Nachni bhakari

Bhakri (भाकरी bhākarī or Dhebra)   is a round flat unleavened bread often used in the cuisine of central India.Bhakri is made from jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet) ,tandul (rice) flour and ragi (red millet or finger millet) 




Like breads around the world, bhakri is a staple. It is accompanied by other foods like currys and may be spread with butter. Other Indian breads include: roti, chapati, paratha, kulcha, and phulka. ...

The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one, based on similar characteristics and uses.

Millet flour (called "Bajari" in Marathi) has been commonly used in Western India for hundreds of years to make the local staple flat bread (called "Bhakri"). Typically, "Bhakri" is made from "Jowar" (Sorghum) flour. today we are going to learn nachani chi bhakari 

Another cereal grain popularly used in rural areas and by poor people to consume as staple in the form of roti or other forms is called ragi in Karnataka or nachani in Maharashtra, with the popularly made ragi rotti in Kannada.

These are well known as Bhakri in Maharashtra and Rotti in Karnataka.  One good thing about Bhakri is that these are oil free.

In maharashtra we  make a variety of bhakaris using gluten free flours. A good bhakri will be only about 2mm thick and will puff like a pita when placed on fire. It will be soft to handle.Ideally a bhakri gets combined with pitla or zunka & green mirchi thecha.



Ingredients:


Nachni/Ragi/Finger Millet Flour - 1 cup
Rice Flour/Tandlacha Peeth - 1/4 cup
Water - 1 1/2 cups
Salt

Method:

1.Take Nachni & rice flour in a vessel and make a well in the middle. Add salt and warm boiling water.



2.After the dough cools down a bit, start the kneading process.



3.Gradually add remaining water to knead it in to soft dough.

4.Divide dough in to  equal balls, take one of the ball and smooth it out between palms and flatten it out.


5.Dust dry nachani flour on rolling board and Flatten the dough into a circular shape on a floured surface using palms.



6.Use rolling pin to roll out bhakari to get even consistency (this is for beginners)



7.Spread a bit of sesame seeds on the top of bhakari and give them a gentle pat as well, so that sesame seeds won't fall down while bhakari is getting roasted.(this step is optional)

8 Place the roti on a hot tava/griddle/skillet  in upside down position ( the lower portion with sesame seeds of bhakri should be on griddle ) and apply water on the top side of the roti  .










9. Let bhakari roast for a minute or two or until water starts to evaporate.

10 Once the water dries out, immediately flip the bhakari over and roast from other side as well for about a minute.











11 Now move the skillet away, lift the bhakari and roast it on a direct heat .











12.Serve hot with a dollop of ghee or butter on the top of it.