Besan Ki Roti – Gramflour-Chickpea Flatbread #glutenfree

Step-by-step recipe on How to Make Besan ki Roti or Chickpea Flour Roti, which is a quick and easy Indian flatbread. It can be eaten with curry or vegetables. You can enjoy them at any meal or make them for party or get-together. 

Besan ki roti

I have customized this Besan ki Roti (flatbread) by Mixing –> Gram Flour(besan) with some Glutenfree Oats Flour <—

(However, if you eat gluten or wheat, then you can add whole wheat flour also called atta in Hindi )

This Mixed Flour version is much easier to make, healthier and lighter on the tummy as ‘Only Chickpea Flour’ roti’s:

Tends to crumble while making.

Gram-flour is considered a heavier flour to digest, hence eating pure gram-flour roti’s at times makes you feel extremely heavy or over-full.

They bloat you easily.  Besan Ki Roti Process

Origin & Meaning of Besan ki Roti:

Besan ki Roti / Chickpea Roti / Gramflour Roti call it by any name, it’s one of the same things.

Roti is popularly known as Flatbread internationally and can be made using various flour or glutenfree flour options.

Besan is the traditional Indian name for Chickpea flour or Gramflour and these rotis are extremely popular in the North Indian household.

It could also be because a lot of ‘chickpeas’ are cultivated in northern India and consumed by local or nearby areas.

The flour is easily available in any Indian grocery stores and is mostly found in the ‘Flour’ section.

Besan-Ki-Roti-process

(Above you can see the Besan ki Roti dough)

Chickpea Flour is light yellow and has a mild nutty smell and flavor to it.

Sometimes the color of flour varies from company to company and you can mix a little bit of turmeric to give it that bright yellow color.

I also like adding a little bit of cilantro and carrom seeds (ajwain) in my besan ki roti to enhance the flavors and make it easy to digest.

However, it’s completely up to you if you want to add this flavoring (as seen in the dough picture above).

Process to Make Besan Ki Roti:

Here’s How the Flatbread / Roti Looks at Different Stages while Cooking:

( Non-cooked Chickpea Flour / Gramflour Roti )

how-to-make-Besan-Ki-Roti

 

( Slightly cooked Chickpea Flour / Gramflour Roti )

most-famous-gramflour-flatbread-recipe

 

( The Chickpea Flour / Gramflour Roti almost ready to be served)

Besan-Ki-Roti-2-ways

—————-

How to Serve Besan Roti: 

The roti goes with any kind of curry, vegetables or even daal (lentils).

They go extremely well with leafy vegetables like sauteed spinach, kale or even mustard leaves.

Infact many people like to eat these Besan ki Roti with chutney, like this Green Chutney or  Sweet-Spicy Mango Chutney.

One of my Favorite combinations is to have them with Paneer Tikka Masala (Indian Cottage Cheese Curry).

restaurant-style-paneer-tikka-masala

 

Also, many people eat this Besan ki Roti for weight loss. Besan is high in fiber, low in carbs and a good source of plant protein, hence it’s a great option when trying to eat healthily.

Since it’s a dense flour, it helps you stay full for longer, which means you will not be hungry quickly.

I sometimes eat these roti’s with plain curd/yogurt.

Quick Tips for Making Perfect ‘ Besan ki Roti ‘

Besan ki roti

GLUTENFREE – VERSION:

Since besan is not gluttonous, the roti’s or any kind of flatbread you make out of them will break.

Hence we add another slightly more binding flour along with it to make the dough more pliable.

So for the Glutenfree version, I’m adding some glutenfree oats flour but you can use any other glutenfree flour as well.

 

—————-

REGULAR VERSION (with whole wheat flour):

This is the most common mixer in any besan ki roti.

The gluten in whole wheat flour makes it extremely flexible and the roti’s don’t break, are much softer and easier to store.

 


Storage of Besan Roti :

Storing the dough properly is the key to fluffy, round and roti’s every time!!! 

Keeping the Dough in the fridge for longer can make it hard & crumbly and you cannot store it in room temperature as it may spoil quickly.

A) ALWAYS coat the dough with some light oil (olive/canola/vegetable). This prevents it from direct contact with air and hence the dough remains smooth and supple.

 

B) ALWAYS Keep the dough in an air-tight container in the fridge this way it can be stored for 2-3 days.

 

C) If you have time, keep the dough outside at least 1hr before making these Besan ki Roti, as this gives enough time to the dough to come to room temperature and results in smooth Roti’s.

 

D) If you feel the dough is still slightly hard or crumbly (after being outside for 40-60 minutes), Lightly pat some warm water all over the dough and smooth the dough using your hands.

