in English. Ragi is the south Indian name to it. Ragi or finger millet is a staple grain in our parts of Karnataka. It is often often used to make porridge, malt, ladoo, dosa, roti and healthy biscuits.
Ragi roti are gluten free unleavened flat breads from karnataka cuisine. These rotti are often eaten for breakfast or lunch along with a chutney, dal & pudi.
Ragi mudde & ragi rotti are the staples in rural karnataka and are eaten during the beginning of the day especially by the farmers. These roti are nutrient dense and keeps hunger pangs away. The high fiber in the grain keep us full and also helps in weight loss.
3 methods of making ragi roti
There are 3 ways these ragi rotti are made.
- The first method is just by spreading the sticky dough on a cloth or leaf. Traditionally these ragi roti are made on banana leaf or cotton cloth similar to the akki roti.
- The second method is made similar to the jowar roti by patting the dough. For this method the dough is prepared by pouring hot water to the flour.
- Third method is to make them mixed with wheat flour. These are also called as ragi chapati. Sometimes I do not prefer to pat the ragi roti as it takes some time & practice to get them thin. So I make them by adding little wheat flour to the ragi flour. This way they can be rolled easily with a rolling pin.
The third method can be made by following a ratio you feel comfortable. I usually make these with half cup of atta and half cup of ragi flour. I also add some garam masala, methi leaves, palak, ginger garlic paste, green chilli etc. I do not use any onions for this method.
I have shared 2 variations of ragi roti or rotti recipe in this post. Both are easy and can be prepared under 30 minutes for a family of 4. It can be served with any chutney, simple dal, sambar or gravy curry.
I love both all the versions and they taste different. Rotti made using the second method is called as nachni bakri or ragi bakhri in some parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra. You can serve this roti with easy side dishes like cucumber or onion raita.
You may also like to check these 18 healthy ragi recipes,
ragi laddu
ragi mudde
crunchy cookies
eggless biscuit
ragi malt
ragi dosa
sprouted raagi flour
Ragi rotti recipe
Ingredients needed: 1 cup ragi flour, 1/4 tsp. cumin, 1 very small onion chopped, 1 green chili chopped, 1 tsp coconut (optional), coriander leaves, salt and water as needed.
1. Add flour, onions, chilies, cumin and salt to a bowl.
2. Add water as needed and make a soft dough that is spreadable.
3. Make 5 equal sized balls. Place a ball of dough on the pan, grease your fingers or moisten them by dipping in a bowl of water. Spread the dough gently to a thin roti. You can also make them on a damp cloth or greased foil.
Cooking ragi roti
4. Place it on the stove and cook covered until you see the color of the roti changes to a darker shade.
5. If you have not greased your fingers, then it turns white in color.
6. Flip the roti and fry on the other side too until done.
You will need 2 pans or tawas or there will be a waiting time until the tawa cools. To make the next roti either make it on another tawa or wait till the tawa cools. If you try to make the roti on the hot tawa, it will not spread.
Method 2 – how to make ragi roti
These rotti or bhakri are made the same way i made the multigrain roti earlier and even the jonna roti or jowar roti is done the same way. If you have to make the roti for more people then this is the preferred way , since there is no waiting time.
1. Add salt to 1 to 1 1/2 cups water and bring it to a rolling boil.
2. Add 1 cup flour to a bowl, pour hot water as needed and mix it to a soft dough using a laddle. You can also add little wheat flour if you prefer.
3. If needed you can sprinkle little flour and mix to get the dough right.
4. To make the roti, dough should be non sticky and not soggy like you see in the picture below.
5. Flour the rolling area, place a ball and begin to pat with your fingers or use a rolling pin which ever is comfortable.
6. I prefer patting them, as the dough spreads easily. If using a rolling pin, roll it lightly. If you are a first timer, after you make a few, you will begin to get them in a perfect round shape.
Frying ragi roti
5. Heat a pan. Keep aside a bowl filled with water along with a clean cloth dipped in it. Add the roti to the hot pan, squeeze off the excess water from the cloth and dampen the roti. when cooked, flip it to the other side and cook.
If you feel the roti is turning hard, then cover and cook on both the sides. This depends on the flour you use. I use the store bought flour and didn’t cover, yet they turned good. Once they are cooked stack and cover them to keep soft.
Serve ragi roti with any chutney, yogurt or curry.
