These “taco-inspired” dish uses the in-season Gobindobhog rice flour as a “tortilla”. We used pork fat to knead the dough. You can replace it with ghee or butter or non-aromatic oil.
Traditionally, chaal’er ruti is a winter delicacy in parts of Bengal and Bangladesh. Gluten-free and sweetly aromatic, these flat breads made from notun chaal’er gnuri (new rice, powdered) are delightful with hot and saucy meat or vegetables. Try it with our khejur gur spread over the top (or whichever side), as well.
For approximately 12-15 rutis
- Gobindobhog rice flour 300gms, plus more for dusting and kneading
- Water 200-220ml
- Pork fat/oil/ghee/butter 30-40ml
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Start by boiling the water. Once boiled, pour the oil, ghee or fat, whatever you are using. Turn off the flame.
- While putting the water to boil, dry roast the rice flour over medium flame, in a pan, for 30-45 seconds, or until nicely fragrant. Be careful not to burn it, keep on moving the flour around. Add salt and mix in thoroughly. Turn off the flame.
- Tip the entire roasted rice flour with salt into the boiled water and fat mixture, all at once. Don’t bother if it clumps. Whisk or use a spatula to bring everything together in a big, sticky dough. Cover for at least 45 minutes. Relax, the hard part is done.
- When ready to make the rutis, uncover the bowl and knead with some dry rice flour, you want an elastic and springy dough that appears slightly translucent and almost non-sticky.
- Dust your rolling surface with some dry rice flour. Portion out slightly bigger than ping-pong sized balls from the dough.
- Working with each dough ball at a time, roll out 5-inches to 6-inches discs, approximately to 1/8th of an inch thickness. Dust the rolled out rutis with some dry flour and stack one on top of another.
- Over medium flame, place a pan (cast iron or heavy metal tawa works best). Gently place one ruti over the pan, cook each side for 12-15 seconds, pressing gently around the edges with your spatula. While one ruti is cooking, keep the others covered.
- When both sides are delightfully cooked with slight blisters, your rutis are done. Keep them in a covered pot, until eating time.