 

Besan-Ki-Roti Process : Besan Ki Roti

 

More Options:

Stovetop Tandoori Roti

Makki ki Roti (Cornmeal Flatbread) Makki di Roti

Restaurant Style Mixed Dal Tadka –  Mixed Lentils

 

Here’s a Quick Video on – How to Make the Besan Ki Roti (Gramflour-Chickpea Flatbread)

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As always, I Looove when you try my recipes and send me pictures & feedback.

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Besan Ki Roti (Chickpea Flour Roti)

 

Yield: 8

Besan Ki Roti (Gram Flour Flatbread)

Besan ki roti

Step by Step recipe on How to Make Besan ki Roti or Chickpea Flour Roti, which is a quick and easy Indian flatbread. It can be eaten with curry or vegetables.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

* GLUTENFREE Version * -

  • 1 Cup Gram Flour/Chickpea Flour (Besan)
  • 1/2 Cup Any Glutenfree Oats Flour *
  • 4 Tbsp Fresh Coriander – Chopped
  • 1 Large Green Chili – Thinly Chopped
  • 11/2 Tsp Carom Seed (Ajwain)
  • 1 Tsp Salt – As per taste
  • 1/2 Cup Water – Keep 2-3 tbsp extra

* REGULAR Version (with whole wheat flour) * -

  • 1 Cup Gram Flour/Chickpea Flour (Besan)
  • 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour *
  • 4 Tbsp Fresh Coriander – Chopped
  • 1 Large Green Chili – Thinly Chopped
  • 11/2 Tsp Carom Seed (Ajwain)
  • 1 Tsp Salt – As per taste
  • 1/2 Cup Water – Keep 2-3 tbsp extra

Instructions

*** The Process of Making the Roti is Same for Both Version *** (Choose as per convenience/need)

  1. In a food processor with dough attachment, add all the above-mentioned ingredients and pulse to form a smooth and pliable dough. (Takes about 5 minutes or you can make the dough by hand) (Pic1)
  2. Make 8 round balls out of the formed dough and using a rolling pin, roll them into disc shape using dry flour. (Pic2)
  3. Heat a nonstick pan on high flame for 2 minutes and then reduce the flames to medium.
  4. Place one of the rolled roti/bread on it. Turn the roti to another side after 1minute (Side up will have bubbles and brown spots). (Pic 3 & 4)
  5. After both sides are browned for 1 minute each, remove the pan and put the roti on high flame, keep tossing it on both sides till they fluff up and evenly golden brown.
  6. Remove Roti and place into serving the dish. (Pic: Middle)
  7. Follow step 3 and 4 until all roti/bread is done.
  8. Serve Hot with OR without a dash of butter on each.**

Notes

** If you don't have a flame gas, you can continue cooking the roti/bread on same nonstick pan by turning on either sides and pressing it a little on the side up using a dish towel.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

2

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 8g

I'm a Food Blogger/ Recipe Developer/ Brand Ambassador/ Food Photographer and have been cooking for over 15+yrs. My recipes have been published in Yahoo, MSN, Better Home & Garden, BuzzFeed, Huffington Post along with many food brands.

30 Replies to "Besan Ki Roti - Gramflour-Chickpea Flatbread #glutenfree"

  • Raina February 3, 2021 (11:53 am)

    Hi Molly, thanks for this recipe. I could not get mine to puff. Did you use oil on the skillet? Thanks!

    • Molly Kumar February 15, 2021 (5:38 am)

      Hello Raina, I didnt not use any oil on the skillet as that will make them more like a paratha. Sometimes the flour we use is denser and hence the roti don’t puff up. – Thanks, Molly

  • Malcolm June 18, 2020 (5:37 am)

    We have a modern kitchen–ie electric hobs and no gas. Is there any way to get rotis to fluff up without a naked flame?

    • Molly Kumar June 23, 2020 (2:11 pm)

      Hi Malcolm, yes you can make this roti using a pan. Keep pressing the roti (using a cloth or kitchen towel) on both sides and it will fluff up slightly. Thanks, Molly

  • Cassie May 19, 2020 (11:26 pm)

    Can you just use psyllium husk (or xantham gum) as biding agent, instead of another flour?

    • Molly Kumar May 20, 2020 (6:31 am)

      Hi Cassie, yes you can use ‘psyllium husk’ here instead of another flour. You can use 2-3 tbsp of husk and make a soft dough. It will be slightly dry as husk soaks up water very quickly. Thanks, Molly

  • Catherine September 15, 2019 (3:11 pm)

    It says roll in to 15 balls they seem very small what am I not seeing…??????