Ragi roti recipe | Ragi rotti | How to make ragi roti | Ragi recipes
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup ragi flour or finger millet flour
- ¼ teaspoon cumin (or jeera)
- 1 small onion chopped (about 2 tbsp)
- 1 green chili chopped
- 1 teaspoon coconut grated or 2 tbsps carrots (optional)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves finely chopped
- Water as needed
- 1/8 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Instructions
Preparation for ragi roti
- To a mixing bowl, add ragi flour, onions, green chilies, cumin, coriander leaves and salt.
- You can also add some grated carrots or coconut if you like.
- Pour water little by little as needed and make a soft & slightly sticky dough.
- Divide the dough to 5 balls. Keep them covered until used up.
How to make ragi roti
- Lightly grease the tawa or griddle with few drops of oil.
- Next to make the roti you can use a greased foil, damp cloth or use the cool pan directly.
- Place a ball of dough on the foil or cool pan.
- Spread the dough to a round roti with your fingers.
- If the dough doesn't spread well, dip your fingers in water or oil and spread it.
- The roti must be neither too thin nor too thick.
- Too thin ragi roti will break and too thick ones will turn hard.
Cooking the ragi roti
- Place the tawa or griddle on the stove and heat it.
- If made on a foil, revert the foil on the tawa. Gently remove the foil.
- Cover & cook until the ragi roti firms up and begin to leave the pan.
- Flip it and cook on the other side. This way make sure the roti is well cooked on both sides.
- Cover the roti. Cook for few mins till you can see the dough dries up.
- Set the ragi roti aside and cover with a cloth or a lid.
- To make the next roti, you will need to use foil or another cool pan.
- Otherwise wait until the used pan cools down completely.
- If you try to spread the dough for next roti on the hot tawa it will stick up and will be unable to spread.
- So use a cool pan or foil, grease if needed and make the next one as described above.
- Stack ragi roti to keep them soft. Serve ragi roti with chutney or dal.
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.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Cathy says
These sound so good. I have a problem with gluten, so these sound like a great alternative, if I can find the finger millet. Is millet and finger millet the same? There is something called einkorn that I can eat without much issue, but it is a sticky flour and I’m. ot sure how to substitute it for regular wheat flour in your recipes, as you don’t knead it like regular flour.
swasthi says
Hi Cathy,
Thank you! Finger miller is not the same. You can use any millet flour to make these. You can use 50/50 einkorn and millet flour in this recipe. For the other recipes, it depends some don’t work. You can leave a comment on the post if you choose to make any. Hope this helps.
Elina says
The Ragi Roti just came out perfect.
Thank you Swasthi.
swasthi says
Welcome Elina
Glad to know!
Elena Bertoli says
Hi Swasthi, I tried to use method 1 but the ragi rotti turned all white (probably my fingers were not enough greased) and it became very very dry, I cooked it for 15/20 min approx.
The dogh was wet and very lumpy.
Any suggestion?
Thank you
swasthi says
Hi Elena,
Yes the white color is due to not enough greasing. It guess the dough needed more moisture. You can dip your fingers alternately in water and oil while spreading. It only takes a few minutes to cook on each side. Less than 2 to 3 mins on each side. The dough is supposed to be wet but not lumpy. I hope you did spread the dough on a cool pan. Next time try spreading it on a foil as it will be easy for you to spread. Hope this helps. If you need any further help, pls let me know.
anuradha says
Hi Swasthi, Can you tell me why the ragi roti breaks, during the patting and on the tava while turning? Thanks for your help
swasthi says
Hi Anuradha,
To make good ragi roti or jowar roti the grains have to be freshly milled and use up within 5 to 6 weeks. Beyond that the flour doesn’t give good rotis. They begin to break up as these are gluten free grains & do not have any stickiness in them. So you can add little wheat flour to avoid that.
Helen says
Very good ragi recipies I enjoy cooking n now I hee ragi dishes
swasthi says
Thanks Helen
Yogendra B says
mushroom fried rice very nice
swasthi says
Thank you
G.v.Krishna veni says
I tried ragi roti recipe, its very nice
swasthi says
Thanks krishna veni
anu says
Nice and easy thanks
swasthi says
Welcome Anu
Purnima says
Excellent! The trick was the hot pan = unable to spread. I read so many recipes today, but only yours mentioned the cold pan trick. It worked!
swasthi says
Thanks Purnima. The dough just sticks up on the hot pan and simply doesn’t let it spread.
satya says
Very good
chitra says
Ur recipe is very simple and tasty also
ushajayakumar says
Very nice .super
swasthi says
🙂
JayanthiSindhiya says
A good healthy recipe
padmaja says
hi
I recently started following your recipes.
tried hakka noodles and ribbon pakoda.came out
reallywell.thank u.
regards
padmaja.
swasthi says
Welcome Padmaja
Thanks for trying the recipes