Rice flour flatbread is frequently prepared in many Indian homes. Your quest for a gluten-free flatbread free from additives and easy to make at home ends here! This time-tested recipe uses only rice flour with no additional psyllium or xanthan gum. With these tips and tricks, you can prepare fresh, soft, wholesome, gluten-free breads on your cooktop and forget about expensive store-bought ones.
Indian gluten free flatbreads
People with gluten sensitivities often have a hard time travelling as it is challenging to get gluten-free food options everywhere. Indian, mainly South Indian cuisine, though, offers tons of gluten-free options. Rice is the staple grain in South Indian cuisine. Almost every street in Southern India has rice dishes such as the ubiquitous idlis and dosas (made by fermenting rice and beans). These are available with a wide range of fillings and flavourings ranging from vegetables to delectable chutneys and gravies.
Rice is ground or milled into flour and used to make rice flour flatbreads, fried puris and even crepes. Rice flour flatbreads are also common in Southern India. There are many variations, using rice flour or cooked rice. The rice flour flatbread may be cooked on a skillet or deep fried into a puffy puri, also calle vada in Maharastra.
The rice flour crepes are called ghavan in Maharashtra and neer dosa in Tamil Nadu. Silky soft with a delicate lacy texture, these are amazing to mop up gravies or even by themselves with chutneys.
As you move towards North India, people traditionally consume a lot of millet like sorghum and buckwheat. Millets are excellent sources of proteins and fibres and hold multiple health benefits. They can be used as a substitute for rice. The flour from millets is used to make various flatbreads.
Unfortunately, making these gluten-free flatbreads needs expertise. The dough has to be mixed in hot water to make it sticky. Further, the dough cannot be rolled easily and has to be patted with hands to make a thin disc. Seeing the village women cook these on skillets over small wood fires is amazing. Just as the art of cooking has diminished over the years, it is rare to see urban residents adept at making these flatbreads. But I have tested this recipe multiple times to ensure you can replicate it in your kitchen, even with minimal cooking experience!
Rice for gluten sensitivity
Gluten-free (GF) grains include corn, rice, sorghum, and millet, and pseudocereals include buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth. Amongst these, rice is the most extensively consumed grain worldwide. It is particularly beneficial to people with gluten sensitivity as it is mild and easy to digest. It has a low potential to cause allergies. Additionally, it is low in fat, sodium, protein, and fibre.
Rice flour is also readily available in most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. It is cheaper compared to other gluten-free flours.
Rice flour is widely used in Asia and the Indian subcontinent for making breads, noodles and even desserts.
Rice flour gluten free flatbreads
The rice flatbread is called rice roti in India and tastes amazing with gravies. It can also be used as a wrap for rolls or tortillas.
Cooking the flour in hot water is the key to making dough for the gluten-free flatbreads. The heat makes the dough sticky, making it easier to roll out the flatbreads. I know many may not be proficient at rolling out the dough. Hence, I have adapted this recipe for a tortilla press. In fact, I asked my 11-year-old daughter to press these out. If she can do the job, I am very sure you will be able to do it as well.
Follow the tips and tricks I mention below to make this your staple gluten-free bread.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 cup water
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp oil
How to make gluten free flatbreads (rice flour flatbreads)
Place the water, salt and oil in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off.
Add the rice flour and quickly mix it till all the water is absorbed. There will be some dry patches, and the dough will appear lumpy.
Cover the saucepan and allow the dough to rest and cool for 5-10 mins.
Once the dough is warm enough to handle (it should not be completely cool), turn it onto the kitchen counter or a silicone mat.
Start kneading the dough, adding a tablespoon of water as and when required. You can moisten your hands while kneading to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
Remember not to add too much water at a time. You must knead the dough for at least 5-10 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. Divide the dough into ten smaller balls.
Roll each ball in rice flour. Place it in a tortilla press in between two sheets of parchment.
Press gently. Add more rice flour on the surface if needed.
You can also try to roll the rice-flour flatbreads using a rolling pin. Roll each ball to a 3-4 mm thickness or as thin as possible. If you would like to roll the bread, please make sure to roll it evenly along the edge. This will prevent the flatbread from cracking at the edge.
To cook the gluten free flatbread, keep a skillet on the stovetop. Gently place the flatbread on the skillet. Brush the top of the flatbread with some water. This prevents the surface from drying up and cracking.
When tiny bubbles appear on the flatbread’s surface, flip it over and cook on the other side. Gently press the flatbread with your spatula to make it puff. A kitchen towel is also handy to press down on the flatbread so that it puffs.
Serve the flatbread hot. If you want to store the guten free flatbreads in the refrigerator, wait till they cool down. Wrap it in a kitchen tissue paper and place it in a ziploc bag. Reheat in a microwave oven for 10-20 seconds.
These gluten free flatbreads can easily be a pantry staple. They are and easy flatbread to learn if you are comitted to cooking from scratch. Along with being easy to digest, they are also easily adaptable as wraps and tortillas.
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