    • Molly Kumar September 15, 2019 (4:41 pm)

      Hi Catherine, this recipe makes 8 rotis. Thanks, Molly

  • Ratanjali Jain August 27, 2019 (4:17 am)

    Can we use barley flour with gram flour to make rotis and in what proportion? Tia

    • Molly Kumar August 28, 2019 (4:33 am)

      Hello Ratanjali, yes you can use barley flour (1 cup) with gram flour (1/2 cup) to make this roti. Infact you can use less or more of either of the flour as per your taste. Thanks, Molly

  • Roopa Singh September 19, 2018 (7:28 am)

    Thank you for this recipe. In South Africa, we make some similar types of rotis. Could I use almond or coconut flour instead of oat flour?

    • Molly Kumar September 20, 2018 (7:13 pm)

      Hi Roopa, I’m so glad you liked the recipe and you can use almond flour along with another flour. That way the roti’s will not break. Thanks, Molly

  • Vivi November 29, 2017 (5:01 pm)

    FINALLY!!! I made this recipe yesterday, and by my last one, I managed to get it to puff up on a stovetop element in a skillet. Here is how I did it.
    1. I made sure not to roll it TOO THIN.
    2. I followed the directions as given for preheating my skillet, then lowering the heat.
    3. After the initial minute on each side, I kept turning it over as I noticed it was puffing up.

    This is a very tasty recipe which I shall make again tomorrow, as I must go out today. I found they stayed soft without oil, under a clean dish towel, while I made the others.
    Thank you so much for this recipe.

    • Molly Kumar December 2, 2017 (6:02 am)

      Hi Vivi, Thanks so much for trying the recipe and I’m so glad you liked it. The roti’s do stay soft 🙂

  • Anita January 20, 2017 (12:54 am)

    Just made these Rotis today . Turned out well , was a bit dry though . But it was delicious none the less. Thanks

    • Molly Kumar January 22, 2017 (2:05 am)

      Hi Anita, I’m so happy you tried these rotis. Besan/Chickpea has a tendency to dry…I would suggest brushing them with a tsp of oil/butter once they are made. This will make them softer and of course more tasty 🙂 Hugs, Molly

  • Amrita January 18, 2017 (1:09 pm)

    Such a great recipe.This I have never made. But will be on my to make list

  • Sally C March 10, 2016 (7:55 pm)

    Are you sure the measurements are right (flour to water). The paste I got with this recipe can’t be rolled. I added perhaps as much as another cup of flour to get something I could work with. Plus, I reserved 3 Tbsp of water to begin with (I assumed that’s what you meant when you said “Keep 2-3 Tbsp extra.” I’m really interested in this recipe. Thanks for any help you can give.

    Also, I can hardly read the recipe because the social networking icons cover up the measurements.

    • Sally C March 11, 2016 (3:50 pm)

      Molly, I’m sorry, my first comment was a bit blunt. I apologize. I’m really happy to find this recipe because I like the larger percentage of besan flour to whole wheat flour. I would really love to be able to make it work. Plus, I figured out what I was doing wrong with the website. By zooming in I created my own problem with the social networking icons on the side. Nothing wrong with your website, just me. Thank you for the recipe.

      • Molly Kumar March 11, 2016 (4:31 pm)

        OMG Sally, that is SUPER SWEET of you and please, you don’t have to say sorry. I do regret the error on the recipe, which is now corrected and the social share does act weird at times. This was actually one of my initially published recipes (2012) and our favorite flatbread recipe. I really hope you do make it soon and please feel free to write to me, I’m always happy to help 🙂

    • Molly Kumar March 11, 2016 (4:27 pm)

      Hi Sally, Thanks for writing in and I’m so sorry that the dough didn’t turn out right. Although, I’m so glad you brought it to my notice, the water used for the dough is actually 1/2 cup (there was an error and it’s fixed). I hope you do give it try again. As for the social share, maybe at times they do act weird, please do try refresh the page – Thanks so much.

    • Sobi August 3, 2020 (9:28 am)

      Hi. Can these be frozen.

      • Molly Kumar August 6, 2020 (6:33 pm)

        Hello Sobi – No, the cooked roti’s cannot be frozen s they wouldn’t taste good. But you can freeze the dough for 7 days and thaw before using. Thanks, Molly

  • Mary Bendfeldt October 14, 2015 (8:57 am)

    I am always curious about the flame part when I have a electric stove. Would you just continue with high heat to make it puff, or will it not work with the besan flour?

    • Molly Kumar October 15, 2015 (5:47 am)

      Hi Mary, you can definitely cook the roti’s on high flame. Just need to be quick as they might burn.

  • Lavanya May 25, 2012 (10:07 pm)

    I can see a nice blog shaping up here. I am ur new follower.

    • Molly Kumar May 26, 2012 (12:53 am)

      Hi Lavanya, Thanks for liking "easycookin".
      Did visit your blog and I'm soon going to try some of your recipes.
      Keep Cookin n Enjoying !!!

  • faseela May 25, 2012 (7:43 pm)

    super yummy roti……great puffed up roti…

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