Tandalachi Bhakari| marathi rice flour bhakri

Rice Flour Bhakri (Tandulachi Bhakri)

serves 2

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup rice flour
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Method

There are two ways to make the bhakri, either by mixing water into the flour or by adding the flour into boiling water. The later is called ukad kadhane.  

First method:
1. In a mixing bowl combine flour and salt. If the flour is aged, use hot water, else you may use room temperature water for kneading. Add water while mixing with hands until soft dough is formed.
2. Heat a griddle on medium first and when heated enough turn the heat to low.
3. Make small balls of 2 inch diameter out of the dough and keep them covered under a damp cloth or a paper towel. Start rolling out the bhakris immediately.
4. Sprinkle some rice flour in a plate or on any clean flat surface. Take one ball, knead it again and place it in the center of the plate.
   Now this is how you work on it: Flour the top of the ball and using you hand, keep rotating it in a 30 deg angle in a clockwise direction flattening it at the same time. Use additional flour if needed to make the flattening easier.
5. Make sure the bhakri is evenly flattened. Lift gently with both the hands and transfer it onto the heated griddle with the top surface up.
6. Immediately spread 2 tsp water all around the top. As the water evaporates (in about 10 seconds or so), flip it over.
7. In another 10 secs, remove it from the griddle with a tong in one hand and a turner in the other and hold it over the high flame in such a way that the watered surface goes directly onto the flame.
8. Bhakri should puff up nicely. Turn over and roast the other side too. Finish roasting both the sides until you see black spots on them.

Second Method:
1. Bring water to a rolling boil. Add salt and rice flour, mix well until no lumps remain. Turn the heat off.
2. This dough is called 'ukad' in Marathi. Knead the ukad while still hot until it gathers into a soft pliable dough like a chapati dough.
3. Heat a griddle on medium first. Once heated, turn the heat to low.
4. Divide the ukad into 2 inch balls and keep them covered under a damp cloth or a paper towel. Start rolling out the bhakris immediately.
5. Spread some rice flour on the rolling board. Place a ball in the center and sprinkle more flour on top. Keep rolling the ball with the rolling pin into a thin circular disc of even thickness.
6. Lift it gently with both the hands and transfer onto the heated griddle with the top surface up.
7. Follow rest of the method same as above.
Top bhakri with homemade butter or ghee. Some good matches to bhakri are garlic chutney, kharda, thecha, pithala, stuffed eggplant curry, spinach-potato curry, chicken curry etc.

Tips and Variations:

1) It is always a good idea to sieve the rice flour before using.
2) Don't let the dough hang around for long before making bhakris, else you may end up getting cracks into your bhakris while rolling.
3) The bhakris made by the second method stay soft for long.
5) If you are trying bhakris for the first time, try the second method which is simpler.
6) There is nothing like a bhakri just off the flame. However, if they are to be served later, they can be reheated in the oven at 200° F. Make sure to keep an eye on them.